diff --git a/python/pytimber/pytimber/data.py b/python/pytimber/pytimber/data.py
index c83bb9f6765038a7184ee44ea580dccfd6163495..71e96a7a0fc7e050fcd8fefe593860f88aaac39a 100644
--- a/python/pytimber/pytimber/data.py
+++ b/python/pytimber/pytimber/data.py
@@ -675,7 +675,7 @@ class DataManager:
         master_variable = (
             self._variable_manager.get_variables(master)[0]
             if master
-            else sorted(variables, key=lambda v: v.name)[0]
+            else variables[0].name
         )
 
         if not master_variable: