diff --git a/java/java-impl/src/com/intellij/codeInsight/ExternalAnnotationsManagerImpl.java b/java/java-impl/src/com/intellij/codeInsight/ExternalAnnotationsManagerImpl.java
index f588ef66c497..af5f14e25131 100644
--- a/java/java-impl/src/com/intellij/codeInsight/ExternalAnnotationsManagerImpl.java
+++ b/java/java-impl/src/com/intellij/codeInsight/ExternalAnnotationsManagerImpl.java
@@ -556,7 +556,6 @@ public class ExternalAnnotationsManagerImpl extends ReadableExternalAnnotationsM
                       annotation.delete();
                       break;
                     }
-                    if (compare < 0) break;
                     anchor = annotation;
                   }
                   XmlTag newTag = XmlElementFactory.getInstance(myPsiManager.getProject()).createTagFromText(