diff --git a/sql/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/execution/joins/SortMergeJoinExec.scala b/sql/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/execution/joins/SortMergeJoinExec.scala
index 50fd8f3000032..7a7340dc94655 100644
--- a/sql/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/execution/joins/SortMergeJoinExec.scala
+++ b/sql/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/execution/joins/SortMergeJoinExec.scala
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ case class SortMergeJoinExec(
     case RightOuter => requiredOrders(rightKeys)
     // There are null rows in both streams, so there is no order.
     case FullOuter => Nil
-    case _: InnerLike | LeftExistence(_) => requiredOrders(leftKeys)
+    case Inner | LeftExistence(_) => requiredOrders(leftKeys)
     case x =>
       throw new IllegalArgumentException(
         s"${getClass.getSimpleName} should not take $x as the JoinType")