diff --git a/scripts/checkpatch.pl b/scripts/checkpatch.pl
index c625da28cdae..9d469c20871f 100755
--- a/scripts/checkpatch.pl
+++ b/scripts/checkpatch.pl
@@ -5503,9 +5503,9 @@ sub process {
 			}
 		}
 
-# check for unnecessary parentheses around comparisons in if uses
-# when !drivers/staging or command-line uses --strict
-		if (($realfile !~ m@^(?:drivers/staging/)@ || $check_orig) &&
+# check for unnecessary parentheses around comparisons
+# except in drivers/staging
+		if (($realfile !~ m@^(?:drivers/staging/)@) &&
 		    $perl_version_ok && defined($stat) &&
 		    $stat =~ /(^.\s*if\s*($balanced_parens))/) {
 			my $if_stat = $1;