diff --git a/src/prted/prun_common.c b/src/prted/prun_common.c
index 62281d30c5..3d2897aa25 100644
--- a/src/prted/prun_common.c
+++ b/src/prted/prun_common.c
@@ -786,7 +786,7 @@ int prun_common(pmix_cli_result_t *results,
         } else if (0 == strcmp(opt->values[0], "none")) {
             pname.rank = PMIX_RANK_INVALID;
         } else {
-            pname.rank = 0;
+            pname.rank = strtoul(opt->values[0], NULL, 10);
         }
     } else {
         pname.rank = 0;
diff --git a/src/tools/prte/prte.c b/src/tools/prte/prte.c
index 5a4e62235c..85a15faa62 100644
--- a/src/tools/prte/prte.c
+++ b/src/tools/prte/prte.c
@@ -1205,7 +1205,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
         } else if (0 == strcmp(opt->values[0], "none")) {
             pname.rank = PMIX_RANK_INVALID;
         } else {
-            pname.rank = 0;
+            pname.rank = strtoul(opt->values[0], NULL, 10);
         }
     } else {
         pname.rank = 0;