diff --git a/src/env_file_helper.py b/src/env_file_helper.py
index 944651e..29fb914 100644
--- a/src/env_file_helper.py
+++ b/src/env_file_helper.py
@@ -9,22 +9,29 @@ class EnvFile(NamedTuple):
     config: dict[str, str]
     env_type: str
 
+    def __repr__(self) -> str:
+        return f"EnvFile(type={self.env_type})"
+
 
 class DependencyRule(NamedTuple):
     child: str
     dependency: str
 
 
-def _is_rule_satisfied(in_list: list, rule: DependencyRule) -> bool:
-    child_index = in_list.index(rule.child)
-    parent_index = in_list.index(rule.dependency)
-    return parent_index < child_index
+def _is_rule_satisfied(in_list: list, rule: DependencyRule) -> tuple[bool, int]:
+    child_indices = [index for index, element in enumerate(in_list) if element.env_type == rule.child]
+    child_index = min(child_indices)
+    # child_index = in_list.index(rule.child)
+    parent_indices = [index for index, element in enumerate(in_list) if element.env_type == rule.dependency]
+    parent_index = max(parent_indices)
+    # parent_index = in_list.index(rule.dependency)
+    return parent_index < child_index, parent_index
 
 
-def sort_env_files_by_rule(env_list: list, rules: list[DependencyRule]) -> list:
+def sort_env_files_by_rule(env_list: list[EnvFile], rules: list[DependencyRule]) -> list:
     in_list = env_list.copy()
 
-    def swap_item_with_previous(in_list: list, index: int):
+    def swap_item_with_previous(in_list: list[EnvFile], index: int):
         """swaps item at index N with item at index N-1"""
         assert index > 0, "cannot swap with negative index"
         in_list[index], in_list[index - 1] = in_list[index - 1], in_list[index]
@@ -32,11 +39,12 @@ def sort_env_files_by_rule(env_list: list, rules: list[DependencyRule]) -> list:
     for _ in range(10_000):
         rule_satisfied: list[bool] = []
         for rule in rules:
-            if _is_rule_satisfied(in_list, rule):
+            is_rule_satisfied, parent_index = _is_rule_satisfied(in_list, rule)
+            if is_rule_satisfied:
                 rule_satisfied.append(True)
             else:
                 rule_satisfied.append(False)
-                parent_index = in_list.index(rule.dependency)
+                # parent_index = in_list.index(rule.dependency)
                 swap_item_with_previous(in_list, parent_index)
         if all(rule_satisfied):
             return in_list