diff --git a/path-walk.c b/path-walk.c
index 4013569e9e4cbe..136ec08fb0ed72 100644
--- a/path-walk.c
+++ b/path-walk.c
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 #include "list-objects.h"
 #include "object.h"
 #include "oid-array.h"
+#include "prio-queue.h"
 #include "revision.h"
 #include "string-list.h"
 #include "strmap.h"
@@ -49,16 +50,50 @@ struct path_walk_context {
 	struct strmap paths_to_lists;
 
 	/**
-	 * Store the current list of paths in a stack, to
-	 * facilitate depth-first-search without recursion.
+	 * Store the current list of paths in a priority queue,
+	 * using object type as a sorting mechanism, mostly to
+	 * make sure blobs are popped off the stack first. No
+	 * other sort is made, so within each object type it acts
+	 * like a stack and performs a DFS within the trees.
 	 *
 	 * Use path_stack_pushed to indicate whether a path
 	 * was previously added to path_stack.
 	 */
-	struct string_list path_stack;
+	struct prio_queue path_stack;
 	struct strset path_stack_pushed;
 };
 
+static int compare_by_type(const void *one, const void *two, void *cb_data)
+{
+	struct type_and_oid_list *list1, *list2;
+	const char *str1 = one;
+	const char *str2 = two;
+	struct path_walk_context *ctx = cb_data;
+
+	list1 = strmap_get(&ctx->paths_to_lists, str1);
+	list2 = strmap_get(&ctx->paths_to_lists, str2);
+
+	/*
+	 * If object types are equal, then use path comparison.
+	 */
+	if (!list1 || !list2 || list1->type == list2->type)
+		return strcmp(str1, str2);
+
+	/* Prefer tags to be popped off first. */
+	if (list1->type == OBJ_TAG)
+		return -1;
+	if (list2->type == OBJ_TAG)
+		return 1;
+
+	/* Prefer blobs to be popped off second. */
+	if (list1->type == OBJ_BLOB)
+		return -1;
+	if (list2->type == OBJ_BLOB)
+		return 1;
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
 static void push_to_stack(struct path_walk_context *ctx,
 			  const char *path)
 {
@@ -66,7 +101,7 @@ static void push_to_stack(struct path_walk_context *ctx,
 		return;
 
 	strset_add(&ctx->path_stack_pushed, path);
-	string_list_append(&ctx->path_stack, path);
+	prio_queue_put(&ctx->path_stack, xstrdup(path));
 }
 
 static int add_tree_entries(struct path_walk_context *ctx,
@@ -378,8 +413,8 @@ static int setup_pending_objects(struct path_walk_info *info,
 			const char *tagged_blob_path = "/tagged-blobs";
 			tagged_blobs->type = OBJ_BLOB;
 			tagged_blobs->maybe_interesting = 1;
-			push_to_stack(ctx, tagged_blob_path);
 			strmap_put(&ctx->paths_to_lists, tagged_blob_path, tagged_blobs);
+			push_to_stack(ctx, tagged_blob_path);
 		} else {
 			oid_array_clear(&tagged_blobs->oids);
 			free(tagged_blobs);
@@ -390,8 +425,8 @@ static int setup_pending_objects(struct path_walk_info *info,
 			const char *tag_path = "/tags";
 			tags->type = OBJ_TAG;
 			tags->maybe_interesting = 1;
-			push_to_stack(ctx, tag_path);
 			strmap_put(&ctx->paths_to_lists, tag_path, tags);
+			push_to_stack(ctx, tag_path);
 		} else {
 			oid_array_clear(&tags->oids);
 			free(tags);
@@ -418,7 +453,10 @@ int walk_objects_by_path(struct path_walk_info *info)
 		.repo = info->revs->repo,
 		.revs = info->revs,
 		.info = info,
-		.path_stack = STRING_LIST_INIT_DUP,
+		.path_stack = {
+			.compare = compare_by_type,
+			.cb_data = &ctx
+		},
 		.path_stack_pushed = STRSET_INIT,
 		.paths_to_lists = STRMAP_INIT
 	};
@@ -504,8 +542,7 @@ int walk_objects_by_path(struct path_walk_info *info)
 
