diff --git a/package/dnsmasq/files/dnsmasq.init b/package/dnsmasq/files/dnsmasq.init
index b5ca5ca176..33fc177d06 100644
--- a/package/dnsmasq/files/dnsmasq.init
+++ b/package/dnsmasq/files/dnsmasq.init
@@ -394,7 +394,7 @@ dhcp_mx_add() {
 
 	local service="$domain,$relay,$pref"
 
-	append args "--mx-host=$service"
+	xappend "--mx-host=$service"
 }
 
 dhcp_cname_add() {