diff --git a/cmd/zpool/zpool_main.c b/cmd/zpool/zpool_main.c
index f2c2c3f41..8eb7e35cf 100644
--- a/cmd/zpool/zpool_main.c
+++ b/cmd/zpool/zpool_main.c
@@ -12747,11 +12747,13 @@ found:
 
 			if (strcmp(argv[1], "root") == 0)
 				vdev = strdup("root-0");
-			else
-				vdev = strdup(argv[1]);
 
 			/* ... and the rest are vdev names */
-			cb.cb_vdevs.cb_names = &vdev;
+			if (vdev == NULL)
+				cb.cb_vdevs.cb_names = argv + 1;
+			else
+				cb.cb_vdevs.cb_names = &vdev;
+
 			cb.cb_vdevs.cb_names_count = argc - 1;
 			cb.cb_type = ZFS_TYPE_VDEV;
 			argc = 1; /* One pool to process */