diff --git a/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/mcheck/mce.c b/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/mcheck/mce.c
index 484c1e5f658e..1cfb623ce11c 100644
--- a/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/mcheck/mce.c
+++ b/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/mcheck/mce.c
@@ -1692,17 +1692,15 @@ static ssize_t set_trigger(struct sys_device *s, struct sysdev_attribute *attr,
 				const char *buf, size_t siz)
 {
 	char *p;
-	int len;
 
 	strncpy(mce_helper, buf, sizeof(mce_helper));
 	mce_helper[sizeof(mce_helper)-1] = 0;
-	len = strlen(mce_helper);
 	p = strchr(mce_helper, '\n');
 
-	if (*p)
+	if (p)
 		*p = 0;
 
-	return len;
+	return strlen(mce_helper) + !!p;
 }
 
 static ssize_t set_ignore_ce(struct sys_device *s,