maint.mk: fix syntax checks without exclusions

[gnulib.git] / top / maint.mk

diff --git a/top/maint.mk b/top/maint.mk
index 951b358..2228a37 100644 (file)
--- a/top/maint.mk
+++ b/top/maint.mk
@@ -279,7 +279,7 @@ define _sc_search_regexp
    if test -n "$$files"; then                                          \
      if test -n "$$prohibit"; then                                     \
        grep $$with_grep_options $(_ignore_case) -nE "$$prohibit" $$files \
-         | grep -vE "$${exclude-^$$}"                                  \
+         | grep -vE "$${exclude:-^$$}"                                 \
          && { msg="$$halt" $(_sc_say_and_exit) } || :;                 \
      else                                                              \
        grep $$with_grep_options $(_ignore_case) -LE "$$require" $$files \