diff --git a/e2e-tests/src/main/java/gov/nasa/jpl/aerie/e2e/procedural/scheduling/procedures/ExternalEventsSourceQueryGoal.java b/e2e-tests/src/main/java/gov/nasa/jpl/aerie/e2e/procedural/scheduling/procedures/ExternalEventsSourceQueryGoal.java
index bc285a9d98..e48739c2a7 100644
--- a/e2e-tests/src/main/java/gov/nasa/jpl/aerie/e2e/procedural/scheduling/procedures/ExternalEventsSourceQueryGoal.java
+++ b/e2e-tests/src/main/java/gov/nasa/jpl/aerie/e2e/procedural/scheduling/procedures/ExternalEventsSourceQueryGoal.java
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ public record ExternalEventsSourceQueryGoal() implements Goal {
   @Override
   public void run(@NotNull final EditablePlan plan) {
 
-    // demonstrate more complicated query functionality
+    // extract events belonging to the second source
     EventQuery eventQuery = new EventQuery(
         null,
         null,
@@ -25,7 +25,14 @@ public void run(@NotNull final EditablePlan plan) {
     );
 
     for (final var e: plan.events(eventQuery)) {
-      plan.create("BiteBanana", new DirectiveStart.Absolute(e.getInterval().start), Map.of("biteSize", SerializedValue.of(1)));
+      // filter events that we schedule off of by key
+      if (e.key.contains("01")) {
+        plan.create(
+            "BiteBanana",
+            // place the directive such that it is coincident with the event's start
+            new DirectiveStart.Absolute(e.getInterval().start),
+            Map.of("biteSize", SerializedValue.of(1)));
+      }
     }
     plan.commit();
   }
diff --git a/e2e-tests/src/test/java/gov/nasa/jpl/aerie/e2e/procedural/scheduling/ExternalEventsTests.java b/e2e-tests/src/test/java/gov/nasa/jpl/aerie/e2e/procedural/scheduling/ExternalEventsTests.java
index 0b9d1b68f0..c1928a9c54 100644
--- a/e2e-tests/src/test/java/gov/nasa/jpl/aerie/e2e/procedural/scheduling/ExternalEventsTests.java
+++ b/e2e-tests/src/test/java/gov/nasa/jpl/aerie/e2e/procedural/scheduling/ExternalEventsTests.java
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ public class ExternalEventsTests extends ProceduralSchedulingSetup {
           externalSource.key(),
           externalSource.derivation_group_name(),
           "2023-01-01T01:00:00Z",
-          "00:10:00"
+          "01:00:00"
       ),
       new HasuraRequests.ExternalEvent(
           "Event_02",
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ public class ExternalEventsTests extends ProceduralSchedulingSetup {
           externalSource.key(),
           externalSource.derivation_group_name(),
           "2023-01-01T03:00:00Z",
-          "00:10:00"
+          "01:00:00"
       ),
       new HasuraRequests.ExternalEvent(
           "Event_03",
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ public class ExternalEventsTests extends ProceduralSchedulingSetup {
           externalSource.key(),
           externalSource.derivation_group_name(),
           "2023-01-01T05:00:00Z",
-          "00:10:00"
+          "01:00:00"
       )
   );
 
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ public class ExternalEventsTests extends ProceduralSchedulingSetup {
       "NewTest.json",
       SOURCE_TYPE,
       ADDITIONAL_DERIVATION_GROUP,
-      "2024-01-02T00:00:00Z",
+      "2024-01-01T00:00:00Z",
       "2023-01-01T00:00:00Z",
       "2023-01-08T00:00:00Z",
       "2024-10-01T00:00:00Z"
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ public class ExternalEventsTests extends ProceduralSchedulingSetup {
           additionalExternalSource.key(),
           additionalExternalSource.derivation_group_name(),
           "2023-01-02T01:00:00Z",
-          "00:10:00"
+          "01:00:00"
       ),
       new HasuraRequests.ExternalEvent(
           "Event_02",
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ public class ExternalEventsTests extends ProceduralSchedulingSetup {
           additionalExternalSource.key(),
           additionalExternalSource.derivation_group_name(),
           "2023-01-02T03:00:00Z",
-          "00:10:00"
+          "01:00:00"
       ),
       new HasuraRequests.ExternalEvent(
           "Event_03",
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ public class ExternalEventsTests extends ProceduralSchedulingSetup {
           additionalExternalSource.key(),
           additionalExternalSource.derivation_group_name(),
           "2023-01-02T05:00:00Z",
-          "00:10:00"
+          "01:00:00"
       )
   );
 
@@ -223,17 +223,12 @@ void testExternalEventSourceQuery() throws IOException {
     final var plan = hasura.getPlan(planId);
     final var activities = plan.activityDirectives();
 
-    // ensure the orderings line up
-    activities.sort(Comparator.comparing(Plan.ActivityDirective::startOffset));
-
-    // compare arrays
-    assertEquals(additionalExternalEvents.size(), activities.size());
-    for (int i = 0; i < activities.size(); i++) {
-      Instant activityStartTime = Duration.addToInstant(
-          Instant.parse(planStartTimestamp),
-          Duration.fromString(activities.get(i).startOffset())
-      );
-      assertEquals(activityStartTime.toString(), additionalExternalEvents.get(i).start_time());
-    }
+    // only 1 activity this time
+    assertEquals(1, activities.size());
+    Instant activityStartTime = Duration.addToInstant(
+        Instant.parse(planStartTimestamp),
+        Duration.fromString(activities.get(0).startOffset())
+    );
+    assertEquals(activityStartTime.toString(), additionalExternalEvents.get(0).start_time());
   }
 }