diff --git a/x-pack/plugins/ml/server/models/notifications_service/notifications_service_provider.ts b/x-pack/plugins/ml/server/models/notifications_service/notifications_service_provider.ts
index 8b9c0263f765b..57f117561463c 100644
--- a/x-pack/plugins/ml/server/models/notifications_service/notifications_service_provider.ts
+++ b/x-pack/plugins/ml/server/models/notifications_service/notifications_service_provider.ts
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ export class NotificationsService {
               warning: 1,
               info: 2,
             };
-            return (a, b) => levelOrder[a.level] - levelOrder[b.level];
+            return (a, b) => levelOrder[b.level] - levelOrder[a.level];
           } else {
             const levelOrder: Record<NotificationSource['level'], number> = {
               error: 2,
diff --git a/x-pack/test/functional/services/ml/common_table_service.ts b/x-pack/test/functional/services/ml/common_table_service.ts
index ef57e0e9d5b84..68ddf703dbd46 100644
--- a/x-pack/test/functional/services/ml/common_table_service.ts
+++ b/x-pack/test/functional/services/ml/common_table_service.ts
@@ -133,6 +133,7 @@ export function MlTableServiceProvider({ getPageObject, getService }: FtrProvide
 
       await retry.tryForTime(5000, async () => {
         await testSubjects.click(testSubjString);
+        await this.waitForTableToStartLoading();
         await this.waitForTableToLoad();
         await this.assertTableSorting(columnName, columnIndex, direction);
       });