diff --git a/test/lib/completions/scp.exp b/test/lib/completions/scp.exp
index 4ab514d9..57c41b80 100644
--- a/test/lib/completions/scp.exp
+++ b/test/lib/completions/scp.exp
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ assert_bash_exec "cd $dir" "" $prompt
 set cmd "scp -F 'spaced  conf' "
 send "$cmd\t"
 expect -ex "$cmd\r\n"
-if {[match_items [lsort -unique $expected] $test]} {
+if {[match_items [lsort -unique $expected] -bash-sort]} {
     expect {
         -re $prompt { pass "$test" }
         -re eof { unresolved "eof" }
diff --git a/test/lib/library.exp b/test/lib/library.exp
index c5265cc0..b68f4132 100644
--- a/test/lib/library.exp
+++ b/test/lib/library.exp
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
     # NOTE: DejaGnu has an old `unknown' procedure which unfortunately disables
     #       tcl auto-loading.
 source [file join [info library] init.tcl]
+package require cmdline
 package require textutil::string
 
 
@@ -72,22 +73,37 @@ proc assert_bash_type {command} {
 }
 
 
-# Make sure the expected list is returned by executing the specified command.
-# @param list $expected
-# @param string $cmd  Command given to generate items
-# @param string $test  (optional) Test title.  Default is "$cmd<TAB> should show completions"
-# @param string $prompt  (optional) Bash prompt.  Default is "/@"
-# @param integer $size  (optional) Chunk size.  Default is 20.
-# @result boolean  True if successful, False if not
-proc assert_bash_list {expected cmd {test ""} {prompt /@} {size 20}} {
+# Make sure the expected list matches the real list, as returned by executing
+# the specified bash command.
+# Specify `-sort' if the real list is sorted.
+# @param list $expected  Expected list items
+# @param string $cmd  Bash command to execute in order to generate real list
+#                     items
+# @param string $test  Test title.  Becomes "$cmd should show expected output"
+#                      if empty string.
+# @param list $args  Options:
+#                    -sort           Compare list sorted.  Default is unsorted
+#                    -prompt         Bash prompt.  Default is `/@'
+#                    -chunk-size N   Compare list N items at a time.  Default 
+#                                    is 20.
+proc assert_bash_list {expected cmd test {args {}}} {
+    array set arg [::cmdline::getoptions args {
+        {sort                "compare list sorted"}
+        {prompt.arg     /@   "bash prompt"}
+        {chunk-size.arg 20   "compare N list items at a time"}
+    }]
+    set prompt $arg(prompt)
     if {$test == ""} {set test "$cmd should show expected output"}
     if {[llength $expected] == 0} {
         assert_no_output $cmd $test $prompt
     } else {
         send "$cmd\r"
         expect -ex "$cmd\r\n"
-
-        if {[match_items $expected $test $prompt $size]} {
+        if {$arg(sort)} {set bash_sort "-bash-sort"} else {set bash_sort ""}
+        if {[
+            match_items $expected $bash_sort -chunk-size $arg(chunk-size) \
+                -prompt $prompt
+        ]} {
             expect {
                 -re $prompt { pass "$test" }
                 -re eof { unresolved "eof" }
@@ -99,10 +115,29 @@ proc assert_bash_list {expected cmd {test ""} {prompt /@} {size 20}} {
 }
 
 
-proc assert_bash_list_dir {expected cmd dir {test ""} {prompt /@} {size 20}} {
-    set prompt "/$dir/@"
+# Make sure the expected list matches the real list, as returned by executing
+# the specified bash command within the specified directory.
+# Specify `-sort' if the real list is sorted.
+# @param list $expected  Expected list items
+# @param string $cmd  Bash command to generate real list items
+# @param string $dir  Directory to execute $cmd within
+# @param string $test  Test title.  Becomes "$cmd should show expected output"
+#                      if empty string.
+# @param list $args  Options:
+#                    -sort           Compare list sorted.  Default is unsorted
+#                    -prompt         Bash prompt.  Default is `/$dir/@'
+#                    -chunk-size N   Compare list N items at a time.  Default 
+#                                    is 20.
+proc assert_bash_list_dir {expected cmd dir test {args {}}} {
+    array set arg [::cmdline::getoptions args {
+        {sort                      "compare list sorted"}
+        {prompt.arg     "/$dir/@"  "bash prompt"}
+        {chunk-size.arg 20         "compare N list items at a time"}
+    }]
+    if {$arg(sort)} {set arg_sort "-sort"} else {set arg_sort ""}
     assert_bash_exec "cd $dir" "" $prompt
-    assert_bash_list $expected $cmd $test $prompt $size
+    assert_bash_list $expected $cmd $test $arg_sort \
+        -chunk-size $arg(chunk-size) -prompt $prompt 
     sync_after_int $prompt
     assert_bash_exec {cd "$TESTDIR"}
 }
@@ -160,7 +195,7 @@ proc assert_complete {expected cmd {test ""} {prompt /@} {size 20} {cword ""} {f
             _ltrim_colon_completions cword expected
         }
 
