diff --git a/scripts/code.py b/scripts/code.py
index 7cc06958..f2a1a5d5 100755
--- a/scripts/code.py
+++ b/scripts/code.py
@@ -801,10 +801,13 @@ def table(Result, results, diff_results=None, *,
 
             # figure out a good label
             if labels is not None:
-                label = ','.join(str(getattr(r, k)
-                            if getattr(r, k) is not None
-                            else '')
-                        for k in labels)
+                label = next(
+                        ','.join(str(getattr(r_, k)
+                                    if getattr(r_, k) is not None
+                                    else '')
+                                for k in labels)
+                            for r_ in [r, diff_r]
+                            if r_ is not None)
             else:
                 label = name
 
diff --git a/scripts/cov.py b/scripts/cov.py
index 48f23bd5..f512462c 100755
--- a/scripts/cov.py
+++ b/scripts/cov.py
@@ -662,10 +662,13 @@ def table(Result, results, diff_results=None, *,
 
             # figure out a good label
             if labels is not None:
-                label = ','.join(str(getattr(r, k)
-                            if getattr(r, k) is not None
-                            else '')
-                        for k in labels)
+                label = next(
+                        ','.join(str(getattr(r_, k)
+                                    if getattr(r_, k) is not None
+                                    else '')
+                                for k in labels)
+                            for r_ in [r, diff_r]
+                            if r_ is not None)
             else:
                 label = name
 
diff --git a/scripts/csv.py b/scripts/csv.py
index ce73603d..4d0919b5 100755
--- a/scripts/csv.py
+++ b/scripts/csv.py
@@ -1338,7 +1338,7 @@ def openio(path, mode='r', buffering=-1):
     else:
         return open(path, mode, buffering)
 
-def collect(csv_paths, *,
+def collect_csv(csv_paths, *,
         depth=1,
         children=None,
         notes=None,
@@ -1944,10 +1944,13 @@ def table(Result, results, diff_results=None, *,
 
             # figure out a good label
             if labels is not None:
-                label = ','.join(str(getattr(r, k)
-                            if getattr(r, k) is not None
-                            else '')
-                        for k in labels)
+                label = next(
+                        ','.join(str(getattr(r_, k)
+                                    if getattr(r_, k) is not None
+                                    else '')
+                                for k in labels)
+                            for r_ in [r, diff_r]
+                            if r_ is not None)
             else:
                 label = name
 
@@ -2221,7 +2224,7 @@ def main(csv_paths, *,
             sys.exit(1)
 
         # collect info
-        fields_, results = collect(csv_paths,
+        fields_, results = collect_csv(csv_paths,
                 depth=depth,
                 children=children,
                 notes=notes,
@@ -2229,7 +2232,7 @@ def main(csv_paths, *,
 
     else:
         # use is just an alias but takes priority
-        fields_, results = collect([args['use']],
+        fields_, results = collect_csv([args['use']],
                 depth=depth,
                 children=children,
                 notes=notes,
@@ -2307,21 +2310,39 @@ def main(csv_paths, *,
     # find previous results?
     diff_results = None
     if args.get('diff') or args.get('percent'):
+        # note! don't use read_csv here
+        #
+        # it's tempting now that we have a Result type, but we want to
+        # make sure all the defines/exprs/mods/etc are evaluated in the
+        # same order
         try:
-            diff_results = read_csv(
-                    args.get('diff') or args.get('percent'),
-                    Result,
+            _, diff_results = collect_csv(
+                    [args.get('diff') or args.get('percent')],
                     depth=depth,
+                    children=children,
+                    notes=notes,
                     **args)
         except FileNotFoundError:
             diff_results = []
 
+        # homogenize
+        diff_results = homogenize(Result, diff_results,
+                enumerates=enumerates,
+                defines=defines,
+                depth=depth)
+
         # fold
         diff_results = fold(Result, diff_results,
                 by=by,
-                defines=defines,
                 depth=depth)
 
+        # hotify?
+        if hot:
+            diff_results = hotify(Result, diff_results,
+                    enumerates=enumerates,
+                    depth=depth,
+                    hot=hot)
+
     # print table
     if not args.get('quiet'):
         table(Result, results, diff_results,
diff --git a/scripts/ctx.py b/scripts/ctx.py
index c85d4152..5d2b6060 100755
--- a/scripts/ctx.py
+++ b/scripts/ctx.py
@@ -995,7 +995,6 @@ def table(Result, results, diff_results=None, *,
     def table_recurse(results_, diff_results_,
             depth_,
             prefixes=('', '', '', '')):
-
         # build the children table at each layer
         table_ = {
                 ','.join(str(getattr(r, k)
@@ -1060,10 +1059,13 @@ def table(Result, results, diff_results=None, *,
 
             # figure out a good label
             if labels is not None:
-                label = ','.join(str(getattr(r, k)
-                            if getattr(r, k) is not None
-                            else '')
-                        for k in labels)
+                label = next(
+                        ','.join(str(getattr(r_, k)
+                                    if getattr(r_, k) is not None
+                                    else '')
+                                for k in labels)
+                            for r_ in [r, diff_r]
+                            if r_ is not None)
             else:
                 label = name
 
@@ -1337,6 +1339,12 @@ def main(obj_paths, *,
                 defines=defines,
                 depth=depth)
 
