diff --git a/src/init.cpp b/src/init.cpp
index 5c4cf267..95bf627f 100644
--- a/src/init.cpp
+++ b/src/init.cpp
@@ -41,9 +41,9 @@
 #include <iostream>
 
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-bool lightweightVersionCheck (const std::vector <std::string>& args)
+bool lightweightVersionCheck (int argc, const char** argv)
 {
-  if (args.size () == 2 && args[1] == "--version")
+  if (argc == 2 && std::string (argv[1]) == "--version")
   {
     std::cout << VERSION << "\n";
     return true;
diff --git a/src/timew.cpp b/src/timew.cpp
index 338b3b93..ca13347d 100644
--- a/src/timew.cpp
+++ b/src/timew.cpp
@@ -38,6 +38,11 @@
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 int main (int argc, const char** argv)
 {
+  // Lightweight version checking that doesn't require initialization or I/O.
+  int status = 0;
+  if (lightweightVersionCheck (argc, argv))
+    return status;
+
   // The log is needed early, in order to capture as much as possible, but will
   // only be given a file name once the rules are loaded. The log therefore
   // buffers the messages until it has a file name to write to.
@@ -49,11 +54,6 @@ int main (int argc, const char** argv)
   for (int i = 0; i < argc; i++)
     args.push_back (argv[i]);
 
-  // Lightweight version checking that doesn't require initialization or I/O.
-  int status = 0;
-  if (lightweightVersionCheck (args))
-    return status;
-
   try
   {
     // Prepare the database, but do not read data.
diff --git a/src/timew.h b/src/timew.h
index db06f84e..5e4b2ef3 100644
--- a/src/timew.h
+++ b/src/timew.h
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@
 #include <Color.h>
 
 // init.cpp
-bool lightweightVersionCheck (const std::vector <std::string>&);
+bool lightweightVersionCheck (int, const char**);
 void initializeDataAndRules (Database&, Rules&, Log&);
 void initializeExtensions (Rules&, Extensions&, Log&);
 int dispatchCommand (const std::vector <std::string>&, Database&, Rules&, Extensions&, Log&);