diff --git a/tools/perf/builtin-record.c b/tools/perf/builtin-record.c
index c5e10552776a..d2b5a22b7249 100644
--- a/tools/perf/builtin-record.c
+++ b/tools/perf/builtin-record.c
@@ -2017,10 +2017,10 @@ static struct option __record_options[] = {
 		    "use per-thread mmaps"),
 	OPT_CALLBACK_OPTARG('I', "intr-regs", &record.opts.sample_intr_regs, NULL, "any register",
 		    "sample selected machine registers on interrupt,"
-		    " use -I ? to list register names", parse_regs),
+		    " use '-I?' to list register names", parse_regs),
 	OPT_CALLBACK_OPTARG(0, "user-regs", &record.opts.sample_user_regs, NULL, "any register",
 		    "sample selected machine registers on interrupt,"
-		    " use -I ? to list register names", parse_regs),
+		    " use '-I?' to list register names", parse_regs),
 	OPT_BOOLEAN(0, "running-time", &record.opts.running_time,
 		    "Record running/enabled time of read (:S) events"),
 	OPT_CALLBACK('k', "clockid", &record.opts,