diff --git a/borgmatic/borg/check.py b/borgmatic/borg/check.py
index 63acbe2..930c82b 100644
--- a/borgmatic/borg/check.py
+++ b/borgmatic/borg/check.py
@@ -299,7 +299,7 @@ def probe_for_check_time(location_config, borg_repository_id, check, archives_ch
       ~/.borgmatic/checks/1234567890/archives/9876543210
       ~/.borgmatic/checks/1234567890/archives/all
 
-    ... and returns the modification time of the first file found (if any). The first path
+    ... and returns the maximum modification time of the files found (if any). The first path
     represents a more specific archives check time (a check on a subset of archives), and the second
     is a fallback to the last "all" archives check.
 
@@ -318,8 +318,8 @@ def probe_for_check_time(location_config, borg_repository_id, check, archives_ch
     )
 
     try:
-        return next(check_time for check_time in check_times if check_time)
-    except StopIteration:
+        return max(check_time for check_time in check_times if check_time)
+    except ValueError:
         return None
 
 
diff --git a/tests/unit/borg/test_check.py b/tests/unit/borg/test_check.py
index aad973b..89db5d2 100644
--- a/tests/unit/borg/test_check.py
+++ b/tests/unit/borg/test_check.py
@@ -462,13 +462,13 @@ def test_read_check_time_on_missing_file_does_not_raise():
     assert module.read_check_time('/path') is None
 
 
-def test_probe_for_check_time_uses_first_of_multiple_check_times():
+def test_probe_for_check_time_uses_maximum_of_multiple_check_times():
     flexmock(module).should_receive('make_check_time_path').and_return(
         '~/.borgmatic/checks/1234/archives/5678'
     ).and_return('~/.borgmatic/checks/1234/archives/all')
     flexmock(module).should_receive('read_check_time').and_return(1).and_return(2)
 
-    assert module.probe_for_check_time(flexmock(), flexmock(), flexmock(), flexmock()) == 1
+    assert module.probe_for_check_time(flexmock(), flexmock(), flexmock(), flexmock()) == 2
 
 
 def test_probe_for_check_time_deduplicates_identical_check_time_paths():