diff --git a/tests/fate-run.sh b/tests/fate-run.sh
index 71eff804e7..52ddc22300 100755
--- a/tests/fate-run.sh
+++ b/tests/fate-run.sh
@@ -225,7 +225,7 @@ fi
 
 if test -e "$ref" || test $cmp = "oneline" ; then
     case $cmp in
-        diff)   diff -u -a -b "$ref" "$outfile"         >$cmpfile ;;
+        diff)   diff -u -b "$ref" "$outfile"            >$cmpfile ;;
         oneoff) oneoff     "$ref" "$outfile"            >$cmpfile ;;
         stddev) stddev     "$ref" "$outfile"            >$cmpfile ;;
         oneline)oneline    "$ref" "$outfile"            >$cmpfile ;;