diff --git a/Source/cmCTest.cxx b/Source/cmCTest.cxx
index 4aff64bd8..689f6abf4 100644
--- a/Source/cmCTest.cxx
+++ b/Source/cmCTest.cxx
@@ -1944,35 +1944,33 @@ bool cmCTest::AddTestsForDashboardType(std::string &targ)
     }
   else
     {
-    cmCTestLog(this, ERROR_MESSAGE,
-               "CTest -D called with incorrect option: "
-               << targ << std::endl);
-    cmCTestLog(this, ERROR_MESSAGE, "Available options are:" << std::endl
-               << "  " << "ctest" << " -D Continuous" << std::endl
-               << "  " << "ctest"
-               << " -D Continuous(Start|Update|Configure|Build)" << std::endl
-               << "  " << "ctest"
-               << " -D Continuous(Test|Coverage|MemCheck|Submit)"
-               << std::endl
-               << "  " << "ctest" << " -D Experimental" << std::endl
-               << "  " << "ctest"
-               << " -D Experimental(Start|Update|Configure|Build)"
-               << std::endl
-               << "  " << "ctest"
-               << " -D Experimental(Test|Coverage|MemCheck|Submit)"
-               << std::endl
-               << "  " << "ctest" << " -D Nightly" << std::endl
-               << "  " << "ctest"
-               << " -D Nightly(Start|Update|Configure|Build)" << std::endl
-               << "  " << "ctest"
-               << " -D Nightly(Test|Coverage|MemCheck|Submit)" << std::endl
-               << "  " << "ctest" << " -D NightlyMemoryCheck" << std::endl);
     return false;
     }
   return true;
 }
 
 
+//----------------------------------------------------------------------
+void cmCTest::ErrorMessageUnknownDashDValue(std::string &val)
+{
+  cmCTestLog(this, ERROR_MESSAGE,
+    "CTest -D called with incorrect option: " << val << std::endl);
+
+  cmCTestLog(this, ERROR_MESSAGE,
+    "Available options are:" << std::endl
+    << "  ctest -D Continuous" << std::endl
+    << "  ctest -D Continuous(Start|Update|Configure|Build)" << std::endl
+    << "  ctest -D Continuous(Test|Coverage|MemCheck|Submit)" << std::endl
+    << "  ctest -D Experimental" << std::endl
+    << "  ctest -D Experimental(Start|Update|Configure|Build)" << std::endl
+    << "  ctest -D Experimental(Test|Coverage|MemCheck|Submit)" << std::endl
+    << "  ctest -D Nightly" << std::endl
+    << "  ctest -D Nightly(Start|Update|Configure|Build)" << std::endl
+    << "  ctest -D Nightly(Test|Coverage|MemCheck|Submit)" << std::endl
+    << "  ctest -D NightlyMemoryCheck" << std::endl);
+}
+
+
 //----------------------------------------------------------------------
 bool cmCTest::CheckArgument(const std::string& arg, const char* varg1,
   const char* varg2)
@@ -2263,10 +2261,11 @@ int cmCTest::Run(std::vector<std::string> &args, std::string* output)
       this->ProduceXML = true;
       i++;
       std::string targ = args[i];
-      // AddTestsForDashboard parses the dashborad type and converts it
+      // AddTestsForDashboard parses the dashboard type and converts it
       // into the separate stages
       if (!this->AddTestsForDashboardType(targ))
         {
+        this->ErrorMessageUnknownDashDValue(targ);
         performSomeTest = false;
         }
       }
diff --git a/Source/cmCTest.h b/Source/cmCTest.h
index 7c71b00ea..68811f8d9 100644
--- a/Source/cmCTest.h
+++ b/Source/cmCTest.h
@@ -417,6 +417,7 @@ public:
   bool GetLabelSummary() { return this->LabelSummary;}
 
   std::string GetCostDataFile();
+
 private:
   std::string ConfigType;
   std::string ScheduleType;
@@ -516,6 +517,9 @@ private:
   //! parse the option after -D and convert it into the appropriate steps
   bool AddTestsForDashboardType(std::string &targ);
 
+  //! read as "emit an error message for an unknown -D value"
+  void ErrorMessageUnknownDashDValue(std::string &val);
+
   //! parse and process most common command line arguments
   void HandleCommandLineArguments(size_t &i, 
                                   std::vector<std::string> &args);