diff --git a/src/tool_getparam.c b/src/tool_getparam.c
index 6b256f8224..79110eb7d2 100644
--- a/src/tool_getparam.c
+++ b/src/tool_getparam.c
@@ -822,7 +822,7 @@ ParameterError getparameter(const char *flag, /* f or -long-flag */
       err = PARAM_NO_NOT_BOOLEAN;
       goto error;
     }
-    else if(expand) {
+    else if(expand && nextarg) {
       struct curlx_dynbuf nbuf;
       bool replaced;