diff --git a/swift/container/sharder.py b/swift/container/sharder.py
index a2d811f376..5abfb9f8eb 100644
--- a/swift/container/sharder.py
+++ b/swift/container/sharder.py
@@ -108,12 +108,13 @@ def find_overlapping_ranges(shard_ranges):
         each other.
     """
     result = set()
-    for shard_range in shard_ranges:
-        overlapping = [sr for sr in shard_ranges
-                       if shard_range != sr and shard_range.overlaps(sr)]
+    for i, shard_range in enumerate(shard_ranges):
+        overlapping = [
+            sr for sr in shard_ranges[i + 1:]
+            if shard_range.name != sr.name and shard_range.overlaps(sr)]
         if overlapping:
             overlapping.append(shard_range)
-            overlapping.sort()
+            overlapping.sort(key=ShardRange.sort_key)
             result.add(tuple(overlapping))
 
     return result
@@ -994,12 +995,14 @@ class ContainerSharder(ContainerReplicator):
                 continue
             shard_ranges = broker.get_shard_ranges(states=state)
             overlaps = find_overlapping_ranges(shard_ranges)
-            for overlapping_ranges in overlaps:
+            if overlaps:
+                all_overlaps = ', '.join(
+                    [' '.join(['%s-%s' % (sr.lower, sr.upper)
+                               for sr in overlapping_ranges])
+                     for overlapping_ranges in sorted(list(overlaps))])
                 warnings.append(
-                    'overlapping ranges in state %s: %s' %
-                    (ShardRange.STATES[state],
-                     ' '.join(['%s-%s' % (sr.lower, sr.upper)
-                               for sr in overlapping_ranges])))
+                    'overlapping ranges in state %r: %s' %
+                    (ShardRange.STATES[state], all_overlaps))
 
         if warnings:
             self.logger.warning(
diff --git a/test/unit/container/test_sharder.py b/test/unit/container/test_sharder.py
index a3cc933d08..ae7c3e5aa8 100644
--- a/test/unit/container/test_sharder.py
+++ b/test/unit/container/test_sharder.py
@@ -117,10 +117,10 @@ class BaseTestSharder(unittest.TestCase):
         if not isinstance(state, (tuple, list)):
             state = [state] * len(bounds)
         state_iter = iter(state)
-        return [ShardRange('.shards_a/c_%s' % upper, timestamp,
+        return [ShardRange('.shards_a/c_%s_%s' % (upper, index), timestamp,
                            lower, upper, state=next(state_iter),
                            object_count=object_count, **kwargs)
-                for lower, upper in bounds]
+                for index, (lower, upper) in enumerate(bounds)]
 
     def ts_encoded(self):
         # make a unique timestamp string with multiple timestamps encoded;
@@ -4859,11 +4859,14 @@ class TestSharder(BaseTestSharder):
             self.assertIn(
                 'Audit failed for root %s' % broker.db_file, line)
             self.assertIn(
-                'overlapping ranges in state %s: k-t s-z' % state_text,
-                line)
+                'overlapping ranges in state %r: k-t s-y, y-z y-z'
+                % state_text, line)
+            # check for no duplicates in reversed order
+            self.assertNotIn('s-z k-t', line)
 
         expected_stats = {'attempted': 1, 'success': 0, 'failure': 1}
-        shard_bounds = (('a', 'j'), ('k', 't'), ('s', 'z'))
+        shard_bounds = (('a', 'j'), ('k', 't'), ('s', 'y'),
+                        ('y', 'z'), ('y', 'z'))
         for state, state_text in ShardRange.STATES.items():
             if state in (ShardRange.SHRINKING,
                          ShardRange.SHARDED,