diff --git a/ascon.c b/ascon.c
index 69c3e840..f8d364e6 100644
--- a/ascon.c
+++ b/ascon.c
@@ -130,7 +130,11 @@ static void AsconConnect(Ascon * a)
   }
   colon = strchr(a->hostport, ':');
   if (colon == NULL) {
-    AsconError(a, "expected 'host:port' or 'unconnected'", 0);
+    if (strcmp(a->hostport, "unconnected") == 0) {
+      AsconError(a, "offline", 0);
+    } else {
+      AsconError(a, "expected 'host:port' or 'unconnected'", 0);
+    }
     return;
   }
   port = atoi(colon + 1);