diff --git a/org.eclipse.jgit.test/tst/org/eclipse/jgit/internal/storage/reftable/MergedReftableTest.java b/org.eclipse.jgit.test/tst/org/eclipse/jgit/internal/storage/reftable/MergedReftableTest.java
index a246ac9e9..0a03fc352 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.jgit.test/tst/org/eclipse/jgit/internal/storage/reftable/MergedReftableTest.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.jgit.test/tst/org/eclipse/jgit/internal/storage/reftable/MergedReftableTest.java
@@ -329,22 +329,22 @@ public void nonOverlappedUpdateIndices() throws IOException {
 	public void overlappedUpdateIndices() throws IOException {
 		ByteArrayOutputStream buf = new ByteArrayOutputStream();
 		ReftableWriter writer = new ReftableWriter(buf)
-				.setMinUpdateIndex(1)
-				.setMaxUpdateIndex(3)
-				.begin();
-		writer.writeRef(ref("refs/heads/a", 1), 1);
-		writer.writeRef(ref("refs/heads/b", 2), 3);
-		writer.finish();
-		byte[] base = buf.toByteArray();
-
-		buf = new ByteArrayOutputStream();
-		writer = new ReftableWriter(buf)
 				.setMinUpdateIndex(2)
 				.setMaxUpdateIndex(4)
 				.begin();
 		writer.writeRef(ref("refs/heads/a", 10), 2);
 		writer.writeRef(ref("refs/heads/b", 20), 4);
 		writer.finish();
+		byte[] base = buf.toByteArray();
+
+		buf = new ByteArrayOutputStream();
+		writer = new ReftableWriter(buf)
+				.setMinUpdateIndex(1)
+				.setMaxUpdateIndex(3)
+				.begin();
+		writer.writeRef(ref("refs/heads/a", 1), 1);
+		writer.writeRef(ref("refs/heads/b", 2), 3);
+		writer.finish();
 		byte[] delta = buf.toByteArray();
 
 		MergedReftable mr = merge(base, delta);
@@ -368,22 +368,22 @@ public void overlappedUpdateIndices() throws IOException {
 	public void enclosedUpdateIndices() throws IOException {
 		ByteArrayOutputStream buf = new ByteArrayOutputStream();
 		ReftableWriter writer = new ReftableWriter(buf)
-				.setMinUpdateIndex(1)
-				.setMaxUpdateIndex(4)
-				.begin();
-		writer.writeRef(ref("refs/heads/a", 1), 1);
-		writer.writeRef(ref("refs/heads/b", 20), 4);
-		writer.finish();
-		byte[] base = buf.toByteArray();
-
-		buf = new ByteArrayOutputStream();
-		writer = new ReftableWriter(buf)
 				.setMinUpdateIndex(2)
 				.setMaxUpdateIndex(3)
 				.begin();
 		writer.writeRef(ref("refs/heads/a", 10), 2);
 		writer.writeRef(ref("refs/heads/b", 2), 3);
 		writer.finish();
+		byte[] base = buf.toByteArray();
+
+		buf = new ByteArrayOutputStream();
+		writer = new ReftableWriter(buf)
+				.setMinUpdateIndex(1)
+				.setMaxUpdateIndex(4)
+				.begin();
+		writer.writeRef(ref("refs/heads/a", 1), 1);
+		writer.writeRef(ref("refs/heads/b", 20), 4);
+		writer.finish();
 		byte[] delta = buf.toByteArray();
 
 		MergedReftable mr = merge(base, delta);
diff --git a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/internal/storage/reftable/MergedReftable.java b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/internal/storage/reftable/MergedReftable.java
index 36335153a..a78f4d24d 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/internal/storage/reftable/MergedReftable.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.jgit/src/org/eclipse/jgit/internal/storage/reftable/MergedReftable.java
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ public long minUpdateIndex() throws IOException {
 			return 0;
 		}
 		long minUpdateIndex = tables[0].minUpdateIndex();
-		for (int i = 0; i < tables.length - 1; i++) {
+		for (int i = 1; i < tables.length; i++) {
 			if (tables[i].minUpdateIndex() < minUpdateIndex) {
 				minUpdateIndex = tables[i].minUpdateIndex();
 			}