diff --git a/kazoo/recipe/lock.py b/kazoo/recipe/lock.py
index 7722a978..b2144a3b 100644
--- a/kazoo/recipe/lock.py
+++ b/kazoo/recipe/lock.py
@@ -294,6 +294,7 @@ def _get_predecessor(self, node):
         (e.g. rlock), this and also edge cases where the lock's ephemeral node
         is gone.
         """
+        node_sequence = node[len(self.prefix):]
         children = self.client.get_children(self.path)
         found_self = False
         # Filter out the contenders using the computed regex
@@ -301,7 +302,12 @@ def _get_predecessor(self, node):
         for child in children:
             match = self._contenders_re.search(child)
             if match is not None:
-                contender_matches.append(match)
+                contender_sequence = match.group(1)
+                # Only consider contenders with a smaller sequence number.
+                # A contender with a smaller sequence number has a higher
+                # priority.
+                if contender_sequence < node_sequence:
+                    contender_matches.append(match)
             if child == node:
                 # Remember the node's match object so we can short circuit
                 # below.
@@ -313,15 +319,13 @@ def _get_predecessor(self, node):
             # node was removed.
             raise ForceRetryError()
 
-        predecessor = None
-        # Sort the contenders using the sequence number extracted by the regex,
-        # then extract the original string.
-        for match in sorted(contender_matches, key=lambda m: m.groups()):
-            if match is found_self:
-                break
-            predecessor = match.string
+        if not contender_matches:
+            return None
 
-        return predecessor
+        # Sort the contenders using the sequence number extracted by the regex
+        # and return the original string of the predecessor.
+        sorted_matches = sorted(contender_matches, key=lambda m: m.groups())
+        return sorted_matches[-1].string
 
     def _find_node(self):
         children = self.client.get_children(self.path)
diff --git a/kazoo/tests/test_lock.py b/kazoo/tests/test_lock.py
index 0e16949e..97847cf3 100644
--- a/kazoo/tests/test_lock.py
+++ b/kazoo/tests/test_lock.py
@@ -467,6 +467,93 @@ def test_write_lock(self):
         gotten = lock2.acquire(blocking=False)
         assert gotten is False
 
+    def _rw_lock_order(self):
+        writer_running = threading.Event()
+        reader_running = threading.Event()
+
+        def _thread(lock, event):
+            event.set()
+            with lock:
+                pass
+
+        write_lock1 = self.client.WriteLock(self.lockpath, "writer 1")
+        write_lock2 = self.client.WriteLock(self.lockpath, "writer 2")
+        read_lock = self.client.ReadLock(self.lockpath, "reader")
+
+        writer_thread = self.make_thread(
+            target=_thread,
+            args=(write_lock2, writer_running)
+        )
+        reader_thread = self.make_thread(
+            target=_thread,
+            args=(read_lock, reader_running)
+        )
+
+        with write_lock1:
+            reader_thread.start()
+            reader_running.wait()
+            writer_thread.start()
+            writer_running.wait()
+            time.sleep(5)
+
+    def test_rw_lock(self):
+        reader_event = self.make_event()
+        reader_lock = self.client.ReadLock(self. lockpath, "reader")
+        reader_thread = self.make_thread(
+            target=self._thread_lock_acquire_til_event,
+            args=("reader", reader_lock, reader_event)
+        )
+
+        writer_event = self.make_event()
+        writer_lock = self.client.WriteLock(self. lockpath, "writer")
+        writer_thread = self.make_thread(
+            target=self._thread_lock_acquire_til_event,
+            args=("writer", writer_lock, writer_event)
+        )
+
+        # acquire a write lock ourselves first to make the others line up
+        lock = self.client.WriteLock(self.lockpath, "test")
+        lock.acquire()
+
+        reader_thread.start()
+        writer_thread.start()
+
+        # wait for everyone to line up on the lock
+        wait = self.make_wait()
+        wait(lambda: len(lock.contenders()) == 3)
+        contenders = lock.contenders()
+
+        assert contenders[0] == "test"
+        remaining = contenders[1:]
+
+        # release the lock and contenders should claim it in order
+        lock.release()
+
+        contender_bits = {
+            "reader": (reader_thread, reader_event),
+            "writer": (writer_thread, writer_event),
+        }
+
+        for contender in ("reader", "writer"):
+            thread, event = contender_bits[contender]
+
+            with self.condition:
+                while not self.active_thread:
+                    self.condition.wait()
+                assert self.active_thread == contender
+
+            assert lock.contenders() == remaining
+            remaining = remaining[1:]
+
+            event.set()
+
+            with self.condition:
+                while self.active_thread:
+                    self.condition.wait()
+
+        reader_thread.join()
+        writer_thread.join()
+
 
 class TestSemaphore(KazooTestCase):
     def __init__(self, *args, **kw):