diff --git a/tools/perf/tests/switch-tracking.c b/tools/perf/tests/switch-tracking.c
index ffa592e0020e..ffe3831fb7bf 100644
--- a/tools/perf/tests/switch-tracking.c
+++ b/tools/perf/tests/switch-tracking.c
@@ -254,7 +254,7 @@ static int compar(const void *a, const void *b)
 	const struct event_node *nodeb = b;
 	s64 cmp = nodea->event_time - nodeb->event_time;
 
-	return cmp;
+	return cmp < 0 ? -1 : (cmp > 0 ? 1 : 0);
 }
 
 static int process_events(struct evlist *evlist,