diff --git a/storage/maria/ma_sort.c b/storage/maria/ma_sort.c
index ef6e8506ac6..967d4a151be 100644
--- a/storage/maria/ma_sort.c
+++ b/storage/maria/ma_sort.c
@@ -89,27 +89,6 @@ static int write_merge_key_varlen(MARIA_SORT_PARAM *info,
 static inline int
 my_var_write(MARIA_SORT_PARAM *info, IO_CACHE *to_file, uchar *bufs);
 
-/*
-  Sets the appropriate read and write methods for the MARIA_SORT_PARAM
-  based on the variable length key flag.
-*/
-static void set_sort_param_read_write(MARIA_SORT_PARAM *sort_param)
-{
-  if (sort_param->keyinfo->flag & HA_VAR_LENGTH_KEY)
-  {
-    sort_param->write_keys=     write_keys_varlen;
-    sort_param->read_to_buffer= read_to_buffer_varlen;
-    sort_param->write_key=      write_merge_key_varlen;
-  }
-  else
-  {
-    sort_param->write_keys=     write_keys;
-    sort_param->read_to_buffer= read_to_buffer;
-    sort_param->write_key=      write_merge_key;
-  }
-}
-
-
 /*
   Creates a index of sorted keys
 
@@ -139,7 +118,18 @@ int _ma_create_index_by_sort(MARIA_SORT_PARAM *info, my_bool no_messages,
                       (ulong) sortbuff_size, info->key_length,
                       (ulong) info->sort_info->max_records));
 
-  set_sort_param_read_write(info);
+  if (info->keyinfo->flag & HA_VAR_LENGTH_KEY)
+  {
+    info->write_keys= write_keys_varlen;
+    info->read_to_buffer= read_to_buffer_varlen;
+    info->write_key=write_merge_key_varlen;
+  }
+  else
+  {
+    info->write_keys= write_keys;
+    info->read_to_buffer=read_to_buffer;
+    info->write_key=write_merge_key;
+  }
 
   my_b_clear(&tempfile);
   my_b_clear(&tempfile_for_exceptions);
@@ -388,7 +378,18 @@ pthread_handler_t _ma_thr_find_all_keys(void *arg)
     if (sort_param->sort_info->got_error)
       goto err;
 
-    set_sort_param_read_write(sort_param);
+    if (sort_param->keyinfo->flag & HA_VAR_LENGTH_KEY)
+    {
+      sort_param->write_keys=     write_keys_varlen;
+      sort_param->read_to_buffer= read_to_buffer_varlen;
+      sort_param->write_key=      write_merge_key_varlen;
+    }
+    else
+    {
+      sort_param->write_keys=     write_keys;
+      sort_param->read_to_buffer= read_to_buffer;
+      sort_param->write_key=      write_merge_key;
+    }
 
     my_b_clear(&sort_param->tempfile);
     my_b_clear(&sort_param->tempfile_for_exceptions);
@@ -613,9 +614,18 @@ int _ma_thr_write_keys(MARIA_SORT_PARAM *sort_param)
   {
     if (got_error)
       continue;
-
-    set_sort_param_read_write(sinfo);
-
+    if (sinfo->keyinfo->flag & HA_VAR_LENGTH_KEY)
+    {
+      sinfo->write_keys=write_keys_varlen;
+      sinfo->read_to_buffer=read_to_buffer_varlen;
+      sinfo->write_key=write_merge_key_varlen;
+    }
+    else
+    {
+      sinfo->write_keys=write_keys;
+      sinfo->read_to_buffer=read_to_buffer;
+      sinfo->write_key=write_merge_key;
+    }
     if (sinfo->buffpek.elements)
     {
       uint maxbuffer=sinfo->buffpek.elements-1;
diff --git a/storage/myisam/sort.c b/storage/myisam/sort.c
index f490e5f0b44..604910e5099 100644
--- a/storage/myisam/sort.c
+++ b/storage/myisam/sort.c
@@ -86,28 +86,6 @@ static int write_merge_key_varlen(MI_SORT_PARAM *info,
 static inline int
 my_var_write(MI_SORT_PARAM *info, IO_CACHE *to_file, uchar *bufs);
 
