diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 7ca2118813..0117d0008c 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -3521,7 +3521,7 @@ else
 COCCICHECK_PATCH_MUST_BE_EMPTY_FILES = $(COCCICHECK_PATCHES_INTREE)
 endif
 coccicheck: $(COCCICHECK_PATCH_MUST_BE_EMPTY_FILES)
-	! grep -q ^ $(COCCICHECK_PATCH_MUST_BE_EMPTY_FILES) /dev/null
+	! grep ^ $(COCCICHECK_PATCH_MUST_BE_EMPTY_FILES) /dev/null
 
 # See contrib/coccinelle/README
 coccicheck-pending: coccicheck-test