diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/software_spec.rb b/Library/Homebrew/software_spec.rb
index 6512856afa..ccfdd942a8 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/software_spec.rb
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/software_spec.rb
@@ -403,17 +403,28 @@ class BottleSpecification
   # a Hash, which indicates the platform the checksum applies on.
   # Example bottle block syntax:
   # bottle do
-  #  sha256 "69489ae397e4645..." => :big_sur, :cellar => :any_skip_relocation
-  #  sha256 "449de5ea35d0e94..." => :catalina, :cellar => :any
+  #  sha256 cellar: :any_skip_relocation, big_sur: "69489ae397e4645..."
+  #  sha256 cellar: :any, catalina: "449de5ea35d0e94..."
   # end
-  # Example args:
-  # {"69489ae397e4645..."=> :big_sur, :cellar=>:any_skip_relocation}
   def sha256(hash)
     sha256_regex = /^[a-f0-9]{64}$/i
-    digest, tag = hash.find do |key, value|
-      key.is_a?(String) && value.is_a?(Symbol) && key.match?(sha256_regex)
+
+    # find new `sha256 big_sur: "69489ae397e4645..."` format
+    tag, digest = hash.find do |key, value|
+      key.is_a?(Symbol) && value.is_a?(String) && value.match?(sha256_regex)
     end
-    cellar = hash[:cellar] || all_tags_cellar
+
+    if digest && tag
+      # the cellar hash key only exists on the new format
+      cellar = hash[:cellar]
+    else
+      # otherwise, find old `sha256 "69489ae397e4645..." => :big_sur` format
+      digest, tag = hash.find do |key, value|
+        key.is_a?(String) && value.is_a?(Symbol) && key.match?(sha256_regex)
+      end
+    end
+
+    cellar ||= all_tags_cellar
     collector[tag] = { checksum: Checksum.new(digest), cellar: cellar }
   end
 
diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/test/software_spec_spec.rb b/Library/Homebrew/test/software_spec_spec.rb
index 088fa2ff6a..1cfd058adb 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/test/software_spec_spec.rb
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/test/software_spec_spec.rb
@@ -201,14 +201,14 @@ describe BottleSpecification do
 
     it "works with cellar" do
       checksums = [
-        { digest: "deadbeef" * 8, tag: :snow_leopard_32, cellar: :any_skip_relocation },
-        { digest: "faceb00c" * 8, tag: :snow_leopard, cellar: :any },
-        { digest: "baadf00d" * 8, tag: :lion, cellar: "/usr/local/Cellar" },
-        { digest: "8badf00d" * 8, tag: :mountain_lion, cellar: Homebrew::DEFAULT_CELLAR },
+        { cellar: :any_skip_relocation, tag: :snow_leopard_32, digest: "deadbeef" * 8 },
+        { cellar: :any, tag: :snow_leopard, digest: "faceb00c" * 8 },
+        { cellar: "/usr/local/Cellar", tag: :lion, digest: "baadf00d" * 8 },
+        { cellar: Homebrew::DEFAULT_CELLAR, tag: :mountain_lion, digest: "8badf00d" * 8 },
       ]
 
       checksums.each do |checksum|
-        subject.sha256(checksum[:digest] => checksum[:tag], cellar: checksum[:cellar])
+        subject.sha256(checksum[:tag] => checksum[:digest], cellar: checksum[:cellar])
         digest, tag, cellar = subject.checksum_for(checksum[:tag])
         expect(Checksum.new(checksum[:digest])).to eq(digest)
         expect(checksum[:tag]).to eq(tag)
diff --git a/Library/Homebrew/test/support/fixtures/testball_bottle_cellar.rb b/Library/Homebrew/test/support/fixtures/testball_bottle_cellar.rb
index feae788169..c647c97971 100644
--- a/Library/Homebrew/test/support/fixtures/testball_bottle_cellar.rb
+++ b/Library/Homebrew/test/support/fixtures/testball_bottle_cellar.rb
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ class TestballBottleCellar < Formula
       hexdigest = "8f9aecd233463da6a4ea55f5f88fc5841718c013f3e2a7941350d6130f1dc149"
       stable.bottle do
         root_url "file://#{TEST_FIXTURE_DIR}/bottles"
-        sha256 hexdigest => Utils::Bottles.tag, :cellar => :any_skip_relocation
+        sha256 cellar: :any_skip_relocation, Utils::Bottles.tag => hexdigest
       end
       cxxstdlib_check :skip
     end