-
-/*
-  Sets the appropriate read and write methods for the MI_SORT_PARAM
-  based on the variable length key flag.
-*/
-static void set_sort_param_read_write(MI_SORT_PARAM *sort_param)
-{
-  if (sort_param->keyinfo->flag & HA_VAR_LENGTH_KEY)
-  {
-    sort_param->write_keys=     write_keys_varlen;
-    sort_param->read_to_buffer= read_to_buffer_varlen;
-    sort_param->write_key=      write_merge_key_varlen;
-  }
-  else
-  {
-    sort_param->write_keys=     write_keys;
-    sort_param->read_to_buffer= read_to_buffer;
-    sort_param->write_key=      write_merge_key;
-  }
-}
-
-
 /*
   Creates a index of sorted keys
 
@@ -135,7 +113,18 @@ int _create_index_by_sort(MI_SORT_PARAM *info,my_bool no_messages,
   DBUG_ENTER("_create_index_by_sort");
   DBUG_PRINT("enter",("sort_length: %u", info->key_length));
 
-  set_sort_param_read_write(info);
+  if (info->keyinfo->flag & HA_VAR_LENGTH_KEY)
+  {
+    info->write_keys=write_keys_varlen;
+    info->read_to_buffer=read_to_buffer_varlen;
+    info->write_key= write_merge_key_varlen;
+  }
+  else
+  {
+    info->write_keys=write_keys;
+    info->read_to_buffer=read_to_buffer;
+    info->write_key=write_merge_key;
+  }
 
   my_b_clear(&tempfile);
   my_b_clear(&tempfile_for_exceptions);
@@ -344,6 +333,7 @@ static ha_rows find_all_keys(MI_SORT_PARAM *info, ha_rows keys,
   DBUG_RETURN((*maxbuffer)*(keys-1)+idx);
 } /* find_all_keys */
 
+
 /* Search after all keys and place them in a temp. file */
 
 pthread_handler_t thr_find_all_keys(void *arg)
@@ -367,7 +357,18 @@ pthread_handler_t thr_find_all_keys(void *arg)
     if (sort_param->sort_info->got_error)
       goto err;
 
-    set_sort_param_read_write(sort_param);
+    if (sort_param->keyinfo->flag & HA_VAR_LENGTH_KEY)
+    {
+      sort_param->write_keys=     write_keys_varlen;
+      sort_param->read_to_buffer= read_to_buffer_varlen;
+      sort_param->write_key=      write_merge_key_varlen;
+    }
+    else
+    {
+      sort_param->write_keys=     write_keys;
+      sort_param->read_to_buffer= read_to_buffer;
+      sort_param->write_key=      write_merge_key;
+    }
 
     my_b_clear(&sort_param->tempfile);
     my_b_clear(&sort_param->tempfile_for_exceptions);
@@ -592,9 +593,18 @@ int thr_write_keys(MI_SORT_PARAM *sort_param)
   {
     if (got_error)
       continue;
-
-    set_sort_param_read_write(sinfo);
-
+    if (sinfo->keyinfo->flag & HA_VAR_LENGTH_KEY)
+    {
+      sinfo->write_keys=write_keys_varlen;
+      sinfo->read_to_buffer=read_to_buffer_varlen;
+      sinfo->write_key=write_merge_key_varlen;
+    }
+    else
+    {
+      sinfo->write_keys=write_keys;
+      sinfo->read_to_buffer=read_to_buffer;
+      sinfo->write_key=write_merge_key;
+    }
     if (sinfo->buffpek.elements)
     {
       uint maxbuffer=sinfo->buffpek.elements-1;