diff --git a/reftable/pq.c b/reftable/pq.c
index dcefeb793a..7220efc39a 100644
--- a/reftable/pq.c
+++ b/reftable/pq.c
@@ -14,20 +14,9 @@ https://developers.google.com/open-source/licenses/bsd
 
 int pq_less(struct pq_entry *a, struct pq_entry *b)
 {
-	struct strbuf ak = STRBUF_INIT;
-	struct strbuf bk = STRBUF_INIT;
-	int cmp = 0;
-	reftable_record_key(&a->rec, &ak);
-	reftable_record_key(&b->rec, &bk);
-
-	cmp = strbuf_cmp(&ak, &bk);
-
-	strbuf_release(&ak);
-	strbuf_release(&bk);
-
+	int cmp = reftable_record_cmp(&a->rec, &b->rec);
 	if (cmp == 0)
 		return a->index > b->index;
-
 	return cmp < 0;
 }