diff --git a/Microsoft.Azure.Cosmos/src/Query/Core/Pipeline/CrossPartition/Parallel/EpkRangeComparer.cs b/Microsoft.Azure.Cosmos/src/Query/Core/Pipeline/CrossPartition/Parallel/EpkRangeComparer.cs
deleted file mode 100644
index 57027c610a..0000000000
--- a/Microsoft.Azure.Cosmos/src/Query/Core/Pipeline/CrossPartition/Parallel/EpkRangeComparer.cs
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,43 +0,0 @@
-// ------------------------------------------------------------
-// Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation.  All rights reserved.
-// ------------------------------------------------------------
-
-namespace Microsoft.Azure.Cosmos.Query.Core.Pipeline.CrossPartition.Parallel
-{
-    using System;
-    using System.Collections.Generic;
-
-    internal sealed class EpkRangeComparer : IComparer<FeedRangeEpk>
-    {
-        public static readonly EpkRangeComparer Singleton = new EpkRangeComparer();
-
-        private EpkRangeComparer()
-        {
-        }
-
-        public int Compare(FeedRangeEpk x, FeedRangeEpk y)
-        {
-            if (x == null)
-            {
-                throw new ArgumentNullException(nameof(x));
-            }
-
-            if (y == null)
-            {
-                throw new ArgumentNullException(nameof(y));
-            }
-
-            if (x.Range.Min.Length == 0)
-            {
-                return -1;
-            }
-
-            if (y.Range.Min.Length == 0)
-            {
-                return 1;
-            }
-
-            return x.Range.Min.CompareTo(y.Range.Min);
-        }
-    }
-}
diff --git a/Microsoft.Azure.Cosmos/src/Query/Core/Pipeline/CrossPartition/Parallel/ParallelCrossPartitionQueryPipelineStage.cs b/Microsoft.Azure.Cosmos/src/Query/Core/Pipeline/CrossPartition/Parallel/ParallelCrossPartitionQueryPipelineStage.cs
index f165e75760..704e8e9cf8 100644
--- a/Microsoft.Azure.Cosmos/src/Query/Core/Pipeline/CrossPartition/Parallel/ParallelCrossPartitionQueryPipelineStage.cs
+++ b/Microsoft.Azure.Cosmos/src/Query/Core/Pipeline/CrossPartition/Parallel/ParallelCrossPartitionQueryPipelineStage.cs
@@ -83,18 +83,26 @@ public async ValueTask<bool> MoveNextAsync(ITrace trace)
             else
             {
                 // left most and any non null continuations
-                List<FeedRangeState<QueryState>> feedRangeStates = crossPartitionState
+                IOrderedEnumerable<FeedRangeState<QueryState>> feedRangeStates = crossPartitionState
                     .Value
                     .ToArray()
-                    .OrderBy(tuple => (FeedRangeEpk)tuple.FeedRange, EpkRangeComparer.Singleton)
-                    .ToList();
+                    .OrderBy(tuple => ((FeedRangeEpk)tuple.FeedRange).Range.Min);
+
                 List<ParallelContinuationToken> activeParallelContinuationTokens = new List<ParallelContinuationToken>();
-                for (int i = 0; i < feedRangeStates.Count; i++)
+                {
+                    FeedRangeState<QueryState> firstState = feedRangeStates.First();
+                    ParallelContinuationToken firstParallelContinuationToken = new ParallelContinuationToken(
+                        token: firstState.State != null ? ((CosmosString)firstState.State.Value).Value : null,
+                        range: ((FeedRangeEpk)firstState.FeedRange).Range);
+
+                    activeParallelContinuationTokens.Add(firstParallelContinuationToken);
+                }
+
+                foreach (FeedRangeState<QueryState> feedRangeState in feedRangeStates.Skip(1))
                 {
                     this.cancellationToken.ThrowIfCancellationRequested();
 
-                    FeedRangeState<QueryState> feedRangeState = feedRangeStates[i];
-                    if ((i == 0) || (feedRangeState.State != null))
+                    if (feedRangeState.State != null)
                     {
                         ParallelContinuationToken parallelContinuationToken = new ParallelContinuationToken(
                             token: feedRangeState.State != null ? ((CosmosString)feedRangeState.State.Value).Value : null,