diff --git a/security/nss/cmd/lib/secutil.c b/security/nss/cmd/lib/secutil.c
index 04236540d18a..7de3f1a0b4bb 100644
--- a/security/nss/cmd/lib/secutil.c
+++ b/security/nss/cmd/lib/secutil.c
@@ -3078,7 +3078,9 @@ SECU_ParseCommandLine(int argc, char **argv, char *progName, secuCommand *cmd)
 		cmd->options[i].activated = PR_TRUE;
 		if (optstate->value) {
 		    cmd->options[i].arg = (char *)optstate->value;
-		}
+		} else if (cmd->options[i].needsArg) {
+                    return SECFailure;
+                }
 		found = PR_TRUE;
 		break;
 	    }