diff --git a/contrib/chg/chg.c b/contrib/chg/chg.c
--- a/contrib/chg/chg.c
+++ b/contrib/chg/chg.c
@@ -372,18 +372,27 @@
 		TIME = 4,
 	};
 	unsigned int state = 0;
-	int i;
-	for (i = 0; i < argc; ++i) {
-		if (strcmp(argv[i], "--") == 0)
-			break;
-		if (i == 0 && strcmp("serve", argv[i]) == 0)
+
+	if (argc > 0) {
+		int i = 0;
+		const char *const firstarg = argv[i];
+
+		if (strcmp("serve", firstarg) == 0) {
 			state |= SERVE;
-		else if (strcmp("-d", argv[i]) == 0 ||
-			 strcmp("--daemon", argv[i]) == 0)
-			state |= DAEMON;
-		else if (strcmp("--time", argv[i]) == 0)
-			state |= TIME;
+			++i;
+		}
+
+		for (; i < argc; ++i) {
+			if (strcmp(argv[i], "--") == 0)
+				break;
+			if (strcmp("-d", argv[i]) == 0 ||
+				strcmp("--daemon", argv[i]) == 0)
+				state |= DAEMON;
+			else if (strcmp("--time", argv[i]) == 0)
+				state |= TIME;
+		}
 	}
+
 	return (state & TIME) == TIME ||
 	       (state & SERVEDAEMON) == SERVEDAEMON;
 }