diff --git a/tools/perf/util/sort.c b/tools/perf/util/sort.c
index 47966a1618c7310108a42de59327930e6acdb184..f5ba111cd9fb2a00757a36af8d706a3f4380c92e 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/sort.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/sort.c
@@ -2445,6 +2445,9 @@ static char *prefix_if_not_in(const char *pre, char *str)
 
 static char *setup_overhead(char *keys)
 {
+	if (sort__mode == SORT_MODE__DIFF)
+		return keys;
+
 	keys = prefix_if_not_in("overhead", keys);
 
 	if (symbol_conf.cumulate_callchain)