diff --git a/scripts/patch-kernel b/scripts/patch-kernel
index 46a59cae3a0a..20fb25c23382 100755
--- a/scripts/patch-kernel
+++ b/scripts/patch-kernel
@@ -250,7 +250,7 @@ while :				# incrementing SUBLEVEL (s in v.p.s)
 do
     CURRENTFULLVERSION="$VERSION.$PATCHLEVEL.$SUBLEVEL"
     EXTRAVER=
-    if [ $STOPFULLVERSION = $CURRENTFULLVERSION ]; then
+    if [ x$STOPFULLVERSION = x$CURRENTFULLVERSION ]; then
         echo "Stopping at $CURRENTFULLVERSION base as requested."
         break
     fi