diff --git a/archival/tar.c b/archival/tar.c
index 503db5f78..deb5c89b0 100644
--- a/archival/tar.c
+++ b/archival/tar.c
@@ -818,7 +818,7 @@ int tar_main(int argc UNUSED_PARAM, char **argv)
 	                     | ARCHIVE_PRESERVE_DATE
 	                     | ARCHIVE_EXTRACT_UNCONDITIONAL;
 
-	/* Apparently only root's tar preserves parms (see bug 3844) */
+	/* Apparently only root's tar preserves perms (see bug 3844) */
 	if (getuid() != 0)
 		tar_handle->ah_flags |= ARCHIVE_NOPRESERVE_PERM;