diff --git a/udev_rules.c b/udev_rules.c
index 3a55270791..d1192614aa 100644
--- a/udev_rules.c
+++ b/udev_rules.c
@@ -463,16 +463,16 @@ attr_found:
 	return tmpattr;
 }
 
-static int compare_sysfs_attribute(struct sysfs_class_device *class_dev, struct sysfs_device *sysfs_device, struct sysfs_pair *pair)
+static int compare_sysfs_attribute(struct sysfs_class_device *class_dev, struct sysfs_device *sysfs_device, struct key_pair *pair)
 {
 	struct sysfs_attribute *tmpattr;
 	int i;
 	int len;
 
-	if ((pair == NULL) || (pair->file[0] == '\0') || (pair->value == '\0'))
+	if ((pair == NULL) || (pair->name[0] == '\0') || (pair->value == '\0'))
 		return -ENODEV;
 
-	tmpattr = find_sysfs_attribute(class_dev, sysfs_device, pair->file);
+	tmpattr = find_sysfs_attribute(class_dev, sysfs_device, pair->name);
 	if (tmpattr == NULL)
 		return -ENODEV;
 
@@ -489,23 +489,24 @@ static int compare_sysfs_attribute(struct sysfs_class_device *class_dev, struct
 	}
 
 	dbg("compare attribute '%s' value '%s' with '%s'",
-		  pair->file, tmpattr->value, pair->value);
+		  pair->name, tmpattr->value, pair->value);
 	if (strcmp_pattern(pair->value, tmpattr->value) != 0)
 		return -ENODEV;
 
 	dbg("found matching attribute '%s' with value '%s'",
-	    pair->file, pair->value);
+	    pair->name, pair->value);
 	return 0;
 }
 
 static int match_sysfs_pairs(struct udev_rule *rule, struct sysfs_class_device *class_dev, struct sysfs_device *sysfs_device)
 {
-	struct sysfs_pair *pair;
 	int i;
 
-	for (i = 0; i < MAX_SYSFS_PAIRS; ++i) {
+	for (i = 0; i < rule->sysfs_pair_count; i++) {
+		struct key_pair *pair;
+
 		pair = &rule->sysfs_pair[i];
-		if ((pair->file[0] == '\0') || (pair->value[0] == '\0'))
+		if ((pair->name[0] == '\0') || (pair->value[0] == '\0'))
 			break;
 		if (compare_sysfs_attribute(class_dev, sysfs_device, pair) != 0) {
 			dbg("sysfs pair #%u does not match", i);
@@ -631,7 +632,7 @@ static int match_rule(struct udevice *udev, struct udev_rule *rule,
 		}
 
 		/* check for matching sysfs pairs */
-		if (rule->sysfs_pair[0].file[0] != '\0') {
+		if (rule->sysfs_pair[0].name[0] != '\0') {
 			dbg("check " KEY_SYSFS " pairs");
 			if (match_sysfs_pairs(rule, class_dev, sysfs_device) != 0) {
 				dbg(KEY_SYSFS " is not matching");
diff --git a/udev_rules.h b/udev_rules.h
index 688d4798e1..94a5d9d5fd 100644
--- a/udev_rules.h
+++ b/udev_rules.h
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@
 #define OPTION_IGNORE_REMOVE	"ignore_remove"
 #define OPTION_PARTITIONS	"all_partitions"
 
-#define MAX_SYSFS_PAIRS		5
+#define KEY_SYSFS_PAIRS_MAX	5
 
 #define RULEFILE_SUFFIX		".rules"
 
@@ -60,8 +60,8 @@ enum key_operation {
 	KEY_OP_ASSIGN,
 };
 
-struct sysfs_pair {
-	char file[PATH_SIZE];
+struct key_pair {
+	char name[NAME_SIZE];
 	char value[VALUE_SIZE];
 	enum key_operation operation;
 };
@@ -83,7 +83,8 @@ struct udev_rule {
 	enum key_operation program_operation;
 	char result[PATH_SIZE];
 	enum key_operation result_operation;
-	struct sysfs_pair sysfs_pair[MAX_SYSFS_PAIRS];
+	struct key_pair sysfs_pair[KEY_SYSFS_PAIRS_MAX];
+	int sysfs_pair_count;
 
 	char name[PATH_SIZE];
 	char symlink[PATH_SIZE];
diff --git a/udev_rules_parse.c b/udev_rules_parse.c
index db83a67953..c4c684d059 100644
--- a/udev_rules_parse.c
+++ b/udev_rules_parse.c
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ static int add_config_dev(struct udev_rule *rule)
 	    "owner='%s', group='%s', mode=%#o, "
 	    "all_partions=%u, ignore_remove=%u, ignore_device=%u, last_rule=%u",
 	    rule->name, rule->symlink, rule->bus, rule->id,
-	    rule->sysfs_pair[0].file, rule->sysfs_pair[0].value,
+	    rule->sysfs_pair[0].name, rule->sysfs_pair[0].value,
 	    rule->kernel, rule->program, rule->result, rule->owner, rule->group, rule->mode,
 	    rule->partitions, rule->ignore_remove, rule->ignore_device, rule->last_rule);
 
@@ -271,29 +271,24 @@ static int rules_parse(struct udevice *udev, const char *filename)
 			}
 
 			if (strncasecmp(key, KEY_SYSFS, sizeof(KEY_SYSFS)-1) == 0) {
-				struct sysfs_pair *pair = &rule.sysfs_pair[0];
-				int sysfs_pair_num = 0;
+				struct key_pair *pair;
 
-				/* find first unused pair */
-				while (pair->file[0] != '\0') {
-					++sysfs_pair_num;
-					if (sysfs_pair_num >= MAX_SYSFS_PAIRS) {
-						pair = NULL;
-						break;
-					}
-					++pair;
+				if (rule.sysfs_pair_count >= KEY_SYSFS_PAIRS_MAX) {
+					dbg("skip rule, to many " KEY_SYSFS " keys in a single rule");
+					goto error;
 				}
-				if (pair) {
-					attr = get_key_attribute(key + sizeof(KEY_SYSFS)-1);
-					if (attr == NULL) {
-						dbg("error parsing " KEY_SYSFS " attribute");
-						continue;
-					}
-					strlcpy(pair->file, attr, sizeof(pair->file));
-					strlcpy(pair->value, value, sizeof(pair->value));
-					pair->operation = operation;
-					valid = 1;
+				pair = &rule.sysfs_pair[rule.sysfs_pair_count];
+				rule.sysfs_pair_count++;
+
+				attr = get_key_attribute(key + sizeof(KEY_SYSFS)-1);
+				if (attr == NULL) {
+					dbg("error parsing " KEY_SYSFS " attribute");
+					continue;
 				}
+				strlcpy(pair->name, attr, sizeof(pair->name));
+				strlcpy(pair->value, value, sizeof(pair->value));
+				pair->operation = operation;
+				valid = 1;
 				continue;
 			}
 
@@ -394,7 +389,7 @@ static int rules_parse(struct udevice *udev, const char *filename)
 			goto error;
 
 		/* simple plausibility checks for given keys */
-		if ((rule.sysfs_pair[0].file[0] == '\0') ^
+		if ((rule.sysfs_pair[0].name[0] == '\0') ^
 		    (rule.sysfs_pair[0].value[0] == '\0')) {
 			info("inconsistency in " KEY_SYSFS " key");
 			goto error;