diff --git a/t/helper/test-mergesort.c b/t/helper/test-mergesort.c
index ebf68f7de8..93d15d59a1 100644
--- a/t/helper/test-mergesort.c
+++ b/t/helper/test-mergesort.c
@@ -273,21 +273,11 @@ struct number {
 	struct number *next;
 };
 
-static void *get_next_number(const void *a)
-{
-	stats.get_next++;
-	return ((const struct number *)a)->next;
-}
+DEFINE_LIST_SORT_DEBUG(static, sort_numbers, struct number, next,
+		       stats.get_next++, stats.set_next++);
 
-static void set_next_number(void *a, void *b)
+static int compare_numbers(const struct number *an, const struct number *bn)
 {
-	stats.set_next++;
-	((struct number *)a)->next = b;
-}
-
-static int compare_numbers(const void *av, const void *bv)
-{
-	const struct number *an = av, *bn = bv;
 	int a = an->value, b = bn->value;
 	stats.compare++;
 	return (a > b) - (a < b);
@@ -325,8 +315,7 @@ static int test(const struct dist *dist, const struct mode *mode, int n, int m)
 	*tail = NULL;
 
 	stats.get_next = stats.set_next = stats.compare = 0;
-	list = llist_mergesort(list, get_next_number, set_next_number,
-			       compare_numbers);
+	sort_numbers(&list, compare_numbers);
 
 	QSORT(arr, n, compare_ints);
 	for (i = 0, curr = list; i < n && curr; i++, curr = curr->next) {
diff --git a/t/t0071-sort.sh b/t/t0071-sort.sh
index 6f9a501c72..ba8ad1d1ca 100755
--- a/t/t0071-sort.sh
+++ b/t/t0071-sort.sh
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ test_description='verify sort functions'
 TEST_PASSES_SANITIZE_LEAK=true
 . ./test-lib.sh
 
-test_expect_success 'llist_mergesort()' '
+test_expect_success 'DEFINE_LIST_SORT_DEBUG' '
 	test-tool mergesort test
 '