diff --git a/scripts/checkpatch.pl b/scripts/checkpatch.pl
index e0a674f471ee..f27b0b53e3ea 100755
--- a/scripts/checkpatch.pl
+++ b/scripts/checkpatch.pl
@@ -3336,6 +3336,12 @@ sub process {
 			     "Avoid line continuations in quoted strings\n" . $herecurr);
 		}
 
+# check for struct spinlock declarations
+		if ($line =~ /^.\s*\bstruct\s+spinlock\s+\w+\s*;/) {
+			WARN("USE_SPINLOCK_T",
+			     "struct spinlock should be spinlock_t\n" . $herecurr);
+		}
+
 # Check for misused memsets
 		if ($^V && $^V ge 5.10.0 &&
 		    defined $stat &&