diff --git a/mesonbuild/mformat.py b/mesonbuild/mformat.py
index 2131ff7b3167..de3b7c50a3c0 100644
--- a/mesonbuild/mformat.py
+++ b/mesonbuild/mformat.py
@@ -670,7 +670,7 @@ def visit_ArgumentNode(self, node: mparser.ArgumentNode) -> None:
             if self.config.group_arg_value:
                 for arg in node.arguments[:-1]:
                     group_args = False
-                    if isinstance(arg, mparser.StringNode) and arg.value.startswith('--'):
+                    if isinstance(arg, mparser.StringNode) and arg.value.startswith('--') and arg.value != '--':
                         next_arg = node.arguments[arg_index + 1]
                         if isinstance(next_arg, mparser.StringNode) and not next_arg.value.startswith('--'):
                             group_args = True