diff --git a/unix/gtkmain.c b/unix/gtkmain.c
index 9cd32c26..f687e76f 100644
--- a/unix/gtkmain.c
+++ b/unix/gtkmain.c
@@ -515,7 +515,7 @@ bool do_cmdline(int argc, char **argv, bool do_everything, Conf *conf)
 
 	} else if (!strcmp(p, "-xrm")) {
 	    EXPECTS_ARG;
-	    provide_xrm_string(val);
+	    provide_xrm_string(val, appname);
 
 	} else if(!strcmp(p, "-help") || !strcmp(p, "--help")) {
 	    help(stdout);
diff --git a/unix/unix.h b/unix/unix.h
index 0f3c50ac..31e633f2 100644
--- a/unix/unix.h
+++ b/unix/unix.h
@@ -267,7 +267,7 @@ int keysym_to_unicode(int keysym);
 char *x_get_default(const char *key);
 
 /* Things uxstore.c provides to gtkwin.c */
-void provide_xrm_string(const char *string);
+void provide_xrm_string(const char *string, const char *progname);
 
 /* Function that {gtkapp,gtkmain}.c needs from ux{pterm,putty}.c. Does
  * early process setup that varies between applications (e.g.
diff --git a/unix/uxplink.c b/unix/uxplink.c
index 5973b492..cb059893 100644
--- a/unix/uxplink.c
+++ b/unix/uxplink.c
@@ -661,7 +661,11 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
                 errors = true;
             } else {
                 --argc;
-                provide_xrm_string(*++argv);
+                /* Explicitly pass "plink" in place of appname for
+                 * error reporting purposes. appname will have been
+                 * set by be_foo.c to something more generic, probably
+                 * "PuTTY". */
+                provide_xrm_string(*++argv, "plink");
             }
         } else if (!strcmp(p, "-shareexists")) {
             just_test_share_exists = true;
diff --git a/unix/uxstore.c b/unix/uxstore.c
index 973e4c70..756b10c5 100644
--- a/unix/uxstore.c
+++ b/unix/uxstore.c
@@ -301,7 +301,7 @@ static int keycmp(void *av, void *bv)
     return strcmp(a->key, b->key);
 }
 
-void provide_xrm_string(const char *string)
+void provide_xrm_string(const char *string, const char *progname)
 {
     const char *p, *q;
     char *key;
@@ -309,8 +309,8 @@ void provide_xrm_string(const char *string)
 
     p = q = strchr(string, ':');
     if (!q) {
-	fprintf(stderr, "pterm: expected a colon in resource string"
-		" \"%s\"\n", string);
+	fprintf(stderr, "%s: expected a colon in resource string"
+		" \"%s\"\n", progname, string);
 	return;
     }
     q++;