diff --git a/scripts/checkpatch.pl b/scripts/checkpatch.pl
index 2d4ce154401..1163275a8d4 100755
--- a/scripts/checkpatch.pl
+++ b/scripts/checkpatch.pl
@@ -1153,6 +1153,33 @@ sub check_absolute_file {
 	}
 }
 
+sub cleanup_continuation_headers {
+	# Collapse any header-continuation lines into a single line so they
+	# can be parsed meaningfully, as the parser only has one line
+	# of context to work with.
+	my $again;
+	do {
+		$again = 0;
+		foreach my $n (0 .. scalar(@rawlines) - 2) {
+			if ($rawlines[$n]=~/^\s*$/) {
+				# A blank line means there's no more chance
+				# of finding headers.  Shortcut to done.
+				return;
+			}
+			if ($rawlines[$n]=~/^[\x21-\x39\x3b-\x7e]+:/ &&
+			    $rawlines[$n+1]=~/^\s+/) {
+				# Continuation header.  Collapse it.
+				my $line = splice @rawlines, $n+1, 1;
+				$line=~s/^\s+/ /;
+				$rawlines[$n] .= $line;
+				# We've 'destabilized' the list, so restart.
+				$again = 1;
+				last;
+			}
+		}
+	} while ($again);
+}
+
 sub process {
 	my $filename = shift;
 
@@ -1209,28 +1236,8 @@ sub process {
 	my $shorttext_exspc = 0;
 
 	sanitise_line_reset();
+	cleanup_continuation_headers();
 	my $line;
-	# Before sanitizing the rawlines, collapse any header-continuation
-	# lines into a single line so they can be parsed meaningfully.
-	my $end_of_hdrs = 0;
-	foreach my $rawline (@rawlines) {
-		if ($rawline=~/^\s*$/) {
-			last;
-		} else {
-			$end_of_hdrs++;
-		}
-	}
-	my @continuation_hdrs;
-	foreach my $n (0 .. $end_of_hdrs) {
-		if ($rawlines[$n]=~/^\s+/) {
-			push @continuation_hdrs, $n;
-		}
-	}
-	while (my $n = pop @continuation_hdrs) {
-		$line = splice @rawlines, $n, 1;
-		$line=~s/^\s+/ /;
-		$rawlines[$n - 1] .= $line;
-	}
 
 	foreach my $rawline (@rawlines) {
 		$linenr++;