diff --git a/scripts/checkpatch.pl b/scripts/checkpatch.pl
index d10dddf1be47..88682cb0a9f3 100755
--- a/scripts/checkpatch.pl
+++ b/scripts/checkpatch.pl
@@ -1624,7 +1624,7 @@ sub process {
 
 		# Block comments use /* on a line of its own
 		if ($rawline !~ m@^\+.*/\*.*\*/[ \t]*$@ &&	#inline /*...*/
-		    $rawline =~ m@^\+.*/\*\*?[ \t]*.+[ \t]*$@) { # /* or /** non-blank
+		    $rawline =~ m@^\+.*/\*\*?+[ \t]*[^ \t]@) { # /* or /** non-blank
 			WARN("Block comments use a leading /* on a separate line\n" . $herecurr);
 		}