diff --git a/tools/ratbagctl.in b/tools/ratbagctl.in
index 0c720e8f..d5f79f56 100755
--- a/tools/ratbagctl.in
+++ b/tools/ratbagctl.in
@@ -1213,6 +1213,9 @@ class RatbagParserSet(RatbagParserSwitch):
             e.parse(subs, input_string, ns)
         if len(input_string) == 3:
             self.store_function(parser)
+        elif len(input_string) == 2:
+            # missing device argument
+            parser.add_argument("device", metavar='eventX')
         else:
             parser.set_defaults(subparse=self.sub_parse)
         return parser