diff --git a/R/backport_linter.R b/R/backport_linter.R
index 2050e1f115..c3e1ea0344 100644
--- a/R/backport_linter.R
+++ b/R/backport_linter.R
@@ -44,8 +44,9 @@ backport_linter <- function(r_version = getRversion(), except = character()) {
   backport_blacklist <- lapply(backport_blacklist, setdiff, except)
   backport_index <- rep(names(backport_blacklist), times = lengths(backport_blacklist))
   names(backport_index) <- unlist(backport_blacklist)
+  backport_cond <- xp_text_in_table(names(backport_index))
 
-  names_xpath <- "//SYMBOL | //SYMBOL_FUNCTION_CALL"
+  names_xpath <- glue("//SYMBOL[{backport_cond}] | //SYMBOL_FUNCTION_CALL[{backport_cond}]")
 
   Linter(linter_level = "expression", function(source_expression) {
     xml <- source_expression$xml_parsed_content
@@ -55,19 +56,18 @@ backport_linter <- function(r_version = getRversion(), except = character()) {
     all_names <- xml_text(all_names_nodes)
 
     bad_versions <- unname(backport_index[all_names])
-    needs_backport <- !is.na(bad_versions)
 
     lint_message <- sprintf(
       paste(
         "%s (R %s) is not available for dependency R >= %s.",
         "Use the `except` argument of `backport_linter()` to configure available backports."
       ),
-      all_names[needs_backport],
-      bad_versions[needs_backport],
+      all_names,
+      bad_versions,
       r_version
     )
     xml_nodes_to_lints(
-      all_names_nodes[needs_backport],
+      all_names_nodes,
       source_expression = source_expression,
       lint_message = lint_message,
       type = "warning"