diff --git a/test/functional/tools/discover_sort_by.xml b/test/functional/tools/discover_sort_by.xml
index 4beaf2fc4d0..1864b1803d5 100644
--- a/test/functional/tools/discover_sort_by.xml
+++ b/test/functional/tools/discover_sort_by.xml
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ done
       </output>
     </test>
     <!-- same test with wrong order should fail  -->
-    <test expect_num_outputs="4">
+    <test expect_num_outputs="4" expect_failure="true">
       <param name="input1" value="tinywga.fam" />
       <output_collection name="collection_numeric_name" type="list" count="10">
         <element name="1">