--- a/cmd/mkbindic/mkbindic.cpp
+++ b/cmd/mkbindic/mkbindic.cpp
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@
 bck_text=;
 flag=;
 compat_flag=;
-sortcmd="sort -d -s +0 -1"
+sortcmd="sort -d -s -k 1,1"
 usage="usage: mkbindic [-m|-s] [-name dicname] [-c version] textfile [cpp-args ...]";
 : ${TMPDIR:=/tmp}
 
