diff --git a/scripts/checkpatch.pl b/scripts/checkpatch.pl
index e71c3d15d1..c26f76ed09 100755
--- a/scripts/checkpatch.pl
+++ b/scripts/checkpatch.pl
@@ -1716,11 +1716,13 @@ sub process {
 #  2. at the beginning of a line for slice initialisers -- [0...10] = 5,
 #  3. inside a curly brace -- = { [0...10] = 5 }
 #  4. after a comma -- [1] = 5, [2] = 6
+#  5. in a macro definition -- #define abc(x) [x] = y
 		while ($line =~ /(.*?\s)\[/g) {
 			my ($where, $prefix) = ($-[1], $1);
 			if ($prefix !~ /$Type\s+$/ &&
 			    ($where != 0 || $prefix !~ /^.\s+$/) &&
 			    $prefix !~ /{\s+$/ &&
+			    $prefix !~ /\#\s*define[^(]*\([^)]*\)\s+$/ &&
 			    $prefix !~ /,\s+$/) {
 				ERROR("space prohibited before open square bracket '['\n" . $herecurr);
 			}