diff --git a/src/util/fairland.c b/src/util/fairland.c
index c94f2b47..9dca8aa2 100644
--- a/src/util/fairland.c
+++ b/src/util/fairland.c
@@ -273,7 +273,6 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	    exit(1);
 	}
     }
-    parse_args(argc - optind, argv + optind);
 
     if (!seed_set)
 	rnd_seed = pick_seed();
@@ -283,6 +282,8 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	exit(1);
     empfile_fixup();
 
+    parse_args(argc - optind, argv + optind);
+
     allocate_memory();
     print_vars();