 	trace2_region_enter("path-walk", "path-walk", info->revs->repo);
 	while (!ret && ctx.path_stack.nr) {
-		char *path = ctx.path_stack.items[ctx.path_stack.nr - 1].string;
-		ctx.path_stack.nr--;
+		char *path = prio_queue_get(&ctx.path_stack);
 		paths_nr++;
 
 		ret = walk_path(&ctx, path);
@@ -522,8 +559,7 @@ int walk_objects_by_path(struct path_walk_info *info)
 			push_to_stack(&ctx, entry->key);
 
 		while (!ret && ctx.path_stack.nr) {
-			char *path = ctx.path_stack.items[ctx.path_stack.nr - 1].string;
-			ctx.path_stack.nr--;
+			char *path = prio_queue_get(&ctx.path_stack);
 			paths_nr++;
 
 			ret = walk_path(&ctx, path);
@@ -537,7 +573,7 @@ int walk_objects_by_path(struct path_walk_info *info)
 
 	clear_paths_to_lists(&ctx.paths_to_lists);
 	strset_clear(&ctx.path_stack_pushed);
-	string_list_clear(&ctx.path_stack, 0);
+	clear_prio_queue(&ctx.path_stack);
 	return ret;
 }
 
diff --git a/t/t6601-path-walk.sh b/t/t6601-path-walk.sh
index a317cdf289e278..5f04acb8a2f79a 100755
--- a/t/t6601-path-walk.sh
+++ b/t/t6601-path-walk.sh
@@ -84,20 +84,20 @@ test_expect_success 'all' '
 	3:tree::$(git rev-parse refs/tags/tree-tag^{})
 	3:tree::$(git rev-parse refs/tags/tree-tag2^{})
 	4:blob:a:$(git rev-parse base~2:a)
-	5:tree:right/:$(git rev-parse topic:right)
-	5:tree:right/:$(git rev-parse base~1:right)
-	5:tree:right/:$(git rev-parse base~2:right)
-	6:blob:right/d:$(git rev-parse base~1:right/d)
-	7:blob:right/c:$(git rev-parse base~2:right/c)
-	7:blob:right/c:$(git rev-parse topic:right/c)
-	8:tree:left/:$(git rev-parse base:left)
-	8:tree:left/:$(git rev-parse base~2:left)
-	9:blob:left/b:$(git rev-parse base~2:left/b)
-	9:blob:left/b:$(git rev-parse base:left/b)
-	10:tree:a/:$(git rev-parse base:a)
-	11:blob:file2:$(git rev-parse refs/tags/tree-tag2^{}:file2)
-	12:tree:child/:$(git rev-parse refs/tags/tree-tag:child)
-	13:blob:child/file:$(git rev-parse refs/tags/tree-tag:child/file)
+	5:blob:file2:$(git rev-parse refs/tags/tree-tag2^{}:file2)
+	6:tree:a/:$(git rev-parse base:a)
+	7:tree:child/:$(git rev-parse refs/tags/tree-tag:child)
+	8:blob:child/file:$(git rev-parse refs/tags/tree-tag:child/file)
+	9:tree:left/:$(git rev-parse base:left)
+	9:tree:left/:$(git rev-parse base~2:left)
+	10:blob:left/b:$(git rev-parse base~2:left/b)
+	10:blob:left/b:$(git rev-parse base:left/b)
+	11:tree:right/:$(git rev-parse topic:right)
+	11:tree:right/:$(git rev-parse base~1:right)
+	11:tree:right/:$(git rev-parse base~2:right)
+	12:blob:right/c:$(git rev-parse base~2:right/c)
+	12:blob:right/c:$(git rev-parse topic:right/c)
+	13:blob:right/d:$(git rev-parse base~1:right/d)
 	blobs:10
 	commits:4
 	tags:7
@@ -154,19 +154,19 @@ test_expect_success 'branches and indexed objects mix well' '
 	1:tree::$(git rev-parse base^{tree})
 	1:tree::$(git rev-parse base~1^{tree})
 	1:tree::$(git rev-parse base~2^{tree})
-	2:blob:a:$(git rev-parse base~2:a)
-	3:tree:right/:$(git rev-parse topic:right)
-	3:tree:right/:$(git rev-parse base~1:right)
-	3:tree:right/:$(git rev-parse base~2:right)
-	4:blob:right/d:$(git rev-parse base~1:right/d)
-	4:blob:right/d:$(git rev-parse :right/d)
-	5:blob:right/c:$(git rev-parse base~2:right/c)
-	5:blob:right/c:$(git rev-parse topic:right/c)
-	6:tree:left/:$(git rev-parse base:left)
-	6:tree:left/:$(git rev-parse base~2:left)
-	7:blob:left/b:$(git rev-parse base:left/b)
-	7:blob:left/b:$(git rev-parse base~2:left/b)
-	8:tree:a/:$(git rev-parse refs/tags/third:a)
+	2:tree:a/:$(git rev-parse refs/tags/third:a)
