diff --git a/builtin/send-pack.c b/builtin/send-pack.c
index fc4f0bb5fb..c8af374dee 100644
--- a/builtin/send-pack.c
+++ b/builtin/send-pack.c
@@ -177,9 +177,10 @@ int cmd_send_pack(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 		OPT_BOOL(0, "stdin", &from_stdin, N_("read refs from stdin")),
 		OPT_BOOL(0, "helper-status", &helper_status, N_("print status from remote helper")),
 		{ OPTION_CALLBACK,
-		  0, CAS_OPT_NAME, &cas, N_("refname>:<expect"),
+		  0, CAS_OPT_NAME, &cas, N_("<refname>:<expect>"),
 		  N_("require old value of ref to be at this value"),
-		  PARSE_OPT_OPTARG, parseopt_push_cas_option },
+		  PARSE_OPT_OPTARG | PARSE_OPT_LITERAL_ARGHELP,
+		  parseopt_push_cas_option },
 		OPT_END()
 	};