diff --git a/tools/perf/util/parse-options.c b/tools/perf/util/parse-options.c
index 6d8af48c925eb6b0f9f094164e89bb000963afe1..efebd5b476b320685178947332a48214d76529b5 100644
--- a/tools/perf/util/parse-options.c
+++ b/tools/perf/util/parse-options.c
@@ -430,6 +430,9 @@ int usage_with_options_internal(const char * const *usagestr,
 		pos = fprintf(stderr, "    ");
 		if (opts->short_name)
 			pos += fprintf(stderr, "-%c", opts->short_name);
+		else
+			pos += fprintf(stderr, "    ");
+
 		if (opts->long_name && opts->short_name)
 			pos += fprintf(stderr, ", ");
 		if (opts->long_name)