diff --git a/mitmproxy/addons/core.py b/mitmproxy/addons/core.py
index 6fb2bf1e4..8a3acedbb 100644
--- a/mitmproxy/addons/core.py
+++ b/mitmproxy/addons/core.py
@@ -83,14 +83,14 @@ class Core:
                     )
 
     @command.command("set")
-    def set(self, option: str, *value: str) -> None:
+    def set(self, option: str, value: str = "") -> None:
         """
             Set an option. When the value is omitted, booleans are set to true,
             strings and integers are set to None (if permitted), and sequences
             are emptied. Boolean values can be true, false or toggle.
             Multiple values are concatenated with a single space.
         """
-        strspec = f"{option}={' '.join(value)}"
+        strspec = f"{option}={value}"
         try:
             ctx.options.set(strspec)
         except exceptions.OptionsError as e:
diff --git a/test/mitmproxy/addons/test_core.py b/test/mitmproxy/addons/test_core.py
index 59875c2b6..e6924ead8 100644
--- a/test/mitmproxy/addons/test_core.py
+++ b/test/mitmproxy/addons/test_core.py
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ def test_set():
     sa = core.Core()
     with taddons.context(loadcore=False) as tctx:
         assert tctx.master.options.server
-        tctx.command(sa.set, "server=false")
+        tctx.command(sa.set, "server", "false")
         assert not tctx.master.options.server
 
         with pytest.raises(exceptions.CommandError):