diff --git a/builtin-reflog.c b/builtin-reflog.c
index f4226939a9..5e5498945f 100644
--- a/builtin-reflog.c
+++ b/builtin-reflog.c
@@ -394,7 +394,7 @@ static int cmd_reflog_delete(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 		int recno;
 
 		if (!spec) {
-			status |= error("Not a reflog: %s", ref);
+			status |= error("Not a reflog: %s", argv[i]);
 			continue;
 		}