diff --git a/lib/preprocess.c b/lib/preprocess.c
index 0f541e0a6..e57eb3aaf 100644
--- a/lib/preprocess.c
+++ b/lib/preprocess.c
@@ -356,36 +356,28 @@ char *rm_pp_compile_patterns(RmSession *session, const char *sortcrit, GError **
 static int rm_pp_cmp_by_regex(GRegex *regex, int idx, RmPatternBitmask *mask_a,
                               const char *path_a, RmPatternBitmask *mask_b,
                               const char *path_b) {
-    int result = 0;
+    int result_a = 0;
+    int result_b = 0;
 
     if(RM_PATTERN_IS_CACHED(mask_a, idx)) {
         /* Get the previous match result */
-        result = RM_PATTERN_GET_CACHED(mask_a, idx);
+        result_a = RM_PATTERN_GET_CACHED(mask_a, idx);
     } else {
         /* Match for the first time */
-        result = g_regex_match(regex, path_a, 0, NULL);
-        RM_PATTERN_SET_CACHED(mask_a, idx, result);
-    }
-
-    if(result) {
-        return -1;
+        result_a = g_regex_match(regex, path_a, 0, NULL);
+        RM_PATTERN_SET_CACHED(mask_a, idx, result_a);
     }
 
     if(RM_PATTERN_IS_CACHED(mask_b, idx)) {
         /* Get the previous match result */
-        result = RM_PATTERN_GET_CACHED(mask_b, idx);
+        result_b = RM_PATTERN_GET_CACHED(mask_b, idx);
     } else {
         /* Match for the first time */
-        result = g_regex_match(regex, path_b, 0, NULL);
-        RM_PATTERN_SET_CACHED(mask_b, idx, result);
+        result_b = g_regex_match(regex, path_b, 0, NULL);
+        RM_PATTERN_SET_CACHED(mask_b, idx, result_b);
     }
 
-    if(result) {
-        return +1;
-    }
-
-    /* Both match or none of the both match */
-    return 0;
+    return SIGN_DIFF(result_b, result_a);
 }
 
 /*