diff --git a/src/calibre/ebooks/conversion/plugins/epub_input.py b/src/calibre/ebooks/conversion/plugins/epub_input.py
index 11499e75cc..642235e595 100644
--- a/src/calibre/ebooks/conversion/plugins/epub_input.py
+++ b/src/calibre/ebooks/conversion/plugins/epub_input.py
@@ -103,6 +103,12 @@ class EPUBInput(InputFormatPlugin):
         if not self.for_viewer:
             spine[0].getparent().remove(spine[0])
             removed = guide_cover
+        else:
+            # Ensure the cover is displayed as the first item in the book, some
+            # epub files have it set with liner='no' which causes the cover to
+            # display in the end
+            spine[0].attrib.pop('linear', None)
+            opf.spine[0].is_linear = True
         guide_elem.set('href', 'calibre_raster_cover.jpg')
         from calibre.ebooks.oeb.base import OPF
         t = etree.SubElement(elem[0].getparent(), OPF('item'),