diff --git a/datafusion/physical-plan/src/joins/piecewise_merge_join/exec.rs b/datafusion/physical-plan/src/joins/piecewise_merge_join/exec.rs
index a91903934ac9..5183d3aa0feb 100644
--- a/datafusion/physical-plan/src/joins/piecewise_merge_join/exec.rs
+++ b/datafusion/physical-plan/src/joins/piecewise_merge_join/exec.rs
@@ -363,7 +363,6 @@ impl PiecewiseMergeJoinExec {
             &streamed,
             Arc::clone(&schema),
             join_type,
-            &on,
         )?;
 
         Ok(Self {
@@ -425,7 +424,6 @@ impl PiecewiseMergeJoinExec {
         streamed: &Arc<dyn ExecutionPlan>,
         schema: SchemaRef,
         join_type: JoinType,
-        join_on: &(PhysicalExprRef, PhysicalExprRef),
     ) -> Result<PlanProperties> {
         let eq_properties = join_equivalence_properties(
             buffered.equivalence_properties().clone(),
@@ -434,7 +432,12 @@ impl PiecewiseMergeJoinExec {
             schema,
             &Self::maintains_input_order(join_type),
             Some(Self::probe_side(&join_type)),
-            std::slice::from_ref(join_on),
+            // `PiecewiseMergeJoin`'s `on` is a range predicate (e.g. `l < r`),
+            // not an equijoin key. Passing it here would register a false
+            // `left == right` output equivalence, letting the optimizer drop a
+            // required sort and return wrongly ordered results. Range joins add
+            // no column equivalences, so pass none.
+            &[],
         )?;
 
         let output_partitioning =
diff --git a/datafusion/sqllogictest/test_files/pwmj.slt b/datafusion/sqllogictest/test_files/pwmj.slt
index 42be6c6b5cd8..f71a1b667243 100644
--- a/datafusion/sqllogictest/test_files/pwmj.slt
+++ b/datafusion/sqllogictest/test_files/pwmj.slt
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ logical_plan
 09)----------TableScan: join_t2 projection=[t2_id, t2_int]
 physical_plan
 01)SortPreservingMergeExec: [t1_id@0 ASC NULLS LAST, t2_id@1 ASC NULLS LAST]
-02)--SortExec: expr=[t1_id@0 ASC NULLS LAST], preserve_partitioning=[true]
+02)--SortExec: expr=[t1_id@0 ASC NULLS LAST, t2_id@1 ASC NULLS LAST], preserve_partitioning=[true]
 03)----PiecewiseMergeJoin: operator=GtEq, join_type=Inner, on=(t1_id >= t2_id)
 04)------SortExec: expr=[t1_id@0 ASC], preserve_partitioning=[false]
 05)--------FilterExec: t1_id@0 >= 22
@@ -146,12 +146,12 @@ JOIN join_t2 t2
 WHERE t2.t2_int >= 3
 ORDER BY 1,2;
 ----
-11 55
 11 44
-22 55
+11 55
 22 44
-33 55
+22 55
 33 44
+33 55
 44 55
 
 query TT
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ logical_plan
 08)----------TableScan: join_t2 projection=[t2_id, t2_int]
 physical_plan
 01)SortPreservingMergeExec: [t1_id@0 ASC NULLS LAST, t2_id@1 ASC NULLS LAST]
-02)--SortExec: expr=[t1_id@0 ASC NULLS LAST], preserve_partitioning=[true]
+02)--SortExec: expr=[t1_id@0 ASC NULLS LAST, t2_id@1 ASC NULLS LAST], preserve_partitioning=[true]
 03)----PiecewiseMergeJoin: operator=Lt, join_type=Inner, on=(t1_id < t2_id)
 04)------SortExec: expr=[t1_id@0 DESC], preserve_partitioning=[false]
 05)--------DataSourceExec: partitions=1, partition_sizes=[1]
@@ -238,11 +238,11 @@ WHERE t1.t1_id IN (11, 44)
   AND t2.t2_name <> 'y'
 ORDER BY 1,2;
 ----
-11 55
-11 44
 11 11
-44 55
+11 44
+11 55
 44 44
+44 55
 
 query TT
 EXPLAIN
@@ -266,7 +266,7 @@ logical_plan
 09)----------TableScan: join_t2 projection=[t2_id, t2_name]
 physical_plan
 01)SortPreservingMergeExec: [t1_id@0 ASC NULLS LAST, t2_id@1 ASC NULLS LAST]
-02)--SortExec: expr=[t1_id@0 ASC NULLS LAST], preserve_partitioning=[true]
+02)--SortExec: expr=[t1_id@0 ASC NULLS LAST, t2_id@1 ASC NULLS LAST], preserve_partitioning=[true]
 03)----PiecewiseMergeJoin: operator=LtEq, join_type=Inner, on=(t1_id <= t2_id)
 04)------SortExec: expr=[t1_id@0 DESC], preserve_partitioning=[false]
 05)--------FilterExec: t1_id@0 = 11 OR t1_id@0 = 44
@@ -387,6 +387,34 @@ ORDER BY 1,2;
 20 100
 NULL NULL
 
+# Regression test: a range predicate is NOT an equi-key, so an INNER
+# PiecewiseMergeJoin must not report `l.v == r.v` as an output equivalence.
+# Doing so let the optimizer treat a sort on `l.v` as also sorting `r.v` and
+# drop the `ORDER BY r.v` sort, returning wrongly ordered rows.
+statement ok
+CREATE TABLE eq_t1 (v INT);
+
+statement ok
+CREATE TABLE eq_t2 (v INT);
+
+statement ok
+INSERT INTO eq_t1 VALUES (1), (2), (3), (5), (8);
+
+statement ok
+INSERT INTO eq_t2 VALUES (4), (6), (9), (2);
+
+query II
+SELECT t1.v AS lv, t2.v AS rv
+FROM eq_t1 t1
+JOIN eq_t2 t2
+  ON t1.v < t2.v
+WHERE t1.v = 2
+ORDER BY t2.v;
+----
+2 4
+2 6
+2 9
+
 # ------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Existence joins (LeftSemi / LeftAnti) via PiecewiseMergeJoin
 # ------------------------------------------------------------------