diff --git a/input/keycodes.c b/input/keycodes.c
index 6bc660d925..cc10b7db0b 100644
--- a/input/keycodes.c
+++ b/input/keycodes.c
@@ -341,7 +341,7 @@ int mp_input_get_keys_from_string(char *name, int max_num_keys,
     n = 0;
     for (end = strchr(ptr, '-'); ; end = strchr(ptr, '-')) {
         if (end && end[1] != '\0') {
-            if (end[1] == '-')
+            if (*ptr == '-' && end[1] == '-')
                 end = &end[1];
             end[0] = '\0';
         }