diff --git a/ip/iplink.c b/ip/iplink.c
index 22c9a29c..2db2c691 100644
--- a/ip/iplink.c
+++ b/ip/iplink.c
@@ -778,10 +778,10 @@ int iplink_parse(int argc, char **argv, struct iplink_req *req,
 			argc--; argv++;
 			break;
 		} else if (matches(*argv, "alias") == 0) {
+			NEXT_ARG();
 			len = strlen(*argv);
 			if (len >= IFALIASZ)
 				invarg("alias too long\n", *argv);
-			NEXT_ARG();
 			addattr_l(&req->n, sizeof(*req), IFLA_IFALIAS,
 				  *argv, len);
 		} else if (strcmp(*argv, "group") == 0) {