ABSTRACT The sesame crop has great economic potential due to the various possibilities of exploitation, however, there is a lack of information about the chemical control of weeds in the crop, mainly about the application of herbicides in pre-emergence. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the economic viability and efficacy of herbicides applied in pre-emergence for the control of weeds in the sesame crop. The experimental design was in randomized blocks, with four replications. The treatments consisted of seven herbicides (diuron, flumioxazin, oxadiazon, oxyfluorfen, metribuzin, linuron, and S-metolachlor) and a mixture (metribuzin + oxyfluorfen) applied in pre-emergence. The two control treatments were weeded and nonweeded plots. The variables evaluated were percentage of control of the weed community, grain yield, gross and net income, rate of return, and profitability index. The highest productivity value was for weeding, followed by the herbicides diuron and flumioxazin, with 2,000.44 kg ha-1, 1,957.35 kg ha-1;, and 1,933.13 kg ha-1, respectively. The herbicides diuron and flumioxazin obtained the highest net income, in the amounts of R$ 7,831.26 and R$ 7,762.85, respectively. The diuron and flumioxazin applied in pre-emergence showed more than 80% in the control of weeds in the sesame crop, showing efficiency in the control. The use of herbicides applied in pre-emergence to control weeds, mainly diuron and flumioxazin, is as efficient as mechanical control, demonstrating the potential for use and economic viability in relation to mechanical control, which presents a high cost/benefit ratio.