diff --git a/plugin/auto/walk.go b/plugin/auto/walk.go
index 5a46682bd..58f469c20 100644
--- a/plugin/auto/walk.go
+++ b/plugin/auto/walk.go
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ func (a Auto) Walk() error {
 
 		cleanPath := filepath.Clean(path)
 		if previous, ok := seen[origin]; ok && previous != cleanPath {
-			log.Warningf("Multiple zone files match origin %q: using %q instead of %q", origin, path, previous)
+			log.Warningf("Multiple zone files match origin %q: using %q instead of %q", origin, previous, cleanPath)
 			toDelete[origin] = false
 			return nil
 		}
diff --git a/plugin/auto/walk_test.go b/plugin/auto/walk_test.go
index 8e9024325..6d67e6aee 100644
--- a/plugin/auto/walk_test.go
+++ b/plugin/auto/walk_test.go
@@ -141,6 +141,15 @@ func TestWalkWarnsForDuplicateOrigin(t *testing.T) {
 			t.Fatalf("Expected log to contain %q, got %q", want, got)
 		}
 	}
+	// The warning must name the kept (first, live) file in the "using" slot and
+	// the skipped backup in the "instead of" slot — not the other way around.
+	// Walk keeps example.org.zone (visited first) and skips the .bak file.
+	if !strings.Contains(got, `example.org.zone" instead of "`) {
+		t.Errorf("Warning names the wrong file as used; want the live zone in the \"using\" slot, got %q", got)
+	}
+	if strings.Contains(got, `example.org.zone.bak-20260528" instead of "`) {
+		t.Errorf("Warning claims the skipped backup is being used, got %q", got)
+	}
 
 	logBuf.Reset()
 	a.Walk()