This is something you should be able to do with Arel (with join_sources) or through the use of to_sql as a note - you shouldn't use includes and joins, include

This is something you should be able to do with Arel (with join_sources) or through the use of to_sql as a note - you shouldn't use includes and joins, includes hammers joins. Simplest tidy up though is a scope for the join, something like DeviceConfig.joins("#{DeviceConfig.last_updated.to_sql} dc2 on dc2.device_id = device_configs.device_id and dc2.max_updated_at = device_configs.updated_at). order(...) Alternatively maybe something like dc_t = Arel::Table::new :device_configs dc2_t = Arel::Table::new :device_configs inner = dc_t.group.(dc_t[:device_id]). project(dc_t[:device_id].as("device_id"), dc_t[:updated_at].maximum.as("maximum_updated_at")) dc2_t.join(inner.join_sources). on(dc2_t[:device_id].eq(inner[:device_id])). on(dc2_t[:updated_at].eq(inner[:max_updated_at])). order(...) im not entirely sure of the on syntax there, the API doesnt look clear. Atleast, those are the two solutions I have though personally - i think it reads better as straight SQL with select_values. That way, you know what is happening.