diff --git a/package/madwifi/files/lib/wifi/madwifi.sh b/package/madwifi/files/lib/wifi/madwifi.sh
index 21a5cf743..1f22b70af 100755
--- a/package/madwifi/files/lib/wifi/madwifi.sh
+++ b/package/madwifi/files/lib/wifi/madwifi.sh
@@ -366,7 +366,7 @@ enable_atheros() {
 		config_get ssid "$vif" ssid
 		[ -n "$ssid" ] && {
 			iwconfig "$ifname" essid on
-			iwconfig "$ifname" essid "$ssid"
+			iwconfig "$ifname" essid ${ssid:+-- }"$ssid"
 		}
 
 		set_wifi_up "$vif" "$ifname"