diff --git a/scripts/checkpatch.pl b/scripts/checkpatch.pl
index dfd265e036f3..e3b7362b0ee4 100755
--- a/scripts/checkpatch.pl
+++ b/scripts/checkpatch.pl
@@ -2377,6 +2377,14 @@ sub process {
 
 		my $rawline = $rawlines[$linenr - 1];
 
+# check if it's a mode change, rename or start of a patch
+		if (!$in_commit_log &&
+		    ($line =~ /^ mode change [0-7]+ => [0-7]+ \S+\s*$/ ||
+		    ($line =~ /^rename (?:from|to) \S+\s*$/ ||
+		     $line =~ /^diff --git a\/[\w\/\.\_\-]+ b\/\S+\s*$/))) {
+			$is_patch = 1;
+		}
+
 #extract the line range in the file after the patch is applied
 		if (!$in_commit_log &&
 		    $line =~ /^\@\@ -\d+(?:,\d+)? \+(\d+)(,(\d+))? \@\@(.*)/) {