diff --git a/scripts/checkpatch.pl b/scripts/checkpatch.pl
index f0ea8a037a6d..3d3ef2ff62b2 100755
--- a/scripts/checkpatch.pl
+++ b/scripts/checkpatch.pl
@@ -2833,7 +2833,7 @@ sub process {
 			my $level2 = $level;
 			$level2 = "dbg" if ($level eq "debug");
 			WARN("PREFER_PR_LEVEL",
-			     "Prefer netdev_$level2(netdev, ... then dev_$level2(dev, ... then pr_$level(...  to printk(KERN_$orig ...\n" . $herecurr);
+			     "Prefer [subsystem eg: netdev]_$level2([subsystem]dev, ... then dev_$level2(dev, ... then pr_$level(...  to printk(KERN_$orig ...\n" . $herecurr);
 		}
 
 		if ($line =~ /\bpr_warning\s*\(/) {