diff --git a/scripts/checkpatch.pl b/scripts/checkpatch.pl
index d80b55a6f89b08ca657984c69001baa12763a076..67b0c9faa32d9f1da19cee2cd7be38895d0bb789 100755
--- a/scripts/checkpatch.pl
+++ b/scripts/checkpatch.pl
@@ -1793,7 +1793,7 @@ sub process {
 					$c = 'C' if ($elements[$n + 2] =~ /^$;/);
 					$c = 'B' if ($elements[$n + 2] =~ /^(\)|\]|;)/);
 					$c = 'O' if ($elements[$n + 2] eq '');
-					$c = 'E' if ($elements[$n + 2] =~ /\s*\\$/);
+					$c = 'E' if ($elements[$n + 2] =~ /^\s*\\$/);
 				} else {
 					$c = 'E';
 				}