diff --git a/docs/documentation/upgrading/topics/keycloak/changes-23_0_0.adoc b/docs/documentation/upgrading/topics/keycloak/changes-23_0_0.adoc
index ae4b1a4bf6..3981daa420 100644
--- a/docs/documentation/upgrading/topics/keycloak/changes-23_0_0.adoc
+++ b/docs/documentation/upgrading/topics/keycloak/changes-23_0_0.adoc
@@ -114,6 +114,18 @@ it must instead be individual arguments
 bin/kc.sh start --help
 ```
 
+Similarly instead of
+
+```
+bin/kc.sh build "--db postgres"
+```
+
+it must instead be individual arguments
+
+```
+bin/kc.sh build --db postgres
+```
+
 The usage of individual arguments is also required in Dockerfile run commands.
 
 = Removed RegistrationProfile form action
diff --git a/quarkus/runtime/src/main/java/org/keycloak/quarkus/runtime/cli/ShortErrorMessageHandler.java b/quarkus/runtime/src/main/java/org/keycloak/quarkus/runtime/cli/ShortErrorMessageHandler.java
index a6a5c7da82..47878f9a45 100644
--- a/quarkus/runtime/src/main/java/org/keycloak/quarkus/runtime/cli/ShortErrorMessageHandler.java
+++ b/quarkus/runtime/src/main/java/org/keycloak/quarkus/runtime/cli/ShortErrorMessageHandler.java
@@ -28,17 +28,17 @@ public class ShortErrorMessageHandler implements IParameterExceptionHandler {
             UnmatchedArgumentException uae = (UnmatchedArgumentException) ex;
 
             String[] unmatched = getUnmatchedPartsByOptionSeparator(uae,"=");
-            String original = uae.getUnmatched().get(0);
-            if (unmatched[0].equals(original)) {
-                unmatched = getUnmatchedPartsByOptionSeparator(uae," ");
-            }
-            
+
             String cliKey = unmatched[0];
 
             PropertyMapper<?> mapper = PropertyMappers.getMapper(cliKey);
 
             if (mapper == null || !(cmd.getCommand() instanceof AbstractCommand)) {
-                errorMessage = "Unknown option: '" + cliKey + "'";
+                if (cliKey.split("\\s").length > 1) {
+                    errorMessage = "Option: '" + cliKey + "' is not expected to contain whitespace, please remove any unnecessary quoting/escaping";
+                } else {
+                    errorMessage = "Unknown option: '" + cliKey + "'";
+                }
             } else {
                 AbstractCommand command = cmd.getCommand();
                 if (!command.getOptionCategories().contains(mapper.getCategory())) {
diff --git a/quarkus/tests/integration/src/test/java/org/keycloak/it/cli/OptionValidationTest.java b/quarkus/tests/integration/src/test/java/org/keycloak/it/cli/OptionValidationTest.java
index 2bc244a6fa..98727b187f 100644
--- a/quarkus/tests/integration/src/test/java/org/keycloak/it/cli/OptionValidationTest.java
+++ b/quarkus/tests/integration/src/test/java/org/keycloak/it/cli/OptionValidationTest.java
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ public class OptionValidationTest {
     }
 
     @Test
-    @Launch({"start", "--db-pasword mytestpw"})
+    @Launch({"start", "--db-pasword", "mytestpw"})
     public void failUnknownOptionWhitespaceSeparatorNotShowingValue(LaunchResult result) {
         CLIResult cliResult = (CLIResult) result;
         assertEquals("Unknown option: '--db-pasword'\n" +
@@ -80,4 +80,11 @@ public class OptionValidationTest {
                 "Possible solutions: --db-driver, --db-url, --db-url-host, --db-url-database, --db-url-port, --db-url-properties, --db-username, --db-password, --db-schema, --db-pool-initial-size, --db-pool-min-size, --db-pool-max-size, --db\n" +
                 "Try '" + KeycloakDistribution.SCRIPT_CMD + " start --help' for more information on the available options.", cliResult.getErrorOutput());
     }
+
+    @Test
+    @Launch({ "start", "--db postgres" })
+    void failSingleParamWithSpace(LaunchResult result) {
+        CLIResult cliResult = (CLIResult) result;
+        cliResult.assertError("Option: '--db postgres' is not expected to contain whitespace, please remove any unnecessary quoting/escaping");
+    }
 }