1 files changed, 1 insertions, 1 deletions

diff --git a/scripts/config/util.c b/scripts/config/util.c
index 104ff0e4c..0a2f82757 100644
--- a/scripts/config/util.c
+++ b/scripts/config/util.c
@@ -348,7 +348,7 @@ first_alpha(const char *string, const char *exempt)
                 c = tolower(string[i]);
 
                 if (strchr("<[(", c)) ++in_paren;
-                if (strchr(">])", c)) --in_paren;
+                if (strchr(">])", c) && in_paren > 0) --in_paren;
 
                 if ((! in_paren) && isalpha(c) &&
                      strchr(exempt, c) == 0)