diff --git a/etc/rc.d/jail b/etc/rc.d/jail
index 1281bb52b09..b4b051fa71d 100644
--- a/etc/rc.d/jail
+++ b/etc/rc.d/jail
@@ -247,5 +247,7 @@ cmd="$1"
 if [ $# -gt 0 ]; then
 	shift
 fi
-[ -n "$*" ] && jail_list="$*"
+if [ -n "$*" ]; then
+	jail_list="$*"
+fi
 run_rc_command "${cmd}"