-        if {[match_items $expected $test $prompt $size]} {
+        if {[match_items $expected -bash-sort -chunk-size $size -prompt $prompt]} {
             if {[llength $expected] == 1} {
                 pass "$test"
             } else {
@@ -602,13 +637,25 @@ proc is_cygwin {} {
 }
 
 
-# Expect items.
+# Expect items, a limited number (20) at a time.
 # Break items into chunks because `expect' seems to have a limited buffer size
-# @param list $items
-# @param integer $size  Chunk size
+# @param list $items  Expected list items 
+# @param list $args  Options:
+#                    -bash-sort      Compare list bash-sorted.  Default is
+#                                    unsorted
+#                    -prompt PROMPT  Bash prompt.  Default is `/@'
+#                    -chunk-size CHUNK-SIZE   Compare list CHUNK-SIZE items at
+#                                             a time.  Default is 20.
 # @result boolean  True if successful, False if not
-proc match_items {items test {prompt /@} {size 20}} {
-    set items [bash_sort $items]
+proc match_items {items {args {}}} {
+    array set arg [::cmdline::getoptions args {
+        {bash-sort      "compare list sorted"}
+        {prompt.arg     "/@" "bash prompt"}
+        {chunk-size.arg 20   "compare N list items at a time"}
+    }]
+    set prompt $arg(prompt)
+    set size $arg(chunk-size)
+    if {$arg(bash-sort)} {set items [bash_sort $items]}
     set result false
     for {set i 0} {$i < [llength $items]} {set i [expr {$i + $size}]} {
             # For chunks > 1, allow leading whitespace
diff --git a/test/unit/_known_hosts_real.exp b/test/unit/_known_hosts_real.exp
index c23a9cef..3276edb4 100644
--- a/test/unit/_known_hosts_real.exp
+++ b/test/unit/_known_hosts_real.exp
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ set hosts [get_hosts]
     # doo, ike, jub, 10.0.0.1, kyl, 100.0.0.2, 10.10.0.3, blah, and bunch of IPv6 test cases in ./fixtures/_known_hosts_real/known_hosts
 lappend hosts blah doo gee hus ike jar jub kyl 10.0.0.1 100.0.0.2 10.10.0.3 fd00:xxxx:xxxx:xxxx:xxxx:xxxx:xxxx:5555 fe80::123:0xff:dead:beef%eth0 1111:2222:3333:4444:5555:6666:xxxx:abab 11xx:2222:3333:4444:5555:6666:xxxx:abab ::42
 set cmd {unset COMPREPLY; _known_hosts_real -aF fixtures/_known_hosts_real/config ''; echo_array COMPREPLY}
-assert_bash_list $hosts $cmd $test
+assert_bash_list $hosts $cmd $test -sort
 
 
 sync_after_int
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ foreach host $hosts {
 }
     # Call _known_hosts
 set cmd {unset COMPREPLY; _known_hosts_real -acF fixtures/_known_hosts_real/config 'user@'; echo_array COMPREPLY}
-assert_bash_list $expected $cmd $test
+assert_bash_list $expected $cmd $test -sort
 
 
 sync_after_int
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ set hosts [get_hosts_avahi]
 lappend hosts blah doo gee hus ike jar jub kyl 10.0.0.1 100.0.0.2 10.10.0.3 fd00:xxxx:xxxx:xxxx:xxxx:xxxx:xxxx:5555 fe80::123:0xff:dead:beef%eth0 1111:2222:3333:4444:5555:6666:xxxx:abab 11xx:2222:3333:4444:5555:6666:xxxx:abab ::42
     # Call _known_hosts
 set cmd {unset COMPREPLY; _known_hosts_real -aF fixtures/_known_hosts_real/config ''; echo_array COMPREPLY}
-assert_bash_list $hosts $cmd $test
+assert_bash_list $hosts $cmd $test -sort
 sync_after_int
 assert_bash_exec "unset -v COMP_KNOWN_HOSTS_WITH_HOSTFILE"