diff --git a/src/tool_getparam.c b/src/tool_getparam.c
index 165a4bfb6a..6be57dbd5c 100644
--- a/src/tool_getparam.c
+++ b/src/tool_getparam.c
@@ -2808,6 +2808,12 @@ static ParameterError opt_filestring(struct OperationConfig *config,
   return err;
 }
 
+/* detect e2 80 80 - e2 80 ff */
+static bool has_leading_unicode(const unsigned char *arg)
+{
+  return ((arg[0] == 0xe2) && (arg[1] == 0x80) && (arg[2] & 0x80));
+}
+
 /* the longest command line option, excluding the leading -- */
 #define MAX_OPTION_LEN 26
 
@@ -2947,10 +2953,9 @@ ParameterError getparameter(const char *flag, /* f or -long-flag */
         warnf("The filename argument '%s' looks like a flag.",
               nextarg);
       }
-      else if(!strncmp("\xe2\x80\x9c", nextarg, 3)) {
-        warnf("The argument '%s' starts with a Unicode quote where "
-              "maybe an ASCII \" was intended?",
-              nextarg);
+      else if(has_leading_unicode((const unsigned char *)nextarg)) {
+        warnf("The argument '%s' starts with a Unicode character. "
+              "Maybe ASCII was intended?", nextarg);
       }
       /* ARG_FILE | ARG_STRG */
       err = opt_filestring(config, a, nextarg);
diff --git a/tests/data/test469 b/tests/data/test469
index 1e394c9f26..87754a2646 100644
--- a/tests/data/test469
+++ b/tests/data/test469
@@ -45,8 +45,8 @@ warn about Unicode quote character
 # Verify data after the test has been "shot"
 <verify>
 <stderr>
-%hex[Warning: The argument '%e2%80%9chost:' starts with a Unicode quote where maybe an ]hex%
-Warning: ASCII " was intended?
+%hex[Warning: The argument '%e2%80%9chost:' starts with a Unicode character. Maybe ASCII ]hex%
+Warning: was intended?
 </stderr>
 </verify>
 </testcase>
diff --git a/tests/data/test470 b/tests/data/test470
index 5667bbb590..547121d11a 100644
--- a/tests/data/test470
+++ b/tests/data/test470
@@ -45,8 +45,8 @@ warn about Unicode quote character read from config file
 # Verify data after the test has been "shot"
 <verify>
 <stderr mode="text">
-%hex[Warning: The argument '%e2%80%9chost:fake%e2%80%9d' starts with a Unicode quote where ]hex%
-Warning: maybe an ASCII " was intended?
+%hex[Warning: The argument '%e2%80%9chost:fake%e2%80%9d' starts with a Unicode character. Maybe ]hex%
+Warning: ASCII was intended?
 </stderr>
 </verify>
 </testcase>