2 files changed, 19 insertions, 6 deletions
diff --git a/src/main/scala/firrtl/annotations/JsonProtocol.scala b/src/main/scala/firrtl/annotations/JsonProtocol.scala
index 6908a3a1..24ebc781 100644
--- a/src/main/scala/firrtl/annotations/JsonProtocol.scala
+++ b/src/main/scala/firrtl/annotations/JsonProtocol.scala
@@ -315,12 +315,13 @@ object JsonProtocol extends LazyLogging {
     // this used on the first invocation to check all annotations do so
     def findTypeHints(classInst: Seq[JValue], requireClassField: Boolean = false): Seq[String] = classInst
       .flatMap({
-        case JObject(("class", JString(name)) :: fields) => name +: findTypeHints(fields.map(_._2))
-        case obj: JObject if requireClassField =>
-          throw new InvalidAnnotationJSONException(s"Expected field 'class' not found! $obj")
-        case JObject(fields) => findTypeHints(fields.map(_._2))
-        case JArray(arr)     => findTypeHints(arr)
-        case _               => Seq()
+        case JObject(fields) =>
+          val hint = fields.collectFirst { case ("class", JString(name)) => name }
+          if (requireClassField && hint.isEmpty)
+            throw new InvalidAnnotationJSONException(s"Expected field 'class' not found! $fields")
+          hint ++: findTypeHints(fields.map(_._2))
+        case JArray(arr) => findTypeHints(arr)
+        case _           => Seq()
       })
       .distinct
 
diff --git a/src/test/scala/firrtl/JsonProtocolSpec.scala b/src/test/scala/firrtl/JsonProtocolSpec.scala
index 0da43204..3e07542b 100644
--- a/src/test/scala/firrtl/JsonProtocolSpec.scala
+++ b/src/test/scala/firrtl/JsonProtocolSpec.scala
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@ object JsonProtocolTestClasses {
       with HasSerializationHints {
     def typeHints = Seq(param.getClass)
   }
+
+  case class SimpleAnnotation(alpha: String) extends NoTargetAnnotation
 }
 
 import JsonProtocolTestClasses._
@@ -68,4 +70,14 @@ class JsonProtocolSpec extends AnyFlatSpec {
     val deserAnno = serializeAndDeserialize(anno)
     assert(anno == deserAnno)
   }
+
+  "JSON object order" should "not affect deserialization" in {
+    val anno = SimpleAnnotation("hello")
+    val serializedAnno = """[{
+      "alpha": "hello",
+      "class": "firrtlTests.JsonProtocolTestClasses$SimpleAnnotation"
+    }]"""
+    val deserAnno = JsonProtocol.deserialize(serializedAnno).head
+    assert(anno == deserAnno)
+  }
 }