diff --git a/apps/x509.c b/apps/x509.c
index fe9b10994e1fcef4f600093912b3355d9d705d9c..5938b434129807bb7d9f66ec62957ae8a4b63200 100644
--- a/apps/x509.c
+++ b/apps/x509.c
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ OPTIONS x509_options[] = {
      "The CA key, must be PEM format; if not in CAfile"},
     {"CAcreateserial", OPT_CACREATESERIAL, '-',
      "Create serial number file if it does not exist"},
-    {"CAserial", OPT_CASERIAL, '<', "Serial file"},
+    {"CAserial", OPT_CASERIAL, 's', "Serial file"},
     {"set_serial", OPT_SET_SERIAL, 's', "Serial number to use"},
     {"text", OPT_TEXT, '-', "Print the certificate in text form"},
     {"C", OPT_C, '-', "Print out C code forms"},