diff --git a/NEWS.md b/NEWS.md
index d7f3dad2..2d8dbedf 100644
--- a/NEWS.md
+++ b/NEWS.md
@@ -214,6 +214,8 @@
  
  * `readConfigurationsFile()` now handles parameters with dependent domains.
  
+ * Fix #71: Ensure `".ID."` is the first column in `checkTargetFiles()` (Manuel López-Ibáñez, reported by @ivan1arriola)
+ 
  
 # irace 3.5
 
diff --git a/R/main.R b/R/main.R
index 9d32c9b3..ba28748c 100644
--- a/R/main.R
+++ b/R/main.R
@@ -395,6 +395,7 @@ checkTargetFiles <- function(scenario)
   configurations <- sampleUniform(scenario$parameters, 2L,
     repair = scenario$repairConfiguration)
   set(configurations, j = ".ID.", value = seq_nrow(configurations))
+  setcolorder(configurations, ".ID.", before = 1L)
   
   # Read initial configurations provided by the user.
   initConfigurations <- allConfigurationsInit(scenario)
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-bug71.R b/tests/testthat/test-bug71.R
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6326ad29
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-bug71.R
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+withr::with_output_sink("test-bug71.Rout", {
+
+test_that("bug71.evaluator", {
+
+  target.runner <- function(experiment, scenario)
+    list(cost = runif(1), call = toString(experiment))
+
+    parameters <- readParameters(text = '
+algorithm       "--"                 c          (as,mmas,eas,ras,acs)
+')
+    scenario <- checkScenario(list(
+      targetRunner = target.runner,
+      maxExperiments = 200, instances = runif(10),
+      initConfigurations = data.frame(algorithm="as"),
+     parameters = parameters))
+    expect_true(irace:::checkTargetFiles(scenario = scenario))
+})
+
+}) # withr::with_output_sink()