diff --git a/opts/ulimit.go b/opts/ulimit.go
index 5adfe30851..4667cc2544 100644
--- a/opts/ulimit.go
+++ b/opts/ulimit.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package opts
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+	"sort"
 
 	"github.com/docker/go-units"
 )
@@ -11,7 +12,7 @@ type UlimitOpt struct {
 	values *map[string]*units.Ulimit
 }
 
-// NewUlimitOpt creates a new UlimitOpt
+// NewUlimitOpt creates a new UlimitOpt. Ulimits are not validated.
 func NewUlimitOpt(ref *map[string]*units.Ulimit) *UlimitOpt {
 	if ref == nil {
 		ref = &map[string]*units.Ulimit{}
@@ -31,23 +32,25 @@ func (o *UlimitOpt) Set(val string) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-// String returns Ulimit values as a string.
+// String returns Ulimit values as a string. Values are sorted by name.
 func (o *UlimitOpt) String() string {
 	var out []string
 	for _, v := range *o.values {
 		out = append(out, v.String())
 	}
-
+	sort.Strings(out)
 	return fmt.Sprintf("%v", out)
 }
 
-// GetList returns a slice of pointers to Ulimits.
+// GetList returns a slice of pointers to Ulimits. Values are sorted by name.
 func (o *UlimitOpt) GetList() []*units.Ulimit {
 	var ulimits []*units.Ulimit
 	for _, v := range *o.values {
 		ulimits = append(ulimits, v)
 	}
-
+	sort.SliceStable(ulimits, func(i, j int) bool {
+		return ulimits[i].Name < ulimits[j].Name
+	})
 	return ulimits
 }
 
diff --git a/opts/ulimit_test.go b/opts/ulimit_test.go
index 8fc4d5c555..e3e7f64b72 100644
--- a/opts/ulimit_test.go
+++ b/opts/ulimit_test.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/docker/go-units"
+	"gotest.tools/v3/assert"
 )
 
 func TestUlimitOpt(t *testing.T) {
@@ -14,29 +15,40 @@ func TestUlimitOpt(t *testing.T) {
 	ulimitOpt := NewUlimitOpt(&ulimitMap)
 
 	expected := "[nofile=512:1024]"
-	if ulimitOpt.String() != expected {
-		t.Fatalf("Expected %v, got %v", expected, ulimitOpt)
-	}
+	assert.Equal(t, ulimitOpt.String(), expected)
 
 	// Valid ulimit append to opts
-	if err := ulimitOpt.Set("core=1024:1024"); err != nil {
-		t.Fatal(err)
-	}
+	err := ulimitOpt.Set("core=1024:1024")
+	assert.NilError(t, err)
+
+	err = ulimitOpt.Set("nofile")
+	assert.ErrorContains(t, err, "invalid ulimit argument")
 
 	// Invalid ulimit type returns an error and do not append to opts
-	if err := ulimitOpt.Set("notavalidtype=1024:1024"); err == nil {
-		t.Fatalf("Expected error on invalid ulimit type")
-	}
-	expected = "[nofile=512:1024 core=1024:1024]"
-	expected2 := "[core=1024:1024 nofile=512:1024]"
-	result := ulimitOpt.String()
-	if result != expected && result != expected2 {
-		t.Fatalf("Expected %v or %v, got %v", expected, expected2, ulimitOpt)
-	}
+	err = ulimitOpt.Set("notavalidtype=1024:1024")
+	assert.ErrorContains(t, err, "invalid ulimit type")
+
+	expected = "[core=1024:1024 nofile=512:1024]"
+	assert.Equal(t, ulimitOpt.String(), expected)
 
 	// And test GetList
 	ulimits := ulimitOpt.GetList()
-	if len(ulimits) != 2 {
-		t.Fatalf("Expected a ulimit list of 2, got %v", ulimits)
-	}
+	assert.Equal(t, len(ulimits), 2)
+}
+
+func TestUlimitOptSorting(t *testing.T) {
+	ulimitOpt := NewUlimitOpt(&map[string]*units.Ulimit{
+		"nofile": {Name: "nofile", Hard: 1024, Soft: 512},
+		"core":   {Name: "core", Hard: 1024, Soft: 1024},
+	})
+
+	expected := []*units.Ulimit{
+		{Name: "core", Hard: 1024, Soft: 1024},
+		{Name: "nofile", Hard: 1024, Soft: 512},
+	}
+
+	ulimits := ulimitOpt.GetList()
+	assert.DeepEqual(t, ulimits, expected)
+
+	assert.Equal(t, ulimitOpt.String(), "[core=1024:1024 nofile=512:1024]")
 }