diff --git a/src/game/engine/src/autoloads/data_loader.gd b/src/game/engine/src/autoloads/data_loader.gd
index aaa70381..c64e3ffb 100644
--- a/src/game/engine/src/autoloads/data_loader.gd
+++ b/src/game/engine/src/autoloads/data_loader.gd
@@ -96,41 +96,43 @@ func get_active_world() -> String:
 func get_physics_features() -> Dictionary:
 	return _worlds.physics_features
 
+func _list_json_files_sorted(dir_path: String) -> Array[String]:
+	## Enumerate *.json in `dir_path` and return names sorted lexicographically.
+	## DirAccess order is not guaranteed across processes — determinism
+	## requires a stable sort so downstream Dictionary insertion order
+	## (and therefore .values() iteration order) is reproducible.
+	var dir: DirAccess = DirAccess.open(dir_path)
+	if dir == null:
+		push_warning("DataLoader: Cannot open directory %s" % dir_path)
+		return []
+	var names: Array[String] = []
+	dir.list_dir_begin()
+	var file_name: String = dir.get_next()
+	while file_name != "":
+		if file_name.ends_with(".json") and not dir.current_is_dir():
+			names.append(file_name)
+		file_name = dir.get_next()
+	dir.list_dir_end()
+	names.sort()
+	return names
+
 func _load_category_dir(category: String, dir_path: String) -> void:
 	if category in RAW_CATEGORIES:
 		_load_raw_category_dir(category, dir_path)
 		return
-	var dir: DirAccess = DirAccess.open(dir_path)
-	if dir == null:
-		push_warning("DataLoader: Cannot open directory %s" % dir_path)
-		return
-	dir.list_dir_begin()
-	var file_name: String = dir.get_next()
-	while file_name != "":
-		if file_name.ends_with(".json") and not dir.current_is_dir():
-			_load_json_file(category, "%s/%s" % [dir_path, file_name])
-		file_name = dir.get_next()
-	dir.list_dir_end()
+	for file_name: String in _list_json_files_sorted(dir_path):
+		_load_json_file(category, "%s/%s" % [dir_path, file_name])
 
 func _load_raw_category_dir(category: String, dir_path: String) -> void:
 	var merged: Dictionary = {}
-	var dir: DirAccess = DirAccess.open(dir_path)
-	if dir == null:
-		push_warning("DataLoader: Cannot open raw directory %s" % dir_path)
-		return
-	dir.list_dir_begin()
-	var file_name: String = dir.get_next()
-	while file_name != "":
-		if file_name.ends_with(".json") and not dir.current_is_dir():
-			var full_path: String = "%s/%s" % [dir_path, file_name]
-			var file: FileAccess = FileAccess.open(full_path, FileAccess.READ)
-			if file != null:
-				var json: JSON = JSON.new()
-				if json.parse(file.get_as_text()) == OK and json.data is Dictionary:
-					merged[file_name.get_basename()] = json.data
-				file.close()
-		file_name = dir.get_next()
-	dir.list_dir_end()
+	for file_name: String in _list_json_files_sorted(dir_path):
+		var full_path: String = "%s/%s" % [dir_path, file_name]
+		var file: FileAccess = FileAccess.open(full_path, FileAccess.READ)
+		if file != null:
+			var json: JSON = JSON.new()
+			if json.parse(file.get_as_text()) == OK and json.data is Dictionary:
+				merged[file_name.get_basename()] = json.data
+			file.close()
 	_raw[category] = merged
 
 func _load_json_file(category: String, file_path: String) -> void: