diff --git a/bookwyrm/tests/importers/test_importer.py b/bookwyrm/tests/importers/test_importer.py
index da2e1b3d8..8abe7a223 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/tests/importers/test_importer.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/tests/importers/test_importer.py
@@ -65,25 +65,28 @@ class GenericImporter(TestCase):
 
         import_items = models.ImportItem.objects.filter(job=import_job).all()
         self.assertEqual(len(import_items), 4)
-        self.assertEqual(import_items[0].index, 0)
-        self.assertEqual(import_items[0].normalized_data["id"], "38")
-        self.assertEqual(import_items[0].normalized_data["title"], "Gideon the Ninth")
-        self.assertEqual(import_items[0].normalized_data["authors"], "Tamsyn Muir")
-        self.assertEqual(import_items[0].normalized_data["isbn_13"], "9781250313195")
-        self.assertIsNone(import_items[0].normalized_data["isbn_10"])
-        self.assertEqual(import_items[0].normalized_data["shelf"], "read")
 
-        self.assertEqual(import_items[1].index, 1)
-        self.assertEqual(import_items[1].normalized_data["id"], "48")
-        self.assertEqual(import_items[1].normalized_data["title"], "Harrow the Ninth")
-
-        self.assertEqual(import_items[2].index, 2)
-        self.assertEqual(import_items[2].normalized_data["id"], "23")
-        self.assertEqual(import_items[2].normalized_data["title"], "Subcutanean")
-
-        self.assertEqual(import_items[3].index, 3)
-        self.assertEqual(import_items[3].normalized_data["id"], "10")
-        self.assertEqual(import_items[3].normalized_data["title"], "Patisserie at Home")
+        # items don't get added in a predictable order, so we're using this weird loop
+        for item in import_items:
+            if item.index == 0:
+                self.assertEqual(item.normalized_data["id"], "38")
+                self.assertEqual(item.normalized_data["title"], "Gideon the Ninth")
+                self.assertEqual(item.normalized_data["authors"], "Tamsyn Muir")
+                self.assertEqual(item.normalized_data["isbn_13"], "9781250313195")
+                self.assertIsNone(item.normalized_data["isbn_10"])
+                self.assertEqual(item.normalized_data["shelf"], "read")
+            elif item.index == 1:
+                self.assertEqual(item.index, 1)
+                self.assertEqual(item.normalized_data["id"], "48")
+                self.assertEqual(item.normalized_data["title"], "Harrow the Ninth")
+            elif item.index == 2:
+                self.assertEqual(item.index, 2)
+                self.assertEqual(item.normalized_data["id"], "23")
+                self.assertEqual(item.normalized_data["title"], "Subcutanean")
+            elif item.index == 3:
+                self.assertEqual(item.index, 3)
+                self.assertEqual(item.normalized_data["id"], "10")
+                self.assertEqual(item.normalized_data["title"], "Patisserie at Home")
 
     def test_create_retry_job(self, *_):
         """trying again with items that didn't import"""