diff --git a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/editor-client/src/js/ui/palette-editor.js b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/editor-client/src/js/ui/palette-editor.js
index 20729d5ff..a37e2db87 100644
--- a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/editor-client/src/js/ui/palette-editor.js
+++ b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/editor-client/src/js/ui/palette-editor.js
@@ -597,10 +597,26 @@ RED.palette.editor = (function() {
         }
     }
     function sortModulesRelevance(A,B) {
-        return sortModulesDownloads(A,B);
+        const defaultSort = sortModulesDownloads(A,B);
+        const currentFilter = searchInput.searchBox('value').trim();
+        if (defaultSort === 0) {
+            // same number of downloads
+            if (currentFilter === "") {
+                return sortModulesAZ(A,B);
+            }
+            var i = A.info.index.indexOf(currentFilter) - B.info.index.indexOf(currentFilter);
+            if (i === 0) {
+                return sortModulesAZ(A,B);
+            }
+            return i;
+        }
+        return defaultSort;
     }
     function sortModulesDownloads(A,B) {
-        return B.info.downloads.week - A.info.downloads.week;
+        // check A has the info.downloads property - if not exising, prioritise it (likely a custom user catalogue)
+        const a = A.info && typeof A.info.downloads !== 'undefined' ? A.info.downloads.week : Number.MAX_SAFE_INTEGER;
+        const b = B.info && typeof B.info.downloads !== 'undefined' ? B.info.downloads.week : Number.MAX_SAFE_INTEGER;
+        return b - a;
     }
     function sortModulesAZ(A,B) {
         return A.info.id.localeCompare(B.info.id);