+	3:tree:left/:$(git rev-parse base:left)
+	3:tree:left/:$(git rev-parse base~2:left)
+	4:blob:left/b:$(git rev-parse base:left/b)
+	4:blob:left/b:$(git rev-parse base~2:left/b)
+	5:tree:right/:$(git rev-parse topic:right)
+	5:tree:right/:$(git rev-parse base~1:right)
+	5:tree:right/:$(git rev-parse base~2:right)
+	6:blob:right/c:$(git rev-parse base~2:right/c)
+	6:blob:right/c:$(git rev-parse topic:right/c)
+	7:blob:right/d:$(git rev-parse base~1:right/d)
+	7:blob:right/d:$(git rev-parse :right/d)
+	8:blob:a:$(git rev-parse base~2:a)
 	blobs:7
 	commits:4
 	tags:0
@@ -186,15 +186,15 @@ test_expect_success 'topic only' '
 	1:tree::$(git rev-parse topic^{tree})
 	1:tree::$(git rev-parse base~1^{tree})
 	1:tree::$(git rev-parse base~2^{tree})
-	2:tree:right/:$(git rev-parse topic:right)
-	2:tree:right/:$(git rev-parse base~1:right)
-	2:tree:right/:$(git rev-parse base~2:right)
-	3:blob:right/d:$(git rev-parse base~1:right/d)
-	4:blob:right/c:$(git rev-parse base~2:right/c)
-	4:blob:right/c:$(git rev-parse topic:right/c)
-	5:tree:left/:$(git rev-parse base~2:left)
-	6:blob:left/b:$(git rev-parse base~2:left/b)
-	7:blob:a:$(git rev-parse base~2:a)
+	2:blob:a:$(git rev-parse base~2:a)
+	3:tree:left/:$(git rev-parse base~2:left)
+	4:blob:left/b:$(git rev-parse base~2:left/b)
+	5:tree:right/:$(git rev-parse topic:right)
+	5:tree:right/:$(git rev-parse base~1:right)
+	5:tree:right/:$(git rev-parse base~2:right)
+	6:blob:right/c:$(git rev-parse base~2:right/c)
+	6:blob:right/c:$(git rev-parse topic:right/c)
+	7:blob:right/d:$(git rev-parse base~1:right/d)
 	blobs:5
 	commits:3
 	tags:0
@@ -210,12 +210,12 @@ test_expect_success 'topic, not base' '
 	cat >expect <<-EOF &&
 	0:commit::$(git rev-parse topic)
 	1:tree::$(git rev-parse topic^{tree})
-	2:tree:right/:$(git rev-parse topic:right)
-	3:blob:right/d:$(git rev-parse topic:right/d):UNINTERESTING
-	4:blob:right/c:$(git rev-parse topic:right/c)
-	5:tree:left/:$(git rev-parse topic:left):UNINTERESTING
-	6:blob:left/b:$(git rev-parse topic:left/b):UNINTERESTING
-	7:blob:a:$(git rev-parse topic:a):UNINTERESTING
+	2:blob:a:$(git rev-parse topic:a):UNINTERESTING
+	3:tree:left/:$(git rev-parse topic:left):UNINTERESTING
+	4:blob:left/b:$(git rev-parse topic:left/b):UNINTERESTING
+	5:tree:right/:$(git rev-parse topic:right)
+	6:blob:right/c:$(git rev-parse topic:right/c)
+	7:blob:right/d:$(git rev-parse topic:right/d):UNINTERESTING
 	blobs:4
 	commits:1
 	tags:0
@@ -233,12 +233,12 @@ test_expect_success 'fourth, blob-tag2, not base' '
 	1:tag:/tags:$(git rev-parse fourth)
 	2:blob:/tagged-blobs:$(git rev-parse refs/tags/blob-tag2^{})
 	3:tree::$(git rev-parse topic^{tree})
-	4:tree:right/:$(git rev-parse topic:right)
-	5:blob:right/d:$(git rev-parse base~1:right/d):UNINTERESTING
-	6:blob:right/c:$(git rev-parse topic:right/c)
-	7:tree:left/:$(git rev-parse base~1:left):UNINTERESTING
-	8:blob:left/b:$(git rev-parse base~1:left/b):UNINTERESTING
-	9:blob:a:$(git rev-parse base~1:a):UNINTERESTING
+	4:blob:a:$(git rev-parse base~1:a):UNINTERESTING
+	5:tree:left/:$(git rev-parse base~1:left):UNINTERESTING
+	6:blob:left/b:$(git rev-parse base~1:left/b):UNINTERESTING
+	7:tree:right/:$(git rev-parse topic:right)
+	8:blob:right/c:$(git rev-parse topic:right/c)
+	9:blob:right/d:$(git rev-parse base~1:right/d):UNINTERESTING
 	blobs:5
 	commits:1
 	tags:1
@@ -253,10 +253,10 @@ test_expect_success 'topic, not base, only blobs' '
 		-- topic --not base >out &&
 
