diff --git a/diffcore-rename.c b/diffcore-rename.c
index 07bd34b63145e1..5bfc5f6c227c29 100644
--- a/diffcore-rename.c
+++ b/diffcore-rename.c
@@ -82,6 +82,18 @@ static struct diff_rename_src *register_rename_src(struct diff_filepair *p)
 
 	first = 0;
 	last = rename_src_nr;
+
+	if (last > 0) {
+		struct diff_rename_src *src = &(rename_src[last-1]);
+		int cmp = strcmp(one->path, src->p->one->path);
+		if (!cmp)
+			return src;
+		if (cmp > 0) {
+			first = last;
+			goto append_it;
+		}
+	}
+
 	while (last > first) {
 		int next = (last + first) >> 1;
 		struct diff_rename_src *src = &(rename_src[next]);
@@ -95,6 +107,7 @@ static struct diff_rename_src *register_rename_src(struct diff_filepair *p)
 		first = next+1;
 	}
 
+append_it:
 	/* insert to make it at "first" */
 	ALLOC_GROW(rename_src, rename_src_nr + 1, rename_src_alloc);
 	rename_src_nr++;