diff --git a/libnm/generate-setting-docs.py b/libnm/generate-setting-docs.py
index 86fe08cde1..d0625b01d7 100755
--- a/libnm/generate-setting-docs.py
+++ b/libnm/generate-setting-docs.py
@@ -162,13 +162,10 @@ def get_default_value(setting, pspec, propxml):
 
     return default_value
 
-def cmp_settings(x,y):
+def settings_sort_key(x):
     x_prefix = x.attrib['{%s}symbol-prefix' % ns_map['c']]
-    y_prefix = y.attrib['{%s}symbol-prefix' % ns_map['c']]
-    if x_prefix == "setting_connection":
-        # Always sort NMSettingConnection first
-        return -1;
-    return cmp(x_prefix, y_prefix)
+    # always sort NMSettingConnection first
+    return (x_prefix != "setting_connection", x_prefix);
 
 def escape(val):
     return str(val).replace('"', '"')
@@ -194,7 +191,7 @@ settings = girxml.findall('./gi:namespace/gi:class[@parent="Setting"]', ns_map)
 # Hack. Need a better way to do this
 ipxml = girxml.find('./gi:namespace/gi:class[@name="SettingIPConfig"]', ns_map)
 settings.extend(girxml.findall('./gi:namespace/gi:class[@parent="SettingIPConfig"]', ns_map))
-settings = sorted(settings, cmp=cmp_settings)
+settings = sorted(settings, key=settings_sort_key)
 
 init_constants(girxml, settings)