diff --git a/data/workflow/rbh.sh b/data/workflow/rbh.sh
index 8b4e22428..038cd4d61 100755
--- a/data/workflow/rbh.sh
+++ b/data/workflow/rbh.sh
@@ -36,17 +36,10 @@ if [ ! -e "${TMP_PATH}/resBA.dbtype" ]; then
 fi
 
 
-# sort A->B by decreasing bitscores:
-if [ ! -e "${TMP_PATH}/resAB_sorted.dbtype" ]; then
-    # shellcheck disable=SC2086
-    "$MMSEQS" filterdb "${TMP_PATH}/resAB" "${TMP_PATH}/resAB_sorted" --sort-entries 2 --filter-column 2 ${THREADS_COMP_PAR} \
-        || fail "sort resAB by bitscore died"
-fi
-
 # extract a single best hit in A->B direction (used to take best bitscore for A):
 if [ ! -e "${TMP_PATH}/resA_best_B.dbtype" ]; then
     # shellcheck disable=SC2086
-    "$MMSEQS" filterdb "${TMP_PATH}/resAB_sorted" "${TMP_PATH}/resA_best_B" --extract-lines 1 ${THREADS_COMP_PAR} \
+    "$MMSEQS" filterdb "${TMP_PATH}/resAB" "${TMP_PATH}/resA_best_B" --extract-lines 1 ${THREADS_COMP_PAR} \
         || fail "extract A best B died"
 fi
 
diff --git a/src/util/result2rbh.cpp b/src/util/result2rbh.cpp
index b0ac5a72d..539998172 100644
--- a/src/util/result2rbh.cpp
+++ b/src/util/result2rbh.cpp
@@ -51,8 +51,9 @@ int result2rbh(int argc, const char **argv, const Command &command) {
                 } else {
                     // this is a B->A line - the bitscore can only decrease:
                     if (bestAtoBbitScore < currAlnScore) {
-                        Debug(Debug::ERROR) << "The merged results are assumed to be sorted by decreasing bitscore.\n";
-                        EXIT(EXIT_FAILURE);
+                        //Debug(Debug::ERROR) << "The merged results are assumed to be sorted by decreasing bitscore.\n";
+                        //EXIT(EXIT_FAILURE);
+                        break;
                     }
                     if (currAlnScore < bestAtoBbitScore) {
                         // worse bitscore - no need to check anymore...