diff --git a/src/core/options-container.cpp b/src/core/options-container.cpp
index 3058e15810..f38ece59d1 100644
--- a/src/core/options-container.cpp
+++ b/src/core/options-container.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 // License: Apache 2.0. See LICENSE file in root directory.
-// Copyright(c) 2023 Intel Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
+// Copyright(c) 2023-4 Intel Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
 
 #include "options-container.h"
 #include "enum-helpers.h"
@@ -12,8 +12,8 @@ namespace librealsense {
 
 const option & options_container::get_option( rs2_option id ) const
 {
-    auto it = _options.find( id );
-    if( it == _options.end() )
+    auto it = _options_by_id.find( id );
+    if( it == _options_by_id.end() )
     {
         throw invalid_value_exception( rsutils::string::from()
                                        << "option '" << get_option_name( id ) << "' not supported" );
@@ -27,17 +27,47 @@ void options_container::update( std::shared_ptr< extension_snapshot > ext )
     auto ctr = As< options_container >( ext );
     if( ! ctr )
         return;
-    for( auto && opt : ctr->_options )
+    for( auto id : ctr->_ordered_options )
     {
-        _options[opt.first] = opt.second;
+        auto & opt = _options_by_id[id];
+        if( ! opt )
+            _ordered_options.push_back( id );
+        opt = ctr->_options_by_id[id];
     }
 }
 
 
+void options_container::register_option( rs2_option id, std::shared_ptr< option > option )
+{
+    auto & opt = _options_by_id[id];
+    if( ! opt )
+        _ordered_options.push_back( id );
+    opt = option;
+    _recording_function( *this );
+}
+
+
+void options_container::unregister_option( rs2_option id )
+{
+    for( auto it = _ordered_options.begin(); it != _ordered_options.end(); ++it )
+    {
+        if( *it == id )
+        {
+            _ordered_options.erase( it );
+            break;
+        }
+    }
+    _options_by_id.erase( id );
+}
+
+
 std::vector< rs2_option > options_container::get_supported_options() const
 {
+    // Return options ordered by their ID values! This means custom options will be first!
+    // Kept for backwards compatibility with existing devices; software sensors will return the _ordered_options
+
     std::vector< rs2_option > options;
-    for( auto option : _options )
+    for( auto option : _options_by_id )
         options.push_back( option.first );
 
     return options;
diff --git a/src/core/options-container.h b/src/core/options-container.h
index fb7f7e8f2f..8ddd80ec85 100644
--- a/src/core/options-container.h
+++ b/src/core/options-container.h
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 // License: Apache 2.0. See LICENSE file in root directory.
-// Copyright(c) 2015 Intel Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
+// Copyright(c) 2015-24 Intel Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
 #pragma once
 
 #include "options-interface.h"
@@ -24,8 +24,9 @@ class LRS_EXTENSION_API options_container : public virtual options_interface, pu
 public:
     bool supports_option(rs2_option id) const override
     {
-        auto it = _options.find(id);
-        if (it == _options.end()) return false;
+        auto it = _options_by_id.find( id );
+        if( it == _options_by_id.end() )
+            return false;
         return it->second->is_enabled();
     }
 
@@ -41,22 +42,16 @@ class LRS_EXTENSION_API options_container : public virtual options_interface, pu
         return (const_cast<const options_container*>(this)->get_option_handler(id));
     }
 
-    std::shared_ptr<option> get_option_handler(rs2_option id) const
+    std::shared_ptr<option> get_option_handler( rs2_option id ) const
     {
-        auto it = _options.find(id);
-        return (it == _options.end() ? std::shared_ptr<option>(nullptr) : it->second);
+        auto it = _options_by_id.find( id );
+        if( it == _options_by_id.end() )
+            return {};
+        return it->second;
     }
 
-    void register_option(rs2_option id, std::shared_ptr<option> option)
-    {
-        _options[id] = option;
-        _recording_function(*this);
-    }
-
-    void unregister_option(rs2_option id)
-    {
-        _options.erase(id);
-    }
+    void register_option( rs2_option id, std::shared_ptr< option > option );
+    void unregister_option( rs2_option id );
 
     void create_snapshot(std::shared_ptr<options_interface>& snapshot) const override
     {
@@ -75,7 +70,8 @@ class LRS_EXTENSION_API options_container : public virtual options_interface, pu
     std::string const & get_option_name( rs2_option option ) const override;
 
 protected:
-    std::map<rs2_option, std::shared_ptr<option>> _options;
+    std::vector< rs2_option > _ordered_options;
+    std::map< rs2_option, std::shared_ptr< option > > _options_by_id;
     std::function<void(const options_interface&)> _recording_function = [](const options_interface&) {};
 };