diff --git a/confluent_client/bin/collate b/confluent_client/bin/collate
index 0f72afe0..0efa9ffd 100755
--- a/confluent_client/bin/collate
+++ b/confluent_client/bin/collate
@@ -35,6 +35,9 @@ import confluent.client
 argparser = optparse.OptionParser(usage="Usage: <other command> | %prog [options]")
 argparser.add_option('-a', '--abbreviate', action='store_true',
                      help='Attempt to use confluent server to shorten noderanges')
+argparser.add_option('-b', '--base',
+                     help='Use given node as reference for comparison when '
+                          'using -d, instead of using the most common result')
 argparser.add_option('-d', '--diff', action='store_true',
                      help='Show what differs between most common '
                           'output group and others')
@@ -65,7 +68,7 @@ else:
 def print_current():
     if options.diff:
         grouped.print_deviants(skipmodal=options.skipcommon, count=options.count,
-                          reverse=options.reverse)
+                          reverse=options.reverse, basenode=options.base)
     else:
         grouped.print_all(skipmodal=options.skipcommon,
                                count=options.count,
diff --git a/confluent_client/confluent/textgroup.py b/confluent_client/confluent/textgroup.py
index d1a87523..cd35b6fa 100644
--- a/confluent_client/confluent/textgroup.py
+++ b/confluent_client/confluent/textgroup.py
@@ -169,13 +169,18 @@ class GroupedData(object):
         output.flush()
 
     def print_deviants(self, output=sys.stdout, skipmodal=False, reverse=False,
-                       count=False):
+                       count=False, basenode=None):
         self.generate_byoutput()
         modaloutput = None
         ismodal = True
         revoutput = []
+        if basenode:
+            for checkout in self.byoutput:
+                if basenode in self.byoutput[checkout]:
+                    modaloutput = checkout
         for outdata in sorted(
-                self.byoutput, key=lambda x: [0 - len(self.byoutput[x]),
+                self.byoutput, key=lambda x: [0 if modaloutput == x else 1,
+                                              0 - len(self.byoutput[x]),
                                               humanify_nodename(
                                                   self.get_group_text(
                                                       self.byoutput[x]