diff --git a/optparse.c b/optparse.c
index fe4f7c1..474741f 100644
--- a/optparse.c
+++ b/optparse.c
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ void optparse_init(struct optparse *options, char **argv)
 {
     options->argv = argv;
     options->permute = 1;
-    options->optind = 1;
+    options->optind = argv[0] != 0;
     options->subopt = 0;
     options->optarg = 0;
     options->errmsg[0] = '\0';