diff --git a/tcp_tests/templates/shared-salt.yaml b/tcp_tests/templates/shared-salt.yaml
index 5785efb..200ae8d 100644
--- a/tcp_tests/templates/shared-salt.yaml
+++ b/tcp_tests/templates/shared-salt.yaml
@@ -548,13 +548,8 @@
   cmd: |
     set -e;
     set -x;
-    {%- if SALT_MODELS_SYSTEM_REF_CHANGE != '' %}
-    pushd /srv/salt/reclass/classes/system/ && \
-    {%- for item in SALT_MODELS_SYSTEM_REF_CHANGE.split(" ") %}
-    git fetch {{ SALT_MODELS_SYSTEM_REPOSITORY }} {{ item }} && git cherry-pick FETCH_HEAD;
-    {%- endfor %}
-    popd;
-    {%- elif SALT_MODELS_SYSTEM_COMMIT != '' %}
+
+    {%- if SALT_MODELS_SYSTEM_COMMIT != '' %}
     pushd /srv/salt/reclass/classes/system/
     git checkout {{ SALT_MODELS_SYSTEM_COMMIT }};
     popd;
@@ -565,6 +560,14 @@
     popd;
     {%- endif %}
 
+    {%- if SALT_MODELS_SYSTEM_REF_CHANGE != '' %}
+    pushd /srv/salt/reclass/classes/system/ && \
+    {%- for item in SALT_MODELS_SYSTEM_REF_CHANGE.split(" ") %}
+    git fetch {{ SALT_MODELS_SYSTEM_REPOSITORY }} {{ item }} && git cherry-pick FETCH_HEAD;
+    {%- endfor %}
+    popd;
+    {%- endif %}
+
     {%- if IS_CONTRAIL_LAB %}
     export REPLACE_DIRS="/srv/salt/reclass/classes/ /srv/salt/reclass/nodes/"
     # vSRX IPs for tcp-qa images have 172.16.10.90 hardcoded