diff --git a/MAINTAINERS b/MAINTAINERS
index 361059fd55c..8bb435dd54e 100644
--- a/MAINTAINERS
+++ b/MAINTAINERS
@@ -738,7 +738,7 @@ Kwok Cheung Yeung				<kcyeung@baylibre.com>
 Greta Yorsh					<greta.yorsh@arm.com>
 David Yuste					<david.yuste@gmail.com>
 Adhemerval Zanella				<azanella@linux.vnet.ibm.com>
-Xiao Zeng                                       <zengxiao@eswincomputing.com>
+Xiao Zeng					<zengxiao@eswincomputing.com>
 Dennis Zhang					<dennis.zhang@arm.com>
 Yufeng Zhang					<yufeng.zhang@arm.com>
 Qing Zhao					<qing.zhao@oracle.com>
diff --git a/contrib/check-MAINTAINERS.py b/contrib/check-MAINTAINERS.py
index 9f31a10bcff..2bac67f0821 100755
--- a/contrib/check-MAINTAINERS.py
+++ b/contrib/check-MAINTAINERS.py
@@ -71,6 +71,14 @@ def check_group(name, lines):
             print(f'Line should not start with space: "{line}"')
             exit_code = 2
 
+        # Special-case some names
+        if line == 'James Norris':
+            continue
+
+        if '\t' not in line:
+            print(f'Name and email should be separated by tabs: "{line}"')
+            exit_code = 2
+
     lines = [line + '\n' for line in lines]
     sorted_lines = sorted(lines, key=sort_by_surname)
     if lines != sorted_lines: