diff --git a/swift/container/reconciler.py b/swift/container/reconciler.py
index f1ba782db4..9dbb5a6979 100644
--- a/swift/container/reconciler.py
+++ b/swift/container/reconciler.py
@@ -372,7 +372,7 @@ class ContainerReconciler(Daemon):
         an object was manually re-enqued.
         """
         q_path = '/%s/%s/%s' % (MISPLACED_OBJECTS_ACCOUNT, container, obj)
-        x_timestamp = slightly_later_timestamp(q_record)
+        x_timestamp = slightly_later_timestamp(max(q_record, q_ts))
         self.stats_log('pop_queue', 'remove %r (%f) from the queue (%s)',
                        q_path, q_ts, x_timestamp)
         headers = {'X-Timestamp': x_timestamp}
diff --git a/test/probe/test_container_merge_policy_index.py b/test/probe/test_container_merge_policy_index.py
index 7f49971d58..795009e1bd 100644
--- a/test/probe/test_container_merge_policy_index.py
+++ b/test/probe/test_container_merge_policy_index.py
@@ -586,6 +586,13 @@ class TestContainerMergePolicyIndex(unittest.TestCase):
             acceptable_statuses=(4,),
             headers={'X-Backend-Storage-Policy-Index': int(old_policy)})
 
+        # make sure the queue is settled
+        get_to_final_state()
+        for container in client.iter_containers('.misplaced_objects'):
+            for obj in client.iter_objects('.misplaced_objects',
+                                           container['name']):
+                self.fail('Found unexpected object %r in the queue' % obj)
+
 
 def main():
     options, commands = parser.parse_args()