diff --git a/package/mender/S42mender b/package/mender/S42mender
index 108fecfea9..dc60f94f8b 100644
--- a/package/mender/S42mender
+++ b/package/mender/S42mender
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ start() {
 	umask 077
 
 	start-stop-daemon -S -q -b -m -p /var/run/mender.pid \
-		--exec /usr/bin/mender -- -daemon
+		--exec /usr/bin/mender -- daemon
 	[ $? = 0 ] && echo "OK" || echo "FAIL"
 }
 stop() {
diff --git a/package/mender/mender-client.service b/package/mender/mender-client.service
index 2a5f476ee5..5539a56fd6 100644
--- a/package/mender/mender-client.service
+++ b/package/mender/mender-client.service
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ if [ -L /var/lib/mender \
         mkdir -p "$(readlink /var/lib/mender)"; \
     fi; \
 fi'
-ExecStart=/usr/bin/mender -daemon
+ExecStart=/usr/bin/mender daemon
 Restart=on-abort
 
 [Install]