diff --git a/tests/qemu-iotests/check b/tests/qemu-iotests/check
index 95162c6cf900c0f3d4ff52a65c6affed5aaa760c..44ebf2408009aa274b83dbf9a68c93310ee3493d 100755
--- a/tests/qemu-iotests/check
+++ b/tests/qemu-iotests/check
@@ -876,7 +876,6 @@ do
                     fi
                 else
                     mv $tmp.out $seq.out.bad
-                    $diff -w "$reference" "$PWD"/$seq.out.bad
                     status="fail"
                     results="output mismatch (see $seq.out.bad)"
                     printdiff=true