diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/apache/iceberg/avro/AvroSchemaUtil.java b/core/src/main/java/org/apache/iceberg/avro/AvroSchemaUtil.java
index edc658341..91c3fb69f 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/apache/iceberg/avro/AvroSchemaUtil.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/apache/iceberg/avro/AvroSchemaUtil.java
@@ -138,6 +138,15 @@ public static boolean isOptionSchema(Schema schema) {
     return false;
   }
 
+  public static int getNullIndex(Schema schema) {
+    Preconditions.checkArgument(isOptionSchema(schema));
+    if (schema.getTypes().get(0).getType() == Schema.Type.NULL) {
+      return 0;
+    } else {
+      return 1;
+    }
+  }
+
   /**
    * This method decides whether a schema represents a single type union, i.e., a union that contains only one option
    *
diff --git a/hivelink-core/src/main/java/org/apache/iceberg/hivelink/core/schema/MergeHiveSchemaWithAvro.java b/hivelink-core/src/main/java/org/apache/iceberg/hivelink/core/schema/MergeHiveSchemaWithAvro.java
index 61d51c80a..ead5f3e53 100644
--- a/hivelink-core/src/main/java/org/apache/iceberg/hivelink/core/schema/MergeHiveSchemaWithAvro.java
+++ b/hivelink-core/src/main/java/org/apache/iceberg/hivelink/core/schema/MergeHiveSchemaWithAvro.java
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 import org.apache.avro.JsonProperties;
 import org.apache.avro.LogicalTypes;
 import org.apache.avro.Schema;
+import org.apache.avro.Schema.Type;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hive.serde2.typeinfo.DecimalTypeInfo;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hive.serde2.typeinfo.ListTypeInfo;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hive.serde2.typeinfo.MapTypeInfo;
@@ -97,12 +98,12 @@ public Schema.Field field(String name, TypeInfo field, Schema.Field partner, Sch
    * If the schema is not an option schema or if there is no default value, schema is returned as-is
    */
   private Schema reorderOptionIfRequired(Schema schema, Object defaultValue) {
-    if (AvroSchemaUtil.isOptionSchema(schema) && defaultValue != null) {
-      boolean isNullFirstOption = schema.getTypes().get(0).getType() == Schema.Type.NULL;
-      if (isNullFirstOption && defaultValue.equals(JsonProperties.NULL_VALUE)) {
-        return schema;
+    if (AvroSchemaUtil.isOptionSchema(schema)) {
+      int nullIndex = AvroSchemaUtil.getNullIndex(schema);
+      if (defaultValue != null && !defaultValue.equals(JsonProperties.NULL_VALUE)) {
+        return Schema.createUnion(schema.getTypes().get(1 - nullIndex), Schema.create(Type.NULL));
       } else {
-        return Schema.createUnion(schema.getTypes().get(1), schema.getTypes().get(0));
+        return Schema.createUnion(Schema.create(Type.NULL), schema.getTypes().get(1 - nullIndex));
       }
     } else {
       return schema;
@@ -143,10 +144,14 @@ public Schema union(UnionTypeInfo union, Schema partner, List<Schema> results) {
   @Override
   public Schema primitive(PrimitiveTypeInfo primitive, Schema partner) {
     boolean shouldResultBeOptional = partner == null || AvroSchemaUtil.isOptionSchema(partner);
+    int nullIndex = 0;
+    if (partner != null && AvroSchemaUtil.isOptionSchema(partner)) {
+      nullIndex = AvroSchemaUtil.getNullIndex(partner);
+    }
     Schema hivePrimitive = hivePrimitiveToAvro(primitive);
     // if there was no matching Avro primitive, use the Hive primitive
     Schema result = partner == null ? hivePrimitive : checkCompatibilityAndPromote(hivePrimitive, partner);
-    return shouldResultBeOptional ? AvroSchemaUtil.toOption(result) : result;
+    return shouldResultBeOptional ? AvroSchemaUtil.toOption(result, nullIndex == 1) : result;
   }
 
   private Schema checkCompatibilityAndPromote(Schema schema, Schema partner) {
diff --git a/hivelink-core/src/test/java/org/apache/iceberg/hivelink/core/TestMergeHiveSchemaWithAvro.java b/hivelink-core/src/test/java/org/apache/iceberg/hivelink/core/TestMergeHiveSchemaWithAvro.java
index d2dceddf2..24d845660 100644
--- a/hivelink-core/src/test/java/org/apache/iceberg/hivelink/core/TestMergeHiveSchemaWithAvro.java
+++ b/hivelink-core/src/test/java/org/apache/iceberg/hivelink/core/TestMergeHiveSchemaWithAvro.java
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 import java.util.stream.Collectors;
 import org.apache.avro.LogicalTypes;
 import org.apache.avro.Schema;
+import org.apache.avro.SchemaBuilder;
 import org.apache.avro.util.internal.JacksonUtils;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hive.serde2.typeinfo.StructTypeInfo;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hive.serde2.typeinfo.TypeInfoFactory;
@@ -355,6 +356,25 @@ public void shouldRecoverLogicalType() {
     AvroSchemaUtil.toIceberg(merged);
   }
 
+  @Test
+  public void shouldNotReorderListElementType() {
+    String hive = "struct<fa:array<int>>";
+    Schema avro =
+        SchemaBuilder.record("r1")
+            .fields()
+            .name("fa")
+            .type()
+            .nullable()
+            .array()
+            .items()
+            .nullable()
+            .intType()
+            .arrayDefault(Arrays.asList(1, 2, 3))
+            .endRecord();
+
+    assertSchema(avro, merge(hive, avro));
+  }
+
   // TODO: tests to retain schema props
   // TODO: tests for explicit type compatibility check between hive and avro primitives, once we implement it
   // TODO: tests for error case => default value in Avro does not match with type from hive