diff --git a/nse_init.cc b/nse_init.cc
index 276f5e7aa..e55247efc 100644
--- a/nse_init.cc
+++ b/nse_init.cc
@@ -346,6 +346,21 @@ int init_setargs (lua_State *L)
   return 0;
 }
 
+/* Sorts the table at the given stack index (by calling table.sort). */
+static void table_sort(lua_State *L, int index)
+{
+  /* table.sort sorts in place. We modify the original by calling the function
+     on a copied reference to the table */
+  lua_pushvalue(L, index);
+  /* Get table.sort. */
+  lua_getglobal(L, "table");
+  lua_getfield(L, -1, "sort");
+  lua_replace(L, -2);
+  /* Put the (copy of the) table after the function. */
+  lua_insert(L, -2);
+  lua_call(L, 1, 0);
+}
+
 /* int init_updatedb (lua_State *L)
  *
  * Loads all the files in ./scripts and puts them in the database.
@@ -371,6 +386,9 @@ int init_updatedb (lua_State *L)
   lua_pushinteger(L, FILES);
   lua_call(L, 2, 1); // get all the .nse files in ./scripts
 
+  /* Sort what we get from nse_scandir so that script.db diffs are useful. */
+  table_sort(L, 1);
+
   // we rely on the fact that nmap_fetchfile returned a string which leaves enough room
   // to append the db filename (see call to nmap_fetchfile above)
   strncat(path, SCRIPT_ENGINE_DATABASE, MAX_FILENAME_LEN-1);
diff --git a/scripts/script.db b/scripts/script.db
index 80d8e7457..f2eeea159 100644
--- a/scripts/script.db
+++ b/scripts/script.db
@@ -1,109 +1,109 @@
-Entry{ category = "auth", filename = "xampp-default-auth.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "vuln", filename = "xampp-default-auth.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "discovery", filename = "asn-query.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "external", filename = "asn-query.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "default", filename = "auth-owners.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "safe", filename = "auth-owners.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "malware", filename = "auth-spoof.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "discovery", filename = "banner.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "safe", filename = "banner.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "discovery", filename = "daytime.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "external", filename = "dns-random-srcport.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "intrusive", filename = "dns-random-srcport.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "external", filename = "dns-random-txid.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "intrusive", filename = "dns-random-txid.nse" }
 Entry{ category = "default", filename = "dns-recursion.nse" }
 Entry{ category = "intrusive", filename = "dns-recursion.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "discovery", filename = "daytime.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "demo", filename = "smtp-open-relay.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "intrusive", filename = "snmp-brute.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "auth", filename = "snmp-brute.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "default", filename = "dns-zone-transfer.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "intrusive", filename = "dns-zone-transfer.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "discovery", filename = "dns-zone-transfer.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "default", filename = "finger.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "discovery", filename = "finger.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "default", filename = "ftp-anon.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "auth", filename = "ftp-anon.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "safe", filename = "ftp-anon.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "default", filename = "ftp-bounce.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "intrusive", filename = "ftp-bounce.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "default", filename = "html-title.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "discovery", filename = "html-title.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "safe", filename = "html-title.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "default", filename = "http-auth.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "auth", filename = "http-auth.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "intrusive", filename = "http-auth.nse" }
 Entry{ category = "default", filename = "http-open-proxy.nse" }
 Entry{ category = "discovery", filename = "http-open-proxy.nse" }
 Entry{ category = "external", filename = "http-open-proxy.nse" }
 Entry{ category = "intrusive", filename = "http-open-proxy.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "intrusive", filename = "smb-check-vulns.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "intrusive", filename = "http-passwd.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "vuln", filename = "http-passwd.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "discovery", filename = "http-trace.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "version", filename = "iax2-version.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "default", filename = "irc-info.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "discovery", filename = "irc-info.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "default", filename = "ms-sql-info.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "discovery", filename = "ms-sql-info.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "intrusive", filename = "ms-sql-info.nse" }
 Entry{ category = "default", filename = "mysql-info.nse" }
 Entry{ category = "discovery", filename = "mysql-info.nse" }
 Entry{ category = "safe", filename = "mysql-info.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "default", filename = "nbstat.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "discovery", filename = "nbstat.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "safe", filename = "nbstat.nse" }
 Entry{ category = "intrusive", filename = "pop3-brute.nse" }
 Entry{ category = "auth", filename = "pop3-brute.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "malware", filename = "auth-spoof.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "default", filename = "ftp-bounce.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "intrusive", filename = "ftp-bounce.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "default", filename = "irc-info.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "discovery", filename = "irc-info.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "discovery", filename = "sniffer-detect.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "default", filename = "pop3-capabilities.nse" }
 Entry{ category = "version", filename = "pptp-version.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "discovery", filename = "smb-enum-sessions.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "intrusive", filename = "smb-enum-sessions.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "default", filename = "finger.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "discovery", filename = "finger.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "discovery", filename = "whois.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "external", filename = "whois.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "safe", filename = "whois.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "default", filename = "realvnc-auth-bypass.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "vuln", filename = "realvnc-auth-bypass.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "default", filename = "robots.txt.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "discovery", filename = "robots.txt.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "safe", filename = "robots.txt.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "default", filename = "rpcinfo.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "safe", filename = "rpcinfo.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "discovery", filename = "rpcinfo.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "version", filename = "skypev2-version.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "intrusive", filename = "smb-check-vulns.nse" }
 Entry{ category = "discovery", filename = "smb-enum-domains.nse" }
