diff --git a/cli/src/connections.c b/cli/src/connections.c
index 1fb5f5d656..e357a64ab9 100644
--- a/cli/src/connections.c
+++ b/cli/src/connections.c
@@ -4578,10 +4578,12 @@ do_connection_add (NmCli *nmc, int argc, char **argv)
 		ifname_mandatory = FALSE;
 
 	if (!ifname && ifname_mandatory && nmc->ask)
-		ifname = ifname_ask = nmc_get_user_input (_("Interface name [*]: "));
-	if (!ifname && ifname_mandatory)
-		ifname = ifname_ask = g_strdup ("*");
-
+		ifname = ifname_ask = nmc_get_user_input (_("Interface name: "));
+	if (!ifname && ifname_mandatory) {
+		g_string_printf (nmc->return_text, _("Error: 'ifname' argument is required."));
+		nmc->return_value = NMC_RESULT_ERROR_USER_INPUT;
+		goto error;
+	}
 	if (ifname) {
 		if (!nm_utils_iface_valid_name (ifname) && strcmp (ifname, "*") != 0) {
 			g_string_printf (nmc->return_text,