diff --git a/client/ssh/server/getent_unix.go b/client/ssh/server/getent_unix.go
index 18edb2fdf..a3a9641f8 100644
--- a/client/ssh/server/getent_unix.go
+++ b/client/ssh/server/getent_unix.go
@@ -69,7 +69,8 @@ func parseGetentPasswd(output string) (*user.User, string, error) {
 
 // validateGetentInput checks that the input is safe to pass to getent or id.
 // Allows POSIX usernames, numeric UIDs, and common NSS extensions
-// (@ for Kerberos, $ for Samba, + for NIS compat).
+// (@ for Kerberos, $ for Samba, + for NIS compat). A leading hyphen is
+// rejected so the input can never be parsed as a command-line flag.
 func validateGetentInput(input string) bool {
 	maxLen := 32
 	if runtime.GOOS == "linux" {
@@ -80,6 +81,10 @@ func validateGetentInput(input string) bool {
 		return false
 	}
 
+	if input[0] == '-' {
+		return false
+	}
+
 	for _, r := range input {
 		if isAllowedGetentChar(r) {
 			continue
diff --git a/client/ssh/server/getent_unix_test.go b/client/ssh/server/getent_unix_test.go
index e44563b79..a73214e17 100644
--- a/client/ssh/server/getent_unix_test.go
+++ b/client/ssh/server/getent_unix_test.go
@@ -157,6 +157,9 @@ func TestValidateGetentInput(t *testing.T) {
 		{"numeric UID", "1001", true},
 		{"dots and underscores", "alice.bob_test", true},
 		{"hyphen", "alice-bob", true},
+		{"leading hyphen rejected", "-i", false},
+		{"leading double hyphen rejected", "--no-idn", false},
+		{"lone hyphen rejected", "-", false},
 		{"kerberos principal", "user@REALM", true},
 		{"samba machine account", "MACHINE$", true},
 		{"NIS compat", "+user", true},