diff --git a/vmware_nsx/shell/admin/plugins/common/utils.py b/vmware_nsx/shell/admin/plugins/common/utils.py
index 947a1f33ab..f021d7934f 100644
--- a/vmware_nsx/shell/admin/plugins/common/utils.py
+++ b/vmware_nsx/shell/admin/plugins/common/utils.py
@@ -42,8 +42,12 @@ def parse_multi_keyval_opt(opt_list):
 
     result = dict()
     for opt_value in opt_list:
-        key, value = opt_value.split('=')
-        result[key] = value
+        try:
+            key, value = opt_value.split('=')
+            result[key] = value
+        except ValueError:
+            raise ValueError("Illegal argument [%s]: input should have the "
+                             "format of '--property key=value'" % opt_value)
     return result
 
 
diff --git a/vmware_nsx/tests/unit/shell/test_admin_utils.py b/vmware_nsx/tests/unit/shell/test_admin_utils.py
index 0c610d63ba..dcebf44b8e 100644
--- a/vmware_nsx/tests/unit/shell/test_admin_utils.py
+++ b/vmware_nsx/tests/unit/shell/test_admin_utils.py
@@ -69,9 +69,7 @@ class AbstractTestAdminUtils(base.BaseTestCase):
             resources.get_plugin_dir(plugin_name))
 
     def _test_resource(self, res_name, op, **kwargs):
-        # Must call the internal notify_loop in order to get the errors
-        errors = registry._get_callback_manager()._notify_loop(
-            res_name, op, 'nsxadmin', **kwargs)
+        errors = self._test_resource_with_errors(res_name, op, **kwargs)
         if len(errors) > 0:
             msg = (_("admin util %(res)s/%(op)s failed with message: "
                      "%(err)s") % {'res': res_name,
@@ -79,6 +77,11 @@ class AbstractTestAdminUtils(base.BaseTestCase):
                                    'err': errors[0]})
             self.fail(msg=msg)
 
+    def _test_resource_with_errors(self, res_name, op, **kwargs):
+        # Must call the internal notify_loop in order to get the errors
+        return registry._get_callback_manager()._notify_loop(
+            res_name, op, 'nsxadmin', **kwargs)
+
     def _test_resources(self, res_dict):
         for res in res_dict.keys():
             res_name = res_dict[res].name
@@ -108,6 +111,12 @@ class TestNsxvAdminUtils(AbstractTestAdminUtils,
         args = {'property': ["xxx=yyy"]}
         self._test_resource('networks', 'list', **args)
 
+    def test_bad_args(self):
+        args = {'property': ["xxx"]}
+        errors = self._test_resource_with_errors(
+            'networks', 'nsx-update', **args)
+        self.assertEqual(1, len(errors))
+
 
 class TestNsxv3AdminUtils(AbstractTestAdminUtils,
                           test_v3_plugin.NsxV3PluginTestCaseMixin):