diff --git a/src/dj.c b/src/dj.c
index 593ae31..2301eb4 100644
--- a/src/dj.c
+++ b/src/dj.c
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ usage(char *s) {
 
 int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
    	int align;    /* low 8b used, negative if no alignment is being done */
-	int count;    /* 0 if dj(1) runs until no more reads are possible */
+	int count;    /* -1 if dj(1) runs until no more reads are possible */
 	char *fmt;    /* == fmt_asv (default) or fmt_human (-H) */
 	size_t i;     /* side of io being modified */
 	char noerror; /* 0=exits (default) 1=retries on partial reads or writes */
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
 
 	/* Set defaults. */
 	align = -1;
-	count = 0;
+	count = -1;
 	fmt = fmt_asv;
 	noerror = 0;
 	for (i = 0; i < (sizeof io) / (sizeof *io); ++i) {
@@ -284,7 +284,10 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
 		return oserr(io[1].fn, errno);
 	}
 
-	do { /* while(count == 0 || --count > 0); */
+	for (	;
+			count == -1 || count > 0;
+			count -= (count != -1) /* decrement if counting */
+	) {
 		assert(io[0].bufuse == 0);
 
 		{ /* read */
@@ -303,7 +306,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
 
 			assert(io[0].bufuse >= t);
 
-			if (io[0].bufuse == t) /* that's all she wrote */ { break; }
+			if (io[0].bufuse == t) { break; } /* that's all she wrote */
 
 			if (/* t < io[0].bufuse && */ io[0].bufuse < io[0].bs) {
 				fprintf(stderr, "%s: Partial read:\n\t", program_name);
@@ -326,7 +329,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
 			if (skipping > 0) {
 				io[0].seek -= skipping;
 				io[0].bufuse = 0;
-				count += (count != 0);
+				count += (count != -1); /* increment if counting */
 				continue;
 			}
 		}
@@ -393,7 +396,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
 				if(!noerror) { count = 1; }
 			}
 		}
-	} while(count == 0 || --count > 0);
+	}
 
 	fprintio(stderr, fmt, io);