diff --git a/sbin/nvmecontrol/ns.c b/sbin/nvmecontrol/ns.c
index 10424a6063c..0e8589fdc14 100644
--- a/sbin/nvmecontrol/ns.c
+++ b/sbin/nvmecontrol/ns.c
@@ -605,7 +605,7 @@ nscreate(const struct cmd *f, int argc, char *argv[])
 	pt.len = sizeof(struct nvme_namespace_data);
 	pt.is_read = 0; /* passthrough writes data to ctrlr */
 	if ((result = ioctl(fd, NVME_PASSTHROUGH_CMD, &pt)) < 0)
-		errx(1, "ioctl request to %s failed: %d", argv[optind], result);
+		errx(1, "ioctl request to %s failed: %d", create_opt.dev, result);
 
 	if (nvme_completion_is_error(&pt.cpl)) {
 		errx(1, "namespace creation failed: %s",
@@ -822,7 +822,7 @@ nsdetach(const struct cmd *f, int argc, char *argv[])
 	pt.len = sizeof(clist);
 
 	if ((result = ioctl(fd, NVME_PASSTHROUGH_CMD, &pt)) < 0)
-		errx(1, "ioctl request to %s failed: %d", argv[optind], result);
+		errx(1, "ioctl request to %s failed: %d", detach_opt.dev, result);
 
 	if (nvme_completion_is_error(&pt.cpl)) {
 		errx(1, "namespace detach failed: %s",
diff --git a/sbin/nvmecontrol/passthru.c b/sbin/nvmecontrol/passthru.c
index 87ba322ca3c..abdee4ef5f8 100644
--- a/sbin/nvmecontrol/passthru.c
+++ b/sbin/nvmecontrol/passthru.c
@@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ passthru(const struct cmd *f, int argc, char *argv[])
 
 	if (arg_parse(argc, argv, f))
 		return;
-	open_dev(argv[optind], &fd, 1, 1);
+	open_dev(opt.dev, &fd, 1, 1);
 
 	if (opt.read && opt.write)
 		errx(1, "need exactly one of --read or --write");
diff --git a/sbin/nvmecontrol/reset.c b/sbin/nvmecontrol/reset.c
index 1bf45a43c2d..89e64c603b0 100644
--- a/sbin/nvmecontrol/reset.c
+++ b/sbin/nvmecontrol/reset.c
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ reset(const struct cmd *f, int argc, char *argv[])
 	free(path);
 
 	if (ioctl(fd, NVME_RESET_CONTROLLER) < 0)
-		err(1, "reset request to %s failed", argv[optind]);
+		err(1, "reset request to %s failed", opt.dev);
 
 	exit(0);
 }