diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/apache/iceberg/avro/AvroSchemaUtil.java b/core/src/main/java/org/apache/iceberg/avro/AvroSchemaUtil.java
index edc658341..004ba8fee 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/apache/iceberg/avro/AvroSchemaUtil.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/apache/iceberg/avro/AvroSchemaUtil.java
@@ -192,6 +192,18 @@ public static boolean nullExistInUnion(Schema schema) {
     return false;
   }
 
+  public static int getNullIndexInUnion(Schema schema) {
+    Preconditions.checkArgument(schema.getType() == UNION,
+        "Expected union schema but was passed: %s", schema);
+    for (int i = 0; i < schema.getTypes().size(); i++) {
+      if (schema.getTypes().get(i).getType() == Schema.Type.NULL) {
+        return i;
+      }
+    }
+    // which means null is not present in the union
+    return -1;
+  }
+
   public static Schema toOption(Schema schema) {
     return toOption(schema, false);
   }
diff --git a/hivelink-core/src/main/java/org/apache/iceberg/hivelink/core/schema/MergeHiveSchemaWithAvro.java b/hivelink-core/src/main/java/org/apache/iceberg/hivelink/core/schema/MergeHiveSchemaWithAvro.java
index 61d51c80a..ad338fa65 100644
--- a/hivelink-core/src/main/java/org/apache/iceberg/hivelink/core/schema/MergeHiveSchemaWithAvro.java
+++ b/hivelink-core/src/main/java/org/apache/iceberg/hivelink/core/schema/MergeHiveSchemaWithAvro.java
@@ -101,6 +101,8 @@ private Schema reorderOptionIfRequired(Schema schema, Object defaultValue) {
       boolean isNullFirstOption = schema.getTypes().get(0).getType() == Schema.Type.NULL;
       if (isNullFirstOption && defaultValue.equals(JsonProperties.NULL_VALUE)) {
         return schema;
+      } else if (!isNullFirstOption && !defaultValue.equals(JsonProperties.NULL_VALUE)) {
+        return schema;
       } else {
         return Schema.createUnion(schema.getTypes().get(1), schema.getTypes().get(0));
       }
@@ -143,10 +145,14 @@ public Schema union(UnionTypeInfo union, Schema partner, List<Schema> results) {
   @Override
   public Schema primitive(PrimitiveTypeInfo primitive, Schema partner) {
     boolean shouldResultBeOptional = partner == null || AvroSchemaUtil.isOptionSchema(partner);
+    boolean nullShouldBeSecondElementInOptionalUnionSchema = partner != null &&
+        shouldResultBeOptional && AvroSchemaUtil.getNullIndexInUnion(partner) == 1;
     Schema hivePrimitive = hivePrimitiveToAvro(primitive);
     // if there was no matching Avro primitive, use the Hive primitive
-    Schema result = partner == null ? hivePrimitive : checkCompatibilityAndPromote(hivePrimitive, partner);
-    return shouldResultBeOptional ? AvroSchemaUtil.toOption(result) : result;
+    Schema result =
+        partner == null ? hivePrimitive : checkCompatibilityAndPromote(hivePrimitive, partner);
+    return shouldResultBeOptional ? AvroSchemaUtil.toOption(result,
+        nullShouldBeSecondElementInOptionalUnionSchema) : result;
   }
 
   private Schema checkCompatibilityAndPromote(Schema schema, Schema partner) {
diff --git a/hivelink-core/src/test/java/org/apache/iceberg/hivelink/core/TestMergeHiveSchemaWithAvro.java b/hivelink-core/src/test/java/org/apache/iceberg/hivelink/core/TestMergeHiveSchemaWithAvro.java
index d2dceddf2..915be73eb 100644
--- a/hivelink-core/src/test/java/org/apache/iceberg/hivelink/core/TestMergeHiveSchemaWithAvro.java
+++ b/hivelink-core/src/test/java/org/apache/iceberg/hivelink/core/TestMergeHiveSchemaWithAvro.java
@@ -26,6 +26,10 @@
 import java.util.stream.Collectors;
 import org.apache.avro.LogicalTypes;
 import org.apache.avro.Schema;
+import org.apache.avro.Schema.Type;
+import org.apache.avro.SchemaBuilder;
+import org.apache.avro.generic.GenericData;
+import org.apache.avro.generic.GenericRecordBuilder;
 import org.apache.avro.util.internal.JacksonUtils;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hive.serde2.typeinfo.StructTypeInfo;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hive.serde2.typeinfo.TypeInfoFactory;
@@ -277,6 +281,32 @@ public void shouldReorderOptionalSchemaToMatchDefaultValue() {
     assertSchema(avro, merge(hive, avro));
   }
 
+  // this test record level default value is valid with regard to inner field's optional union schema order
+  @Test
+  public void shouldReorderOptionalSchemaToMatchDefaultValue2() {
+    String hive = "struct<inner:struct<f1:string,f2:string>>";
+
+    Schema inner = SchemaBuilder.record("INNER").fields()
+        .name("f1").type(Schema.createUnion(Schema.create(Type.NULL), Schema.create(Type.STRING)))
+        .noDefault()
+        .name("f2").type(Schema.createUnion(Schema.create(Type.STRING), Schema.create(Type.NULL)))
+        .noDefault()
+        .endRecord();
+
+    GenericData.Record recdef = new GenericRecordBuilder(inner).set("f1", null).set("f2", "foo")
+        .build();
+
+    Schema avro2 = SchemaBuilder.record("OUTER").fields()
+        .name("inner").type().record("INNER").fields()
+        .name("f1").type(Schema.createUnion(Schema.create(Type.NULL), Schema.create(Type.STRING)))
+        .noDefault()
+        .name("f2").type(Schema.createUnion(Schema.create(Type.STRING), Schema.create(Type.NULL)))
+        .noDefault()
+        .endRecord().recordDefault(recdef).endRecord();
+
+    assertSchema(avro2, merge(hive, avro2));
+  }
+
   @Rule
   public ExpectedException thrown = ExpectedException.none();