diff --git a/LTA/LTAIngest/LTAIngestServer/LTAIngestAdminServer/lib/ingestjobmanagementserver.py b/LTA/LTAIngest/LTAIngestServer/LTAIngestAdminServer/lib/ingestjobmanagementserver.py
index 4f24e115a35234bc8c016f8f82496cf3e4b39138..0036c248a9e327f92c5e9e7e8d6da12e43b3ebb2 100644
--- a/LTA/LTAIngest/LTAIngestServer/LTAIngestAdminServer/lib/ingestjobmanagementserver.py
+++ b/LTA/LTAIngest/LTAIngestServer/LTAIngestAdminServer/lib/ingestjobmanagementserver.py
@@ -556,10 +556,6 @@ class IngestJobManager:
         with self.__lock:
             def getNextJobByStatus(status, min_age=None, exclude_job_group_ids=[]):
 
-                def jad_sort_value_func(jad):
-                    return "-%s_%s" % (jad['job'].get('priority', DEFAULT_JOB_PRIORITY),
-                                      jad['job']['DataProduct'])
-
                 def jad_compare_func(jad_a, jad_b):
                     # sort on priority first
                     if jad_a['job'].get('priority', DEFAULT_JOB_PRIORITY) != jad_b['job'].get('priority', DEFAULT_JOB_PRIORITY):
@@ -602,7 +598,7 @@ class IngestJobManager:
                     # filter out jad's from exclude_job_group_ids
                     job_admin_dicts = [jad for jad in job_admin_dicts if 'job_group_id' not in jad['job'] or jad['job']['job_group_id'] not in exclude_job_group_ids]
 
-                job_admin_dicts = sorted(job_admin_dicts, key=jad_sort_value_func, reverse=False)
+                job_admin_dicts = sorted(job_admin_dicts, cmp_to_key=jad_compare_func)
                 if job_admin_dicts:
                     logger.info('%s jobs with status %s waiting', len(job_admin_dicts), jobState2String(status))
                     return job_admin_dicts[0]