diff --git a/openmc/material.py b/openmc/material.py
index 66502a65e1..16448f0ea0 100644
--- a/openmc/material.py
+++ b/openmc/material.py
@@ -732,7 +732,7 @@ class Material(IDManagerMixin):
 
         """
 
-        return list({re.split(r'(\d+)', i)[0] for i in self.get_nuclides()})
+        return sorted({re.split(r'(\d+)', i)[0] for i in self.get_nuclides()})
 
     def get_nuclides(self):
         """Returns all nuclides in the material
diff --git a/tests/unit_tests/test_material.py b/tests/unit_tests/test_material.py
index 546ee47885..9b5300fd2f 100644
--- a/tests/unit_tests/test_material.py
+++ b/tests/unit_tests/test_material.py
@@ -230,30 +230,26 @@ def test_get_elements():
 
     # test addition of a single element
     m.add_element('Li', 0.2)
-    assert len(m.get_elements()) == 1
     assert 'Li' in m.get_elements()
 
     # test that adding the same element
     m.add_element('Li', 0.3)
-    assert len(m.get_elements()) == 1
+    assert m.get_elements() == ["Li"]
     assert 'Li' in m.get_elements()
 
     # test adding another element
     m.add_element('Si', 0.3)
-    assert len(m.get_elements()) == 2
-    assert 'Si' in m.get_elements()
+    assert m.get_elements() == ["Li", "Si"]
 
     # test adding a third element
     m.add_element('O', 0.4)
     assert len(m.get_elements()) == 3
-
+    assert m.get_elements() == ["Li", "O", "Si"]
     # test removal of nuclides
     m.remove_nuclide('O16')
     m.remove_nuclide('O17')
     assert 'O' not in m.get_elements()
-    assert 'Si' in m.get_elements()
-    assert 'Li' in m.get_elements()
-    assert len(m.get_elements()) == 2
+    assert m.get_elements() == ["Si", "Li"]
 
 
 def test_get_nuclide_densities(uo2):