diff --git a/crates/compiler/can/src/def.rs b/crates/compiler/can/src/def.rs
index c223e75994..18a6205df8 100644
--- a/crates/compiler/can/src/def.rs
+++ b/crates/compiler/can/src/def.rs
@@ -1357,8 +1357,22 @@ pub(crate) fn sort_can_defs_new(
     // TODO: inefficient, but I want to make this what CanDefs contains in the future
     let mut defs: Vec<_> = defs.into_iter().map(|x| x.unwrap()).collect();
 
+    // symbols are put in declarations in dependency order, from "main" up, so
+    //
+    // x = 3
+    // y = x + 1
+    //
+    // will get ordering [ y, x ]
     let mut declarations = Declarations::with_capacity(defs.len());
 
+    // because of the ordering of declarations, expects should come first because they are
+    // independent, but can rely on all other top-level symbols in the module
+    for (condition, region) in expects.conditions.into_iter().zip(expects.regions) {
+        // an `expect` does not have a user-defined name, but we'll need a name to call the expectation
+        let name = scope.gen_unique_symbol();
+        declarations.push_expect(name, Loc::at(region, condition));
+    }
+
     for (symbol, alias) in aliases.into_iter() {
         output.aliases.insert(symbol, alias);
     }
@@ -1523,12 +1537,6 @@ pub(crate) fn sort_can_defs_new(
         }
     }
 
-    for (condition, region) in expects.conditions.into_iter().zip(expects.regions) {
-        // an `expect` does not have a user-defined name, but we'll need a name to call the expectation
-        let name = scope.gen_unique_symbol();
-        declarations.push_expect(name, Loc::at(region, condition));
-    }
-
     (declarations, output)
 }