 	cat >expect <<-EOF &&
-	0:blob:right/d:$(git rev-parse topic:right/d):UNINTERESTING
-	1:blob:right/c:$(git rev-parse topic:right/c)
-	2:blob:left/b:$(git rev-parse topic:left/b):UNINTERESTING
-	3:blob:a:$(git rev-parse topic:a):UNINTERESTING
+	0:blob:a:$(git rev-parse topic:a):UNINTERESTING
+	1:blob:left/b:$(git rev-parse topic:left/b):UNINTERESTING
+	2:blob:right/c:$(git rev-parse topic:right/c)
+	3:blob:right/d:$(git rev-parse topic:right/d):UNINTERESTING
 	blobs:4
 	commits:0
 	tags:0
@@ -289,8 +289,8 @@ test_expect_success 'topic, not base, only trees' '
 
 	cat >expect <<-EOF &&
 	0:tree::$(git rev-parse topic^{tree})
-	1:tree:right/:$(git rev-parse topic:right)
-	2:tree:left/:$(git rev-parse topic:left):UNINTERESTING
+	1:tree:left/:$(git rev-parse topic:left):UNINTERESTING
+	2:tree:right/:$(git rev-parse topic:right)
 	commits:0
 	blobs:0
 	tags:0
@@ -308,14 +308,14 @@ test_expect_success 'topic, not base, boundary' '
 	0:commit::$(git rev-parse base~1):UNINTERESTING
 	1:tree::$(git rev-parse topic^{tree})
 	1:tree::$(git rev-parse base~1^{tree}):UNINTERESTING
-	2:tree:right/:$(git rev-parse topic:right)
-	2:tree:right/:$(git rev-parse base~1:right):UNINTERESTING
-	3:blob:right/d:$(git rev-parse base~1:right/d):UNINTERESTING
-	4:blob:right/c:$(git rev-parse base~1:right/c):UNINTERESTING
-	4:blob:right/c:$(git rev-parse topic:right/c)
-	5:tree:left/:$(git rev-parse base~1:left):UNINTERESTING
-	6:blob:left/b:$(git rev-parse base~1:left/b):UNINTERESTING
-	7:blob:a:$(git rev-parse base~1:a):UNINTERESTING
+	2:blob:a:$(git rev-parse base~1:a):UNINTERESTING
+	3:tree:left/:$(git rev-parse base~1:left):UNINTERESTING
+	4:blob:left/b:$(git rev-parse base~1:left/b):UNINTERESTING
+	5:tree:right/:$(git rev-parse topic:right)
+	5:tree:right/:$(git rev-parse base~1:right):UNINTERESTING
+	6:blob:right/c:$(git rev-parse base~1:right/c):UNINTERESTING
+	6:blob:right/c:$(git rev-parse topic:right/c)
+	7:blob:right/d:$(git rev-parse base~1:right/d):UNINTERESTING
 	blobs:5
 	commits:2
 	tags:0