diff --git a/src/kit/taosdump/taosdump.c b/src/kit/taosdump/taosdump.c
index fd6ee9f2fcf9c3b3e64fb26f6b337eb1e8d879fc..092374cef1e89f092e85fda6832e63f037f3a814 100644
--- a/src/kit/taosdump/taosdump.c
+++ b/src/kit/taosdump/taosdump.c
@@ -483,28 +483,33 @@ static int queryDbImpl(TAOS *taos, char *command) {
 static void parse_args(int argc, char *argv[], SArguments *arguments) {
   for (int i = 1; i < argc; i++) {
     if (strcmp(argv[i], "-E") == 0) {
-      char *tmp = strdup(argv[++i]);
-
-      if (tmp) {
-        int64_t tmpEpoch;
-        if (strchr(tmp, ':') && strchr(tmp, '-')) {
-          if (TSDB_CODE_SUCCESS != taosParseTime(
-                      tmp, &tmpEpoch, strlen(tmp), TSDB_TIME_PRECISION_MILLI, 0)) {
-            fprintf(stderr, "Input end time error!\n");
-            free(tmp);
-            return;
+      if (argv[i+1]) {
+        char *tmp = strdup(argv[++i]);
+
+        if (tmp) {
+          int64_t tmpEpoch;
+          if (strchr(tmp, ':') && strchr(tmp, '-')) {
+            if (TSDB_CODE_SUCCESS != taosParseTime(
+                        tmp, &tmpEpoch, strlen(tmp), TSDB_TIME_PRECISION_MILLI, 0)) {
+              fprintf(stderr, "Input end time error!\n");
+              free(tmp);
+              return;
+            }
+          } else {
+            tmpEpoch = atoll(tmp);
           }
+
+          sprintf(argv[i], "%"PRId64"", tmpEpoch);
+          debugPrint("%s() LN%d, tmp is: %s, argv[%d]: %s\n",
+                 __func__, __LINE__, tmp, i, argv[i]);
+
+          free(tmp);
         } else {
-          tmpEpoch = atoll(tmp);
+          errorPrint("%s() LN%d, strdup() cannot allocate memory\n", __func__, __LINE__);
+          exit(-1);
         }
-  
-        sprintf(argv[i], "%"PRId64"", tmpEpoch);
-        debugPrint("%s() LN%d, tmp is: %s, argv[%d]: %s\n",
-               __func__, __LINE__, tmp, i, argv[i]);
-
-        free(tmp);
       } else {
-        errorPrint("%s() LN%d, strdup() cannot allocate memory\n", __func__, __LINE__);
+        errorPrint("%s() LN%d, -E need a valid value following!\n", __func__, __LINE__);
         exit(-1);
       }
     } else if (strcmp(argv[i], "-g") == 0) {