diff --git a/module/VuFindConsole/src/VuFindConsole/Command/Generate/ExtendClassCommand.php b/module/VuFindConsole/src/VuFindConsole/Command/Generate/ExtendClassCommand.php
index 9bcff9d0f55..a0249555300 100644
--- a/module/VuFindConsole/src/VuFindConsole/Command/Generate/ExtendClassCommand.php
+++ b/module/VuFindConsole/src/VuFindConsole/Command/Generate/ExtendClassCommand.php
@@ -85,7 +85,8 @@ protected function configure()
      */
     protected function execute(InputInterface $input, OutputInterface $output)
     {
-        $class = $input->getArgument('class_name');
+        // Normalize class name to exclude leading slashes; a FQCN doesn't need it:
+        $class = ltrim($input->getArgument('class_name'), '\\');
         $target = $input->getArgument('target_module');
         $extendFactory = $input->getOption('extendfactory');