diff --git a/scripts/checkpatch.pl b/scripts/checkpatch.pl
index e5bd60ff48e3..630319acb826 100755
--- a/scripts/checkpatch.pl
+++ b/scripts/checkpatch.pl
@@ -1848,8 +1848,8 @@ sub process {
 
 			my $pos = pos_last_openparen($rest);
 			if ($pos >= 0) {
-				$line =~ /^\+([ \t]*)/;
-				my $newindent = $1;
+				$line =~ /^(\+| )([ \t]*)/;
+				my $newindent = $2;
 
 				my $goodtabindent = $oldindent .
 					"\t" x ($pos / 8) .