diff --git a/uk/ac/sanger/artemis/components/alignment/JamView.java b/uk/ac/sanger/artemis/components/alignment/JamView.java
index a167abadf9df1e4ac3519dd6b6da8a8728a4bd4c..993a1224824c206e4d0c69d128b193a4dde56de3 100644
--- a/uk/ac/sanger/artemis/components/alignment/JamView.java
+++ b/uk/ac/sanger/artemis/components/alignment/JamView.java
@@ -382,7 +382,7 @@ public class JamView extends JPanel
         else
           readFromBam(start, end);
 
-        if(!checkBoxStackView.isSelected())
+        if(!checkBoxStackView.isSelected() || pixPerBase*3 >= ALIGNMENT_PIX_PER_BASE)
           Collections.sort(readsInView, new SAMRecordComparator());
         setCursor(cdone);
       }