diff --git a/dash/examples/ex.07.locality-split/main.cpp b/dash/examples/ex.07.locality-split/main.cpp
index 4cf6b6f30..8ab2cbd48 100644
--- a/dash/examples/ex.07.locality-split/main.cpp
+++ b/dash/examples/ex.07.locality-split/main.cpp
@@ -37,15 +37,19 @@ int main(int argc, char * argv[])
     } else if (std::string(argv[1]) == "-ls") {
       locality_split   = true;
       split_scope      = DART_LOCALITY_SCOPE_NODE;
-      if (std::string(argv[2]) == "module") {
-        split_scope = DART_LOCALITY_SCOPE_MODULE;
-      } else if (std::string(argv[2]) == "numa") {
-        split_scope = DART_LOCALITY_SCOPE_NUMA;
-      } else if (std::string(argv[2]) == "core") {
-        split_scope = DART_LOCALITY_SCOPE_CORE;
-      }
-      if (argc >= 4) {
-        split_num_groups = static_cast<int>(strtol(argv[3], NULL, 10));
+      if (argc >= 3) {
+          if (std::string(argv[2]) == "node") {
+            split_scope = DART_LOCALITY_SCOPE_NODE;
+          } else if (std::string(argv[2]) == "module") {
+            split_scope = DART_LOCALITY_SCOPE_MODULE;
+          } else if (std::string(argv[2]) == "numa") {
+            split_scope = DART_LOCALITY_SCOPE_NUMA;
+          } else if (std::string(argv[2]) == "core") {
+            split_scope = DART_LOCALITY_SCOPE_CORE;
+          }
+          if (argc >= 4) {
+            split_num_groups = static_cast<int>(strtol(argv[3], NULL, 10));
+          }
       }
     }
   }
@@ -76,7 +80,7 @@ int main(int argc, char * argv[])
          << endl
          << "  ex.07.locality ";
     if (locality_split) {
-      cout << "-ls " << argv[2] << " " << split_num_groups << ": "
+      cout << "-ls " << split_scope << " " << split_num_groups << ": "
            << "locality split into " << split_num_groups << " groups "
            << "at scope " << split_scope << endl;
     } else {