diff --git a/arch/x86/mm/numa.c b/arch/x86/mm/numa.c
index e60c61b8bbc6..dae5c952735c 100644
--- a/arch/x86/mm/numa.c
+++ b/arch/x86/mm/numa.c
@@ -961,7 +961,7 @@ static int __init cmp_memblk(const void *a, const void *b)
 	const struct numa_memblk *ma = *(const struct numa_memblk **)a;
 	const struct numa_memblk *mb = *(const struct numa_memblk **)b;
 
-	return ma->start - mb->start;
+	return (ma->start > mb->start) - (ma->start < mb->start);
 }
 
 static struct numa_memblk *numa_memblk_list[NR_NODE_MEMBLKS] __initdata;