diff --git a/scripts/check-kernel-fix b/scripts/check-kernel-fix
index 21dd730..31f435c 100755
--- a/scripts/check-kernel-fix
+++ b/scripts/check-kernel-fix
@@ -303,22 +303,25 @@ find_and_print_toplevel_actions()
 		fi
 
 		# branch name might include '/', e.g. cve/linux-4.12
-		mb_line=$(echo -n "$line" | sed -e "s|^$branch:|$merge_branch:|")
+		mb_line=$(grep ^$merge_branch: $branch_state_file)
+		mb_state=$(echo $mb_line | cut -d: -f3)
 
-		# ignore the state when the same change is needed in a merge branch
-		if grep -q "^$mb_line$" "$branch_state_file" ; then
-		    merge_found=1
+		# if the merge branch is in the same state then do not
+		# bother
+		if [ "$mb_state" == "$state" ]
+		then
+			merge_found=1
+			break
 		fi
 
-		mb_state=$(echo $mb_line | cut -d: -f3)
-
 		if [ "$state" == "missing_references" -o		\
 		     "$state" == "missing_patch" -o			\
 		     "$state" == "maybe_missing_patch" ] ; then
 
 		    # No action is needed when the patch is backported
-		    # and has all the references in the merge branch
-		    if [ "$mb_state" == "ok" ] ; then
+		    # even if it has references missing. Those will be
+		    # reported for the merge origin
+		    if [ "$mb_state" == "ok" -o "$mb_state" == "missing_references" ] ; then
 			merge_found=1
 		    fi
 		fi