diff --git a/scripts/spdxcheck.py b/scripts/spdxcheck.py
index 33df646618e2..6374e078a5f2 100755
--- a/scripts/spdxcheck.py
+++ b/scripts/spdxcheck.py
@@ -32,7 +32,8 @@ class SPDXdata(object):
 def read_spdxdata(repo):
 
     # The subdirectories of LICENSES in the kernel source
-    license_dirs = [ "preferred", "deprecated", "exceptions", "dual" ]
+    # Note: exceptions needs to be parsed as last directory.
+    license_dirs = [ "preferred", "dual", "deprecated", "exceptions" ]
     lictree = repo.head.commit.tree['LICENSES']
 
     spdx = SPDXdata()
@@ -58,13 +59,13 @@ def read_spdxdata(repo):
                 elif l.startswith('SPDX-Licenses:'):
                     for lic in l.split(':')[1].upper().strip().replace(' ', '').replace('\t', '').split(','):
                         if not lic in spdx.licenses:
-                            raise SPDXException(None, 'Exception %s missing license %s' %(ex, lic))
+                            raise SPDXException(None, 'Exception %s missing license %s' %(exception, lic))
                         spdx.exceptions[exception].append(lic)
 
                 elif l.startswith("License-Text:"):
                     if exception:
                         if not len(spdx.exceptions[exception]):
-                            raise SPDXException(el, 'Exception %s is missing SPDX-Licenses' %excid)
+                            raise SPDXException(el, 'Exception %s is missing SPDX-Licenses' %exception)
                         spdx.exception_files += 1
                     else:
                         spdx.license_files += 1