diff --git a/scripts/trylink b/scripts/trylink
index 129570a60..145df9959 100755
--- a/scripts/trylink
+++ b/scripts/trylink
@@ -293,7 +293,7 @@ if test "$CONFIG_FEATURE_INDIVIDUAL" = y; then
     echo "Linking individual applets against libbusybox (see $sharedlib_dir/*)"
     gcc -DNAME_MAIN -E -include include/autoconf.h include/applets.h \
     | grep -v "^#" \
-    | grep -v "^$" \
+    | grep -v "^ *$" \
     > applet_lst.tmp
     while read name main junk; do