diff --git a/vl.c b/vl.c
index a5f966d..ff438d0 100644
--- a/vl.c
+++ b/vl.c
@@ -2228,7 +2228,8 @@
                                            NULL };
 
     if (check_params(params, str) < 0) {
-         fprintf(stderr, "qemu: unknown parameter in '%s'\n", str);
+         fprintf(stderr, "qemu: unknown parameter '%s' in '%s'\n",
+                         buf, str);
          return -1;
     }