+        # hotify?
+        if hot:
+            diff_results = hotify(CtxResult, diff_results,
+                    depth=depth,
+                    hot=hot)
+
     # print table
     if not args.get('quiet'):
         table(CtxResult, results, diff_results,
diff --git a/scripts/data.py b/scripts/data.py
index a1cbc573..bcab260c 100755
--- a/scripts/data.py
+++ b/scripts/data.py
@@ -801,10 +801,13 @@ def table(Result, results, diff_results=None, *,
 
             # figure out a good label
             if labels is not None:
-                label = ','.join(str(getattr(r, k)
-                            if getattr(r, k) is not None
-                            else '')
-                        for k in labels)
+                label = next(
+                        ','.join(str(getattr(r_, k)
+                                    if getattr(r_, k) is not None
+                                    else '')
+                                for k in labels)
+                            for r_ in [r, diff_r]
+                            if r_ is not None)
             else:
                 label = name
 
diff --git a/scripts/perf.py b/scripts/perf.py
index fde71e8d..96861330 100755
--- a/scripts/perf.py
+++ b/scripts/perf.py
@@ -1163,10 +1163,13 @@ def table(Result, results, diff_results=None, *,
 
             # figure out a good label
             if labels is not None:
-                label = ','.join(str(getattr(r, k)
-                            if getattr(r, k) is not None
-                            else '')
-                        for k in labels)
+                label = next(
+                        ','.join(str(getattr(r_, k)
+                                    if getattr(r_, k) is not None
+                                    else '')
+                                for k in labels)
+                            for r_ in [r, diff_r]
+                            if r_ is not None)
             else:
                 label = name
 
@@ -1557,6 +1560,12 @@ def report(perf_paths, *,
                 defines=defines,
                 depth=depth)
 
+        # hotify?
+        if hot:
+            diff_results = hotify(PerfResult, diff_results,
+                    depth=depth,
+                    hot=hot)
+
     # print table
     if not args.get('quiet'):
         if (args.get('annotate')
diff --git a/scripts/perfbd.py b/scripts/perfbd.py
index 8408c169..d81ee937 100755
--- a/scripts/perfbd.py
+++ b/scripts/perfbd.py
@@ -1133,10 +1133,13 @@ def table(Result, results, diff_results=None, *,
 
             # figure out a good label
             if labels is not None:
-                label = ','.join(str(getattr(r, k)
-                            if getattr(r, k) is not None
-                            else '')
-                        for k in labels)
+                label = next(
+                        ','.join(str(getattr(r_, k)
+                                    if getattr(r_, k) is not None
+                                    else '')
+                                for k in labels)
+                            for r_ in [r, diff_r]
+                            if r_ is not None)
             else:
                 label = name
 
@@ -1554,6 +1557,12 @@ def report(paths, *,
                 defines=defines,
                 depth=depth)
 
+        # hotify?
+        if hot:
+            diff_results = hotify(PerfBdResult, diff_results,
+                    depth=depth,
+                    hot=hot)
+
     # print table
     if not args.get('quiet'):
         if (args.get('annotate')
diff --git a/scripts/stack.py b/scripts/stack.py
index c1a28fb9..e9c16903 100755
--- a/scripts/stack.py
+++ b/scripts/stack.py
@@ -805,10 +805,13 @@ def table(Result, results, diff_results=None, *,
 
             # figure out a good label
             if labels is not None:
-                label = ','.join(str(getattr(r, k)
-                            if getattr(r, k) is not None
-                            else '')
-                        for k in labels)
+                label = next(
+                        ','.join(str(getattr(r_, k)
+                                    if getattr(r_, k) is not None
+                                    else '')
+                                for k in labels)
+                            for r_ in [r, diff_r]
+                            if r_ is not None)
             else:
                 label = name
 
@@ -1082,6 +1085,12 @@ def main(ci_paths,
                 defines=defines,
                 depth=depth)
 
+        # hotify?
+        if hot:
+            diff_results = hotify(StackResult, diff_results,
+                    depth=depth,
+                    hot=hot)
+
     # print table
     if not args.get('quiet'):
         table(StackResult, results, diff_results,
diff --git a/scripts/structs.py b/scripts/structs.py
index c52c50a2..74c3b3dd 100755
--- a/scripts/structs.py
+++ b/scripts/structs.py
@@ -879,10 +879,13 @@ def table(Result, results, diff_results=None, *,
 
             # figure out a good label
             if labels is not None:
-                label = ','.join(str(getattr(r, k)
-                            if getattr(r, k) is not None
-                            else '')
-                        for k in labels)
+                label = next(
+                        ','.join(str(getattr(r_, k)
+                                    if getattr(r_, k) is not None
+                                    else '')
+                                for k in labels)
+                            for r_ in [r, diff_r]
+                            if r_ is not None)
             else:
                 label = name
 
@@ -1156,6 +1159,12 @@ def main(obj_paths, *,
                 defines=defines,
                 depth=depth)
 
+        # hotify?
+        if hot:
+            diff_results = hotify(StructResult, diff_results,
+                    depth=depth,
+                    hot=hot)
+
     # print table
     if not args.get('quiet'):
         table(StructResult, results, diff_results,