diff --git a/src/scrut.c b/src/scrut.c
index 06ab451..139d83e 100644
--- a/src/scrut.c
+++ b/src/scrut.c
@@ -17,70 +17,67 @@
  * along with this program. If not, see https://www.gnu.org/licenses/.
  */
 
+#include <assert.h> /* assert(3) */
 #include <stdio.h> /* fprintf(3), stderr, NULL */
 #include <stdlib.h> /* EXIT_FAILURE, EXIT_SUCCESS */
 #include <string.h> /* memset(3), strchr(3) */
 #include <sysexits.h> /* EX_USAGE */
-#include <unistd.h> /* access(3), getopt(3), F_OK, R_OK, W_OK, X_OK */
+#include <unistd.h> /* access(3), getopt(3), R_OK, W_OK, X_OK */
 #include <libfileis.h>
 
-static char args[] = "bcdefgkprsuwxLS";
-static char ops[(sizeof args) / (sizeof *args)];
-
 char *program_name = "scrut";
+static char opts[] = "bcdefgkprsuwxLS";
 
-int usage(char *s){
-	fprintf(stderr, "Usage: %s [-%s] file...\n", s, args);
+static int usage(char *s){
+	fprintf(stderr, "Usage: %s [-%s] file...\n", s, opts);
 	return EX_USAGE;
 }
 
 int main(int argc, char *argv[]){
-	int c;
-	size_t i;
-	char *p;
+	char sel[(sizeof opts) / (sizeof *opts)];
 
 	if (argc > 0) { program_name = argv[0]; }
 	if (argc < 2) { return usage(program_name); }
 
-	memset(ops, '\0', sizeof ops);
+	memset(sel, '\0', sizeof sel);
 
-	while ((c = getopt(argc, argv, args)) != -1)
-		if ((p = strchr(args, c)) == NULL) { return usage(program_name); }
-		else { ops[p - args] = c; }
+	{
+		int c;
+		char *p = sel;
+
+		while ((c = getopt(argc, argv, opts)) != -1) {
+			if ((strchr(opts, c)) == NULL) { return usage(program_name); }
+			else if ((strchr(sel, c)) == NULL) { *p++ = c; }
+
+			assert(p - sel < (sizeof opts) / (sizeof *opts));
+		}
+	}
 
 	if (optind == argc) { return usage(program_name); }
 
 	argv += optind;
 
-	/* straighten out ops */
-	for(i = 0, p = ops; i < (sizeof ops) / (sizeof *ops); ++i)
-		if(ops[i] != '\0'){
-			*p = ops[i];
-			if(&ops[i] != p++)
-				ops[i] = '\0';
-		}
-
 	do{
 		if (!fileis_exists(*argv))
-			return EXIT_FAILURE; /* doesn't exist or isn't stattable */
+			return EXIT_FAILURE;
 
-		for (i = 0; ops[i] != '\0'; ++i)
-			if (ops[i] == 'e')
-				continue;
-			else if ((ops[i] == 'b' && !fileis_block(*argv))
-					|| (ops[i] == 'c' && !fileis_char(*argv))
-					|| (ops[i] == 'd' && !fileis_dir(*argv))
-					|| (ops[i] == 'f' && !fileis_regular(*argv))
-					|| (ops[i] == 'g' && !fileis_setgid(*argv))
-					|| (ops[i] == 'k' && !fileis_vtx(*argv))
-					|| (ops[i] == 'p' && !fileis_fifo(*argv))
-					|| (ops[i] == 'r' && access(*argv, R_OK) != 0)
-					|| (ops[i] == 'u' && !fileis_setuid(*argv))
-					|| (ops[i] == 'w' && access(*argv, W_OK) != 0)
-					|| (ops[i] == 'x' && access(*argv, X_OK) != 0)
-					|| (ops[i] == 'L' && !fileis_link(*argv))
-					|| (ops[i] == 'S' && !fileis_socket(*argv))
+		for (size_t i = 0; sel[i] != '\0'; ++i) {
+			if ((sel[i] == 'b' && !fileis_block(*argv))
+					|| (sel[i] == 'c' && !fileis_char(*argv))
+					|| (sel[i] == 'd' && !fileis_dir(*argv))
+					|| (sel[i] != 'e')
+					|| (sel[i] == 'f' && !fileis_regular(*argv))
+					|| (sel[i] == 'g' && !fileis_setgid(*argv))
+					|| (sel[i] == 'k' && !fileis_vtx(*argv))
+					|| (sel[i] == 'p' && !fileis_fifo(*argv))
+					|| (sel[i] == 'r' && access(*argv, R_OK) != 0)
+					|| (sel[i] == 'u' && !fileis_setuid(*argv))
+					|| (sel[i] == 'w' && access(*argv, W_OK) != 0)
+					|| (sel[i] == 'x' && access(*argv, X_OK) != 0)
+					|| (sel[i] == 'L' && !fileis_link(*argv))
+					|| (sel[i] == 'S' && !fileis_socket(*argv))
 			) { return EXIT_FAILURE; }
+		}
 	} while (*++argv != NULL);
 
 	return EXIT_SUCCESS;