Build steps re-ordered when copying parent project

Several builds in a project I copy are based on a template.  The step inherited from that template needs to follow several other steps, but when the parent project is copied in most situations I have tried, the inherited step goes to first position.  Is there a way to ensure that a project copy does not re-arrange the steps?

One way to reproduce this behavior reliably is when the builds of interest are inside a subproject of a copied top-level project.  In this situation, the steps of these builds are ALWAYS re-ordered.  When the builds of interest lie directly under the top-level project, their steps may or may not get re-ordered -- in this situation, I haven't found the exact formula to determine whether the behavior will be observed.

The manual intervention needed to correct this re-organization is vexing.  I am hoping prevention is an option.