diff --git a/src/dj.c b/src/dj.c
index ad1dc49..6d6a117 100644
--- a/src/dj.c
+++ b/src/dj.c
@@ -170,12 +170,6 @@ usage(char *argv0) {
 }
 
 int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
-#ifdef __OpenBSD__
-	if (pledge("cpath rpath stdio unveil wpath", NULL) == -1) {
-		return oserr(NULL", errno);
-	}
-#endif
-
    	int align;    /* low 8b used, negative if no alignment is being done */
 	int count;    /* -1 if dj(1) runs until no more reads are possible */
 	char *fmt;    /* set to fmt_asv (default) or fmt_human (-H) */
@@ -183,6 +177,12 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
 	bool retry;   /* false if exits on partial reads or writes */
 	struct Io io[2 /* { in, out } */];
 
+#ifdef __OpenBSD__
+	if (pledge("cpath rpath stdio unveil wpath", NULL) == -1) {
+		return oserr(NULL, errno);
+	}
+#endif
+
 	/* Set defaults. */
 	align = -1;
 	count = -1;
@@ -217,13 +217,9 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
 						break;
 					} else {
 						int fd;
+
 #ifdef __OpenBSD__
-						char *perms = "wc";
-
-						/* modify perms in-place to read-only */
-						if (i == 0) { perms = "r"; }
-
-						if (unveil(optarg, perms) == -1) {
+						if (unveil(optarg, i == 0 ? "r" : "wc") == -1) {
 							return oserr(NULL, errno);
 						}
 #endif
@@ -267,6 +263,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
 			}
 		}
 	}
+
 #ifdef __OpenBSD__
 	if (unveil(NULL, NULL) == -1) { return oserr(NULL, errno); }
 #endif