diff --git a/scripts/checkpatch.pl b/scripts/checkpatch.pl
index bd44d12965c98e99042938880a17730c6dfac5c9..4bfbe3c9fa15fa0828ca33b282d9c169d37aab80 100755
--- a/scripts/checkpatch.pl
+++ b/scripts/checkpatch.pl
@@ -6388,6 +6388,15 @@ sub process {
 			}
 		}
 
+# check for soon-to-be-deprecated single-argument k[v]free_rcu() API
+		if ($line =~ /\bk[v]?free_rcu\s*\([^(]+\)/) {
+			if ($line =~ /\bk[v]?free_rcu\s*\([^,]+\)/) {
+				ERROR("DEPRECATED_API",
+				      "Single-argument k[v]free_rcu() API is deprecated, please pass rcu_head object or call k[v]free_rcu_mightsleep()." . $herecurr);
+			}
+		}
+
+
 # check for unnecessary "Out of Memory" messages
 		if ($line =~ /^\+.*\b$logFunctions\s*\(/ &&
 		    $prevline =~ /^[ \+]\s*if\s*\(\s*(\!\s*|NULL\s*==\s*)?($Lval)(\s*==\s*NULL\s*)?\s*\)/ &&