diff --git a/source3/utils/split_tokens.c b/source3/utils/split_tokens.c
index 6693f010edf..ab48dc5c9c1 100644
--- a/source3/utils/split_tokens.c
+++ b/source3/utils/split_tokens.c
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ int main(int argc, const char *argv[])
 	poptContext pc;
 	char *buff;
 	TALLOC_CTX *ctx = talloc_stackframe();
+	int opt;
 	bool ok;
 
 	struct poptOption long_options[] = {
@@ -64,7 +65,15 @@ int main(int argc, const char *argv[])
 
 	poptSetOtherOptionHelp(pc, "[OPTION...] <sequence-string>");
 
-	while(poptGetNextOpt(pc) != -1);
+	while((opt = poptGetNextOpt(pc)) != -1) {
+		switch (opt) {
+		case POPT_ERROR_BADOPT:
+			fprintf(stderr, "\nInvalid option %s: %s\n\n",
+				poptBadOption(pc, 0), poptStrerror(opt));
+			poptPrintUsage(pc, stderr, 0);
+			exit(1);
+		}
+	}
 
 	sequence = poptGetArg(pc);