diff --git a/src/osgUtil/Optimizer.cpp b/src/osgUtil/Optimizer.cpp
index ac0dad9bc..ae2d0343f 100644
--- a/src/osgUtil/Optimizer.cpp
+++ b/src/osgUtil/Optimizer.cpp
@@ -2841,9 +2841,10 @@ struct LessGeode
 {
     bool operator() (const osg::Geode* lhs,const osg::Geode* rhs) const
     {
-        if (lhs->getStateSet()<rhs->getStateSet()) return true;
         if (lhs->getNodeMask()<rhs->getNodeMask()) return true;
-        return false;
+        if (lhs->getNodeMask()>rhs->getNodeMask()) return false;
+
+        return (lhs->getStateSet()<rhs->getStateSet());
     }
 };