diff --git a/scripts/plot.py b/scripts/plot.py
index 25bb6add..742035f1 100755
--- a/scripts/plot.py
+++ b/scripts/plot.py
@@ -1332,7 +1332,7 @@ def main_(ring, csv_paths, *,
 
     # subplot can also contribute to subplots, resolve this here or things
     # become a mess...
-    subplots += subplot.pop('subplots', [])
+    subplots = subplot.pop('subplots', []) + subplots
 
     # allow any subplots to contribute to by/x/y
     def subplots_get(k, *, subplots=[], **args):
diff --git a/scripts/plotmpl.py b/scripts/plotmpl.py
index abc6c03c..b838a762 100755
--- a/scripts/plotmpl.py
+++ b/scripts/plotmpl.py
@@ -980,7 +980,7 @@ def main(csv_paths, output, *,
 
     # subplot can also contribute to subplots, resolve this here or things
     # become a mess...
-    subplots += subplot.pop('subplots', [])
+    subplots = subplot.pop('subplots', []) + subplots
 
     # allow any subplots to contribute to by/x/y/defines
     def subplots_get(k, *, subplots=[], **args):