diff --git a/scripts/checkpatch.pl b/scripts/checkpatch.pl
index 906624c..a521d49 100755
--- a/scripts/checkpatch.pl
+++ b/scripts/checkpatch.pl
@@ -1632,7 +1632,7 @@ sub process {
 				$herecurr);
 		}
 # check for static initialisers.
-		if ($line =~ /\s*static\s.*=\s*(0|NULL|false)\s*;/) {
+		if ($line =~ /\bstatic\s.*=\s*(0|NULL|false)\s*;/) {
 			ERROR("do not initialise statics to 0 or NULL\n" .
 				$herecurr);
 		}