if (sort__mode != SORT_MODE__MEMORY)
                        return -EINVAL;
 
+               if (sd->entry == &sort_mem_dcacheline && cacheline_size == 0)
+                       return -EINVAL;
+
                if (sd->entry == &sort_mem_daddr_sym)
                        list->sym = 1;
 
                if (*tok) {
                        ret = sort_dimension__add(list, tok, evlist, level);
                        if (ret == -EINVAL) {
-                               error("Invalid --sort key: `%s'", tok);
+                               if (!cacheline_size && !strncasecmp(tok, "dcacheline", strlen(tok)))
+                                       error("The \"dcacheline\" --sort key needs to know the cacheline size and it couldn't be determined on this system");
+                               else
+                                       error("Invalid --sort key: `%s'", tok);
                                break;
                        } else if (ret == -ESRCH) {
                                error("Unknown --sort key: `%s'", tok);