diff --git a/usr.sbin/mergemaster/mergemaster.sh b/usr.sbin/mergemaster/mergemaster.sh
index b980266a941..6ec345a5a78 100755
--- a/usr.sbin/mergemaster/mergemaster.sh
+++ b/usr.sbin/mergemaster/mergemaster.sh
@@ -794,7 +794,7 @@ if [ -z "${PRE_WORLD}" -a -z "${RERUN}" ]; then
     fi
   done
   case "${STALE_RC_FILES}" in
-  '')
+  ''|' *')
     echo '   *** No stale files found'
     ;;
   *)