diff --git a/scripts/checkpatch.pl b/scripts/checkpatch.pl
index 5c7fd1a4f93..705a0439b39 100755
--- a/scripts/checkpatch.pl
+++ b/scripts/checkpatch.pl
@@ -2224,6 +2224,15 @@ sub process {
 			}
 		}
 
+# make sure symbols are always wrapped with VMLINUX_SYMBOL() ...
+# all assignments may have only one of the following with an assignment:
+#	.
+#	ALIGN(...)
+#	VMLINUX_SYMBOL(...)
+		if ($realfile eq 'vmlinux.lds.h' && $line =~ /(?:(?:^|\s)$Ident\s*=|=\s*$Ident(?:\s|$))/) {
+			WARN("vmlinux.lds.h needs VMLINUX_SYMBOL() around C-visible symbols\n" . $herecurr);
+		}
+
 # check for redundant bracing round if etc
 		if ($line =~ /(^.*)\bif\b/ && $1 !~ /else\s*$/) {
 			my ($level, $endln, @chunks) =