diff --git a/pimd/pim_ifchannel.c b/pimd/pim_ifchannel.c
index ab01c7f13e..c87320d0f8 100644
--- a/pimd/pim_ifchannel.c
+++ b/pimd/pim_ifchannel.c
@@ -50,6 +50,15 @@ pim_ifchannel_compare (struct pim_ifchannel *ch1, struct pim_ifchannel *ch2)
   struct pim_interface *pim_ifp1;
   struct pim_interface *pim_ifp2;
 
+  pim_ifp1 = ch1->interface->info;
+  pim_ifp2 = ch2->interface->info;
+
+  if (pim_ifp1->mroute_vif_index < pim_ifp2->mroute_vif_index)
+    return -1;
+
+  if (pim_ifp1->mroute_vif_index > pim_ifp2->mroute_vif_index)
+    return 1;
+
   if (ntohl(ch1->sg.grp.s_addr) < ntohl(ch2->sg.grp.s_addr))
     return -1;
 
@@ -62,20 +71,6 @@ pim_ifchannel_compare (struct pim_ifchannel *ch1, struct pim_ifchannel *ch2)
   if (ntohl(ch1->sg.src.s_addr) > ntohl(ch2->sg.src.s_addr))
     return 1;
 
-  pim_ifp1 = ch1->interface->info;
-  pim_ifp2 = ch2->interface->info;
-  if (ntohl(pim_ifp1->primary_address.s_addr) < ntohl(pim_ifp2->primary_address.s_addr))
-    return -1;
-
-  if (ntohl(pim_ifp1->primary_address.s_addr) > ntohl(pim_ifp2->primary_address.s_addr))
-    return 1;
-
-  if (pim_ifp1->mroute_vif_index < pim_ifp2->mroute_vif_index)
-    return -1;
-
-  if (pim_ifp1->mroute_vif_index > pim_ifp2->mroute_vif_index)
-    return 1;
-
   return 0;
 }