diff --git a/common/python/nomadcore/simple_parser.py b/common/python/nomadcore/simple_parser.py
index 8834a604fad7e324032ab211f4b79fe425176ce2..a544087247611a771bfeb0a37e0c35fbaf1210a8 100644
--- a/common/python/nomadcore/simple_parser.py
+++ b/common/python/nomadcore/simple_parser.py
@@ -1428,7 +1428,7 @@ def mainFunction(mainFileDescription,
         elif arg == "--uri":
             if ii >= len(sys.argv):
                 raise Exception("missing uri after --uri")
-            uri = arg
+            uri = sys.argv[ii]
             ii += 1
         elif fileToParse is None:
             fileToParse = arg