diff --git a/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/search/TransportSearchAction.java b/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/search/TransportSearchAction.java
index 4ff1e660698a6..84ef35e017d66 100644
--- a/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/search/TransportSearchAction.java
+++ b/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/search/TransportSearchAction.java
@@ -482,9 +482,6 @@ void executeRequest(
             OpenPointInTimeRequest pitReq = new OpenPointInTimeRequest(searchRequest.indices()).indicesOptions(
                 searchRequest.indicesOptions()
             ).preference(searchRequest.preference()).routing(searchRequest.routing()).keepAlive(TimeValue.ONE_MINUTE);
-
-            // The can match phase can reorder shards, so we disable it to ensure the stable ordering
-            searchRequest.setPreFilterShardSize(Integer.MAX_VALUE);
             nodeClient.execute(TransportOpenPointInTimeAction.TYPE, pitReq, new ActionListener<>() {
                 @Override
                 public void onResponse(OpenPointInTimeResponse resp) {
@@ -504,6 +501,11 @@ public void onFailure(Exception e) {
             });
             return;
         }
+        if (retriever.isCompound()) {
+            // The can match phase can reorder shards, so we disable it to ensure the stable ordering
+            // when running multiple requests within the same pit.
+            searchRequest.setPreFilterShardSize(Integer.MAX_VALUE);
+        }
         Rewriteable.rewriteAndFetch(
             searchRequest,
             searchService.getRewriteContext(timeProvider::absoluteStartMillis, resolvedIndices, searchRequest.pointInTimeBuilder()),