diff --git a/src/datasets/utils/metadata.py b/src/datasets/utils/metadata.py
index cceecf35d63..4683551cf61 100644
--- a/src/datasets/utils/metadata.py
+++ b/src/datasets/utils/metadata.py
@@ -106,6 +106,10 @@ def _from_exported_parquet_files_and_dataset_infos(
         exported_parquet_files: list[dict[str, Any]],
         dataset_infos: DatasetInfosDict,
     ) -> "MetadataConfigs":
+        # groupby only merges consecutive keys; exported rows are not guaranteed sorted.
+        sorted_exported_parquet_files = sorted(
+            exported_parquet_files, key=lambda row: (row["config"], row["split"])
+        )
         metadata_configs = {
             config_name: {
                 "data_files": [
@@ -116,11 +120,15 @@ def _from_exported_parquet_files_and_dataset_infos(
                             for parquet_file in parquet_files_for_split
                         ],
                     }
-                    for split_name, parquet_files_for_split in groupby(parquet_files_for_config, itemgetter("split"))
+                    for split_name, parquet_files_for_split in groupby(
+                        parquet_files_for_config, itemgetter("split")
+                    )
                 ],
                 "version": str(dataset_infos.get(config_name, DatasetInfo()).version or "0.0.0"),
             }
-            for config_name, parquet_files_for_config in groupby(exported_parquet_files, itemgetter("config"))
+            for config_name, parquet_files_for_config in groupby(
+                sorted_exported_parquet_files, itemgetter("config")
+            )
         }
         if dataset_infos:
             # Preserve order of configs and splits
diff --git a/tests/test_metadata_util.py b/tests/test_metadata_util.py
index cf9111fa6d9..a0834eff5b4 100644
--- a/tests/test_metadata_util.py
+++ b/tests/test_metadata_util.py
@@ -276,6 +276,34 @@ def test_metadata_configs_incorrect_yaml():
             _ = MetadataConfigs.from_dataset_card_data(dataset_card_data)
 
 
+def test_non_consecutive_config_rows_are_merged_in_metadata_configs_from_exported_parquet_files():
+    exported_parquet_files = [
+        {
+            "config": "default",
+            "split": "train",
+            "url": "https://huggingface.co/datasets/org/name/resolve/refs%2Fconvert%2Fparquet/default/train/0000.parquet",
+        },
+        {
+            "config": "other",
+            "split": "train",
+            "url": "https://huggingface.co/datasets/org/name/resolve/refs%2Fconvert%2Fparquet/other/train/0000.parquet",
+        },
+        {
+            "config": "default",
+            "split": "train",
+            "url": "https://huggingface.co/datasets/org/name/resolve/refs%2Fconvert%2Fparquet/default/train/0001.parquet",
+        },
+    ]
+    metadata_configs = MetadataConfigs._from_exported_parquet_files_and_dataset_infos(
+        "abc123", exported_parquet_files, {}
+    )
+    default_paths = metadata_configs["default"]["data_files"][0]["path"]
+    assert default_paths == [
+        "https://huggingface.co/datasets/org/name/resolve/abc123/default/train/0000.parquet",
+        "https://huggingface.co/datasets/org/name/resolve/abc123/default/train/0001.parquet",
+    ]
+
+
 def test_split_order_in_metadata_configs_from_exported_parquet_files_and_dataset_infos():
     exported_parquet_files = [
         {