diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index e6310b644a9..f4d2c15f516 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -158,6 +158,7 @@ test/manual/etags/srclist
 test/manual/etags/regexfile
 test/manual/etags/ETAGS
 test/manual/etags/CTAGS
+test/manual/etags/CTAGS*.sorted
 test/manual/indent/*.new
 test/lisp/gnus/mml-sec-resources/random_seed
 test/lisp/play/fortune-resources/fortunes.dat
diff --git a/test/manual/etags/Makefile b/test/manual/etags/Makefile
index 24d8397f16c..81b5c3ca721 100644
--- a/test/manual/etags/Makefile
+++ b/test/manual/etags/Makefile
@@ -72,11 +72,15 @@ ctags_update: CTAGS.good_update ${infiles}
 	head -n 100 CTAGS.good_update > CTAGS
 	tail -n 100 CTAGS.good_update >> CTAGS
 	${RUN} ${CTAGS_PROG} -o CTAGS -u ${ARGS}
-	diff -u --suppress-common-lines --width=80 CTAGS.good_update CTAGS
+	sort CTAGS > CTAGS.sorted
+	sort CTAGS.good_update > CTAGS.good_update.sorted
+	diff -u --suppress-common-lines --width=80 CTAGS.good_update.sorted CTAGS.sorted
 
 	cp crlf CTAGS
 	${RUN} ${CTAGS_PROG} -o CTAGS -u ${ARGS}
-	diff -u --suppress-common-lines --width=80 CTAGS.good_crlf CTAGS
+	sort CTAGS > CTAGS.sorted
+	sort CTAGS.good_crlf > CTAGS.good_crlf.sorted
+	diff -u --suppress-common-lines --width=80 CTAGS.good_crlf.sorted CTAGS.sorted
 
 ETAGS: ${infiles}
 	${RUN} ${ETAGS_PROG} ${OPTIONS} -o $@ ${ARGS}