diff --git a/contrib/chg/chg.c b/contrib/chg/chg.c
--- a/contrib/chg/chg.c
+++ b/contrib/chg/chg.c
@@ -372,14 +372,21 @@
 		TIME = 4,
 	};
 	unsigned int state = 0;
-	int i;
-	for (i = 0; i < argc; ++i) {
+	int i = 0;
+
+	if (argc > 0) {
+		const char *const firstarg = argv[i];
+		if (strcmp("serve", firstarg) == 0) {
+			state |= SERVE;
+			++i;
+		}
+	}
+
+	for (; i < argc; ++i) {
 		if (strcmp(argv[i], "--") == 0)
 			break;
-		if (i == 0 && strcmp("serve", argv[i]) == 0)
-			state |= SERVE;
-		else if (strcmp("-d", argv[i]) == 0 ||
-			 strcmp("--daemon", argv[i]) == 0)
+		if (strcmp("-d", argv[i]) == 0 ||
+			strcmp("--daemon", argv[i]) == 0)
 			state |= DAEMON;
 		else if (strcmp("--time", argv[i]) == 0)
 			state |= TIME;