diff --git a/monitor.c b/monitor.c
index ff0c6e5ed..596e137a7 100644
--- a/monitor.c
+++ b/monitor.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* $OpenBSD: monitor.c,v 1.7 2026/07/27 19:15:58 nicm Exp $ */
+/* $OpenBSD: monitor.c,v 1.8 2026/09/07 10:15:25 nicm Exp $ */
 
 /*
  * Copyright (c) 2026 Nicholas Marriott <nicholas.marriott@gmail.com>
@@ -614,8 +614,10 @@ monitor_parse(const char *value, char **name, enum monitor_type *type, int *id,
 		*type = MONITOR_ALL_WINDOWS;
 	else if (sscanf(what, "@%d", id) == 1 && *id >= 0)
 		*type = MONITOR_WINDOW;
-	else
+	else if (*what == '\0')
 		*type = MONITOR_SESSION;
+	else
+		goto fail;
 	*name = xstrdup(copy);
 	*format = xstrdup(split);