diff --git a/scripts/checkpatch.pl b/scripts/checkpatch.pl
index a9c05506e325..447857ffaf6b 100755
--- a/scripts/checkpatch.pl
+++ b/scripts/checkpatch.pl
@@ -5813,14 +5813,14 @@ sub process {
 		    defined $stat &&
 		    $stat =~ /^\+(?![^\{]*\{\s*).*\b(\w+)\s*\(.*$String\s*,/s &&
 		    $1 !~ /^_*volatile_*$/) {
-			my $specifier;
-			my $extension;
-			my $bad_specifier = "";
 			my $stat_real;
 
 			my $lc = $stat =~ tr@\n@@;
 			$lc = $lc + $linenr;
 		        for (my $count = $linenr; $count <= $lc; $count++) {
+				my $specifier;
+				my $extension;
+				my $bad_specifier = "";
 				my $fmt = get_quoted_string($lines[$count - 1], raw_line($count, 0));
 				$fmt =~ s/%%//g;