diff --git a/crates/uv-python/src/installation.rs b/crates/uv-python/src/installation.rs
index 9d558f3ff..611dc2007 100644
--- a/crates/uv-python/src/installation.rs
+++ b/crates/uv-python/src/installation.rs
@@ -483,8 +483,10 @@ impl Ord for PythonInstallationKey {
             .cmp(&other.implementation)
             .then_with(|| self.version().cmp(&other.version()))
             .then_with(|| self.os.to_string().cmp(&other.os.to_string()))
-            .then_with(|| self.arch.to_string().cmp(&other.arch.to_string()))
+            // Architectures are sorted in preferred order, with native architectures first
+            .then_with(|| self.arch.cmp(&other.arch).reverse())
             .then_with(|| self.libc.to_string().cmp(&other.libc.to_string()))
-            .then_with(|| self.variant.cmp(&other.variant).reverse()) // we want Default to come first
+            // Python variants are sorted in preferred order, with `Default` first
+            .then_with(|| self.variant.cmp(&other.variant).reverse())
     }
 }
diff --git a/crates/uv-python/src/platform.rs b/crates/uv-python/src/platform.rs
index 0e64a0fea..fc342550a 100644
--- a/crates/uv-python/src/platform.rs
+++ b/crates/uv-python/src/platform.rs
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ pub enum Error {
 }
 
 /// Architecture variants, e.g., with support for different instruction sets
-#[derive(Debug, Eq, PartialEq, Clone, Copy, Hash)]
+#[derive(Debug, Eq, PartialEq, Clone, Copy, Hash, Ord, PartialOrd)]
 pub enum ArchVariant {
     /// Targets 64-bit Intel/AMD CPUs newer than Nehalem (2008).
     /// Includes SSE3, SSE4 and other post-2003 CPU instructions.
@@ -37,6 +37,33 @@ pub struct Arch {
     pub(crate) variant: Option<ArchVariant>,
 }
 
+impl Ord for Arch {
+    fn cmp(&self, other: &Self) -> std::cmp::Ordering {
+        if self.family == other.family {
+            return self.variant.cmp(&other.variant);
+        }
+
+        let native = Arch::from_env();
+
+        // Prefer native architectures
+        match (self.family == native.family, other.family == native.family) {
+            (true, true) => unreachable!(),
+            (true, false) => std::cmp::Ordering::Less,
+            (false, true) => std::cmp::Ordering::Greater,
+            (false, false) => {
+                // Both non-native, fallback to lexicographic order
+                self.family.to_string().cmp(&other.family.to_string())
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl PartialOrd for Arch {
+    fn partial_cmp(&self, other: &Self) -> Option<std::cmp::Ordering> {
+        Some(self.cmp(other))
+    }
+}
+
 #[derive(Debug, Eq, PartialEq, Clone, Copy, Hash)]
 pub struct Os(pub(crate) target_lexicon::OperatingSystem);