diff --git a/scripts/checkpatch.pl b/scripts/checkpatch.pl
index ea28336ea2a5..7f309f0789a0 100755
--- a/scripts/checkpatch.pl
+++ b/scripts/checkpatch.pl
@@ -2751,6 +2751,8 @@ sub process {
 			}
 		}
 
+# Block comment styles
+# Networking with an initial /*
 		if ($realfile =~ m@^(drivers/net/|net/)@ &&
 		    $prevrawline =~ /^\+[ \t]*\/\*[ \t]*$/ &&
 		    $rawline =~ /^\+[ \t]*\*/ &&
@@ -2759,22 +2761,23 @@ sub process {
 			     "networking block comments don't use an empty /* line, use /* Comment...\n" . $hereprev);
 		}
 
-		if ($realfile =~ m@^(drivers/net/|net/)@ &&
-		    $prevrawline =~ /^\+[ \t]*\/\*/ &&		#starting /*
+# Block comments use * on subsequent lines
+		if ($prevline =~ /$;[ \t]*$/ &&			#ends in comment
+		    $prevrawline =~ /^\+.*?\/\*/ &&		#starting /*
 		    $prevrawline !~ /\*\/[ \t]*$/ &&		#no trailing */
 		    $rawline =~ /^\+/ &&			#line is new
 		    $rawline !~ /^\+[ \t]*\*/) {		#no leading *
-			WARN("NETWORKING_BLOCK_COMMENT_STYLE",
-			     "networking block comments start with * on subsequent lines\n" . $hereprev);
+			WARN("BLOCK_COMMENT_STYLE",
+			     "Block comments use * on subsequent lines\n" . $hereprev);
 		}
 
-		if ($realfile =~ m@^(drivers/net/|net/)@ &&
-		    $rawline !~ m@^\+[ \t]*\*/[ \t]*$@ &&	#trailing */
+# Block comments use */ on trailing lines
+		if ($rawline !~ m@^\+[ \t]*\*/[ \t]*$@ &&	#trailing */
 		    $rawline !~ m@^\+.*/\*.*\*/[ \t]*$@ &&	#inline /*...*/
 		    $rawline !~ m@^\+.*\*{2,}/[ \t]*$@ &&	#trailing **/
 		    $rawline =~ m@^\+[ \t]*.+\*\/[ \t]*$@) {	#non blank */
-			WARN("NETWORKING_BLOCK_COMMENT_STYLE",
-			     "networking block comments put the trailing */ on a separate line\n" . $herecurr);
+			WARN("BLOCK_COMMENT_STYLE",
+			     "Block comments use a trailing */ on a separate line\n" . $herecurr);
 		}
 
 # check for missing blank lines after struct/union declarations