diff --git a/helper/diffPlaces.js b/helper/diffPlaces.js
index ff02f99de..c9c7ea5ab 100644
--- a/helper/diffPlaces.js
+++ b/helper/diffPlaces.js
@@ -10,8 +10,8 @@ const codec = require('pelias-model').codec;
 // when performing inter-layer deduping, layers coming earlier in this list take
 // preference to those appearing later.
 const layerPreferences = [
-  'locality',
   'country',
+  'locality',
   'localadmin',
   'county',
   'region',
diff --git a/test/unit/middleware/dedupe.js b/test/unit/middleware/dedupe.js
index 786116f7d..f8872ee4b 100644
--- a/test/unit/middleware/dedupe.js
+++ b/test/unit/middleware/dedupe.js
@@ -519,7 +519,7 @@ module.exports.tests.priority = function(test, common) {
     var expectedCount = 1;
     dedupe(req, res, function () {
       t.equal(res.data.length, expectedCount, 'results have fewer items than before');
-      t.deepEqual(res.data[0].layer, 'locality', 'locality result won');
+      t.deepEqual(res.data[0].layer, 'country', 'country result won');
       t.end();
     });
   });