diff --git a/sbin/ipfw/ipfw2.c b/sbin/ipfw/ipfw2.c
index 88a36dbd598f..aa8aa937490e 100644
--- a/sbin/ipfw/ipfw2.c
+++ b/sbin/ipfw/ipfw2.c
@@ -2417,7 +2417,7 @@ config_pipe(int ac, char **av)
 			break;
 
 		default:
-			errx(EX_DATAERR, "unrecognised option ``%s''", *av);
+			errx(EX_DATAERR, "unrecognised option ``%s''", av[-1]);
 		}
 	}
 	if (do_pipe == 1) {