diff --git a/libc/tools/gensyscalls.py b/libc/tools/gensyscalls.py
index 6eb0d5e..aa4f1cb 100755
--- a/libc/tools/gensyscalls.py
+++ b/libc/tools/gensyscalls.py
@@ -338,8 +338,11 @@
     def parse_line(self, line):
         """ parse a syscall spec line.
 
-        line processing, format is
-           return type    func_name[|alias_list][:syscall_name[:socketcall_id]] ( [paramlist] ) architecture_list
+        format is one syscall per line:
+
+           func_name[|alias_list][:syscall_name[:socketcall_id]] ( [paramlist] ) architecture_list
+
+        with no line breaking/continuation allowed.
         """
         pos_lparen = line.find('(')
         E          = self.E
@@ -352,12 +355,7 @@
             E("missing or misplaced right parenthesis in '%s'" % line)
             return
 
-        return_type = line[:pos_lparen].strip().split()
-        if len(return_type) < 2:
-            E("missing return type in '%s'" % line)
-            return
-
-        syscall_func = return_type[-1]
+        syscall_func = line[:pos_lparen]
         socketcall_id = -1
 
         pos_colon = syscall_func.find(':')