diff --git a/usr.sbin/binmiscctl/binmiscctl.c b/usr.sbin/binmiscctl/binmiscctl.c
index 5ab82e4cd42a..2483a8173dfc 100644
--- a/usr.sbin/binmiscctl/binmiscctl.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/binmiscctl/binmiscctl.c
@@ -416,7 +416,7 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 
 	argc--, argv++;
 	cmd = demux_cmd(argc, argv);
-	if (cmd == -1)
+	if (cmd < 0)
 		usage("Error: Unknown command \"%s\"", argv[0]);
 	argc--, argv++;