diff --git a/src/keymap.c b/src/keymap.c
index 2ac3d33460c..fc04c565a1e 100644
--- a/src/keymap.c
+++ b/src/keymap.c
@@ -3098,8 +3098,10 @@ describe_map_compare (const void *aa, const void *bb)
   if (FIXNUMP (a->event) && !FIXNUMP (b->event))
     return -1;
   if (SYMBOLP (a->event) && SYMBOLP (b->event))
-    return (!NILP (Fstring_lessp (a->event, b->event)) ? -1
-	    : !NILP (Fstring_lessp (b->event, a->event)) ? 1
+    /* Sort the keystroke names in the "natural" way, with (for
+       instance) "<f2>" coming between "<f1>" and "<f11>".  */
+    return (!NILP (Fstring_version_lessp (a->event, b->event)) ? -1
+	    : !NILP (Fstring_version_lessp (b->event, a->event)) ? 1
 	    : 0);
   return 0;
 }