# check we are in a valid source file if not then ignore this hunk
                next if ($realfile !~ /\.(h|c|s|S|pl|sh|dtsi|dts)$/);
 
-#line length limit
-               if ($line =~ /^\+/ && $prevrawline !~ /\/\*\*/ &&
-                   $rawline !~ /^.\s*\*\s*\@$Ident\s/ &&
-                   !($line =~ /^\+\s*$logFunctions\s*\(\s*(?:(KERN_\S+\s*|[^"]*))?$String\s*(?:|,|\)\s*;)\s*$/ ||
-                     $line =~ /^\+\s*$String\s*(?:\s*|,|\)\s*;)\s*$/ ||
-                     $line =~ /^\+\s*#\s*define\s+\w+\s+$String$/) &&
-                   $length > $max_line_length)
-               {
-                       WARN("LONG_LINE",
-                            "line over $max_line_length characters\n" . $herecurr);
+# line length limit (with some exclusions)
+#
+# There are a few types of lines that may extend beyond $max_line_length:
+#      logging functions like pr_info that end in a string
+#      lines with a single string
+#      #defines that are a single string
+#
+# There are 3 different line length message types:
+# LONG_LINE_COMMENT    a comment starts before but extends beyond $max_linelength
+# LONG_LINE_STRING     a string starts before but extends beyond $max_line_length
+# LONG_LINE            all other lines longer than $max_line_length
+#
+# if LONG_LINE is ignored, the other 2 types are also ignored
+#
+
+               if ($length > $max_line_length) {
+                       my $msg_type = "LONG_LINE";
+
+                       # Check the allowed long line types first
+
+                       # logging functions that end in a string that starts
+                       # before $max_line_length
+                       if ($line =~ /^\+\s*$logFunctions\s*\(\s*(?:(?:KERN_\S+\s*|[^"]*))?($String\s*(?:|,|\)\s*;)\s*)$/ &&
+                           length(expand_tabs(substr($line, 1, length($line) - length($1) - 1))) <= $max_line_length) {
+                               $msg_type = "";
+
+                       # lines with only strings (w/ possible termination)
+                       # #defines with only strings
+                       } elsif ($line =~ /^\+\s*$String\s*(?:\s*|,|\)\s*;)\s*$/ ||
+                                $line =~ /^\+\s*#\s*define\s+\w+\s+$String$/) {
+                               $msg_type = "";
+
+                       # Otherwise set the alternate message types
+
+                       # a comment starts before $max_line_length
+                       } elsif ($line =~ /($;[\s$;]*)$/ &&
+                                length(expand_tabs(substr($line, 1, length($line) - length($1) - 1))) <= $max_line_length) {
+                               $msg_type = "LONG_LINE_COMMENT"
+
+                       # a quoted string starts before $max_line_length
+                       } elsif ($sline =~ /\s*($String(?:\s*(?:\\|,\s*|\)\s*;\s*))?)$/ &&
+                                length(expand_tabs(substr($line, 1, length($line) - length($1) - 1))) <= $max_line_length) {
+                               $msg_type = "LONG_LINE_STRING"
+                       }
+
+                       if ($msg_type ne "" &&
+                           (show_type("LONG_LINE") || show_type($msg_type))) {
+                               WARN($msg_type,
+                                    "line over $max_line_length characters\n" . $herecurr);
+                       }
                }
 
 # check for adding lines without a newline.