diff --git a/doc/man1/rigctl.1 b/doc/man1/rigctl.1
index b80a640c3..29ad20905 100644
--- a/doc/man1/rigctl.1
+++ b/doc/man1/rigctl.1
@@ -1131,8 +1131,8 @@ option above, will terminate each command string sent to the radio.  This
 character should not be a part of the input string.
 .
 .TP
-.BR W ", " send_cmd_rx " \(aq" \fICmd\fP\(aq " " \fInbytes\FP
-Send a raw command string to the radio and expect nbytes returned.
+.BR W ", " send_cmd_rx " \(aq" \fICmd\fP\(aq " " \fI[nbytes or terminator char\FP
+Send a raw command string to the radio and expect nbytes returned or the terminator char (e.g. ;).
 .IP
 This is useful for testing and troubleshooting radio commands and responses when
 developing a backend.  If the # of bytes requested is <= the number actually returned no timeout will occur.
diff --git a/tests/rigctl_parse.c b/tests/rigctl_parse.c
index 99fb07027..08db0201e 100644
--- a/tests/rigctl_parse.c
+++ b/tests/rigctl_parse.c
@@ -4891,6 +4891,7 @@ declare_proto_rig(send_cmd)
             ++rxbytes;  // need length + 1 for end of string
             eom_buf[0] = 0;
         }
+        if (arg2[0] == ';') eom_buf[0] = ';';
 
         /* Assumes CR or LF is end of line char for all ASCII protocols. */
         retval = read_string(&rs->rigport, buf, rxbytes, eom_buf,