diff --git a/bin/dig/dig.c b/bin/dig/dig.c
index e9665c9e01..fd917622e2 100644
--- a/bin/dig/dig.c
+++ b/bin/dig/dig.c
@@ -1827,6 +1827,9 @@ plus_option(char *option, bool is_batchfile, bool *need_clone,
 						extra = strtok_r(NULL, "\0",
 								 &last);
 						save_opt(lookup, code, extra);
+						if (extra != NULL) {
+							extra[-1] = ':';
+						}
 						break;
 					default:
 						goto invalid_option;
@@ -2555,6 +2558,9 @@ plus_option(char *option, bool is_batchfile, bool *need_clone,
 		fprintf(stderr, "Invalid option: +%s\n", option);
 		usage();
 	}
+	if (value != NULL) {
+		value[-1] = '=';
+	}
 	return (lookup);
 
 #if !TARGET_OS_IPHONE
@@ -2826,6 +2832,10 @@ dash_option(char *option, char *next, dig_lookup_t **lookup,
 		/* XXXONDREJ: FIXME */
 		strlcpy(keynametext, ptr, sizeof(keynametext));
 		strlcpy(keysecret, ptr2, sizeof(keysecret));
+		if (ptr3 != NULL) {
+			ptr[-1] = ':';
+		}
+		ptr2[-1] = ':';
 		return (value_from_next);
 	case 'x':
 		if (*need_clone) {