 Entry{ category = "intrusive", filename = "smb-enum-domains.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "discovery", filename = "http-trace.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "default", filename = "upnp-info.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "safe", filename = "upnp-info.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "default", filename = "http-auth.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "auth", filename = "http-auth.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "intrusive", filename = "http-auth.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "intrusive", filename = "http-passwd.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "vuln", filename = "http-passwd.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "discovery", filename = "smb-enum-sessions.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "intrusive", filename = "smb-enum-sessions.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "discovery", filename = "smb-enum-shares.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "intrusive", filename = "smb-enum-shares.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "discovery", filename = "smb-enum-users.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "intrusive", filename = "smb-enum-users.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "default", filename = "smb-os-discovery.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "discovery", filename = "smb-os-discovery.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "safe", filename = "smb-os-discovery.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "discovery", filename = "smb-security-mode.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "safe", filename = "smb-security-mode.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "discovery", filename = "smb-server-stats.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "intrusive", filename = "smb-server-stats.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "discovery", filename = "smb-system-info.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "intrusive", filename = "smb-system-info.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "default", filename = "smtp-commands.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "discovery", filename = "smtp-commands.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "safe", filename = "smtp-commands.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "demo", filename = "smtp-open-relay.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "malware", filename = "smtp-strangeport.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "discovery", filename = "sniffer-detect.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "intrusive", filename = "snmp-brute.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "auth", filename = "snmp-brute.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "default", filename = "snmp-sysdescr.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "discovery", filename = "snmp-sysdescr.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "safe", filename = "snmp-sysdescr.nse" }
 Entry{ category = "intrusive", filename = "sql-injection.nse" }
 Entry{ category = "vuln", filename = "sql-injection.nse" }
 Entry{ category = "safe", filename = "ssh-hostkey.nse" }
 Entry{ category = "default", filename = "ssh-hostkey.nse" }
 Entry{ category = "intrusive", filename = "ssh-hostkey.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "default", filename = "smtp-commands.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "discovery", filename = "smtp-commands.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "safe", filename = "smtp-commands.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "discovery", filename = "asn-query.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "external", filename = "asn-query.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "version", filename = "iax2-version.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "default", filename = "ms-sql-info.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "discovery", filename = "ms-sql-info.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "intrusive", filename = "ms-sql-info.nse" }
 Entry{ category = "default", filename = "sshv1.nse" }
 Entry{ category = "safe", filename = "sshv1.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "default", filename = "nbstat.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "discovery", filename = "nbstat.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "safe", filename = "nbstat.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "auth", filename = "telnet-brute.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "intrusive", filename = "telnet-brute.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "default", filename = "rpcinfo.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "safe", filename = "rpcinfo.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "discovery", filename = "rpcinfo.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "default", filename = "realvnc-auth-bypass.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "vuln", filename = "realvnc-auth-bypass.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "external", filename = "dns-random-srcport.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "intrusive", filename = "dns-random-srcport.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "discovery", filename = "smb-system-info.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "intrusive", filename = "smb-system-info.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "default", filename = "pop3-capabilities.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "discovery", filename = "smb-enum-shares.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "intrusive", filename = "smb-enum-shares.nse" }
 Entry{ category = "default", filename = "sslv2.nse" }
 Entry{ category = "safe", filename = "sslv2.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "external", filename = "dns-random-txid.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "intrusive", filename = "dns-random-txid.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "default", filename = "snmp-sysdescr.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "discovery", filename = "snmp-sysdescr.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "safe", filename = "snmp-sysdescr.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "discovery", filename = "smb-server-stats.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "intrusive", filename = "smb-server-stats.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "discovery", filename = "smb-enum-users.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "intrusive", filename = "smb-enum-users.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "default", filename = "ftp-anon.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "auth", filename = "ftp-anon.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "safe", filename = "ftp-anon.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "default", filename = "dns-zone-transfer.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "intrusive", filename = "dns-zone-transfer.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "discovery", filename = "dns-zone-transfer.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "default", filename = "smb-os-discovery.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "discovery", filename = "smb-os-discovery.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "safe", filename = "smb-os-discovery.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "default", filename = "html-title.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "discovery", filename = "html-title.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "safe", filename = "html-title.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "version", filename = "skypev2-version.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "default", filename = "robots.txt.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "discovery", filename = "robots.txt.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "safe", filename = "robots.txt.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "discovery", filename = "smb-security-mode.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "safe", filename = "smb-security-mode.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "malware", filename = "smtp-strangeport.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "default", filename = "auth-owners.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "safe", filename = "auth-owners.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "discovery", filename = "banner.nse" }
-Entry{ category = "safe", filename = "banner.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "auth", filename = "telnet-brute.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "intrusive", filename = "telnet-brute.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "default", filename = "upnp-info.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "safe", filename = "upnp-info.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "discovery", filename = "whois.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "external", filename = "whois.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "safe", filename = "whois.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "auth", filename = "xampp-default-auth.nse" }
+Entry{ category = "vuln", filename = "xampp-default-auth.nse" }