diff --git a/scripts/checkpatch.pl b/scripts/checkpatch.pl
index 6f2ce0c..4de3cc4 100755
--- a/scripts/checkpatch.pl
+++ b/scripts/checkpatch.pl
@@ -228,9 +228,9 @@
 	}
 }
 
+#if no filenames are given, push '-' to read patch from stdin
 if ($#ARGV < 0) {
-	print "$P: no input files\n";
-	exit(1);
+	push(@ARGV, '-');
 }
 
 sub hash_save_array_words {