--- src/main.c
+++ src/main.c
@@ -585,7 +585,6 @@
       CHECK_USAGE(reset_time_flag, "--reset", "--extract");
       CHECK_USAGE(xstat != lstat, "--dereference", "--extract");
       CHECK_USAGE(append_flag, "--append", "--extract");
-      CHECK_USAGE(sparse_flag, "--sparse", "--extract");
       CHECK_USAGE(output_archive_name, "-O", "--extract");
       if (to_stdout_option)
 	{
@@ -633,6 +632,7 @@
 
       CHECK_USAGE(rename_batch_file, "--rename-batch-file", "--create");
       CHECK_USAGE(no_abs_paths_flag, "--no-absolute-pathnames", "--create");
+      CHECK_USAGE(sparse_flag, "--sparse", "--create");
       CHECK_USAGE(input_archive_name, "-I", "--create");
       if (archive_name && output_archive_name)
 	USAGE_ERROR ((0, 0, _("Both -O and -F are used in copy-out mode")));