diff --git a/scripts/checkpatch.pl b/scripts/checkpatch.pl
index c624b04d0070..f0ea8a037a6d 100755
--- a/scripts/checkpatch.pl
+++ b/scripts/checkpatch.pl
@@ -439,9 +439,14 @@ our $FuncArg = qr{$Typecast{0,1}($LvalOrFunc|$Constant)};
 sub deparenthesize {
 	my ($string) = @_;
 	return "" if (!defined($string));
-	$string =~ s@^\s*\(\s*@@g;
-	$string =~ s@\s*\)\s*$@@g;
+
+	while ($string =~ /^\s*\(.*\)\s*$/) {
+		$string =~ s@^\s*\(\s*@@;
+		$string =~ s@\s*\)\s*$@@;
+	}
+
 	$string =~ s@\s+@ @g;
+
 	return $string;
 }
 
@@ -3374,14 +3379,17 @@ sub process {
 			}
 		}
 
-# Return is not a function.
+# return is not a function
 		if (defined($stat) && $stat =~ /^.\s*return(\s*)\(/s) {
 			my $spacing = $1;
 			if ($^V && $^V ge 5.10.0 &&
-			    $stat =~ /^.\s*return\s*$balanced_parens\s*;\s*$/) {
-				ERROR("RETURN_PARENTHESES",
-				      "return is not a function, parentheses are not required\n" . $herecurr);
-
+			    $stat =~ /^.\s*return\s*($balanced_parens)\s*;\s*$/) {
+				my $value = $1;
+				$value = deparenthesize($value);
+				if ($value =~ m/^\s*$FuncArg\s*(?:\?|$)/) {
+					ERROR("RETURN_PARENTHESES",
+					      "return is not a function, parentheses are not required\n" . $herecurr);
+				}
 			} elsif ($spacing !~ /\s+/) {
 				ERROR("SPACING",
 				      "space required before the open parenthesis '('\n" . $herecurr);