1 files changed, 10 insertions, 3 deletions
diff --git a/activerecord/lib/active_record/associations/preloader/through_association.rb b/activerecord/lib/active_record/associations/preloader/through_association.rb
index 56aa23b173..6c83058202 100644
--- a/activerecord/lib/active_record/associations/preloader/through_association.rb
+++ b/activerecord/lib/active_record/associations/preloader/through_association.rb
@@ -18,7 +18,8 @@ module ActiveRecord
           through_records = owners.map do |owner|
             association = owner.association through_reflection.name
 
-            [owner, Array(association.reader)]
+            center = target_records_from_association(association)
+            [owner, Array(center)]
           end
 
           reset_association owners, through_reflection.name
@@ -49,7 +50,7 @@ module ActiveRecord
               rhs_records = middles.flat_map { |r|
                 association = r.association source_reflection.name
 
-                association.reader
+                target_records_from_association(association)
               }.compact
 
               rhs_records.sort_by { |rhs| record_offset[rhs] }
@@ -84,11 +85,17 @@ module ActiveRecord
             end
 
             scope.references! reflection_scope.values[:references]
-            scope = scope.order reflection_scope.values[:order] if scope.eager_loading?
+            if scope.eager_loading? && order_values = reflection_scope.values[:order]
+              scope = scope.order(order_values)
+            end
           end
 
           scope
         end
+
+        def target_records_from_association(association)
+          association.loaded? ? association.target : association.reader
+        end
       end
     end
   end