diff --git a/src/core.cc b/src/core.cc
index 88fa8ece..6de868f5 100644
--- a/src/core.cc
+++ b/src/core.cc
@@ -318,11 +318,11 @@ struct text_object *construct_text_object(char *s, const char *arg, long
 	END OBJ(battery_bar, 0)
 		char bat[64];
 		if (arg) {
-			arg = scan_bar(obj, arg, 100);
 			sscanf(arg, "%63s", bat);
 		} else {
 			strcpy(bat, "BAT0");
 		}
+		scan_bar(obj, bat, 100);
 		obj->data.s = strndup(bat, text_buffer_size);
 		obj->callbacks.barval = &get_battery_perct_bar;
 		obj->callbacks.free = &gen_free_opaque;