diff --git a/src/init.cpp b/src/init.cpp
index 1539f42e..315e6a7b 100644
--- a/src/init.cpp
+++ b/src/init.cpp
@@ -42,9 +42,9 @@
 #include <iostream>
 
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-bool lightweightVersionCheck (int argc, const char** argv)
+bool lightweightVersionCheck (const std::vector <std::string>& args)
 {
-  if (argc == 2 && ! std::strcmp (argv[1], "--version"))
+  if (args.size () == 2 && args[1] == "--version")
   {
     std::cout << VERSION << "\n";
     return true;
diff --git a/src/timew.cpp b/src/timew.cpp
index 300b6d71..feaf3011 100644
--- a/src/timew.cpp
+++ b/src/timew.cpp
@@ -48,9 +48,14 @@ int main (int argc, const char** argv)
   // buffers the messages until it has a file name to write to.
   Log log;
 
+  // Make a vector of args, instead of argc/argv.
+  std::vector <std::string> args;
+  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 (argc, argv))
+  if (lightweightVersionCheck (args))
     return status;
 
   try
diff --git a/src/timew.h b/src/timew.h
index 38c441a4..ce23598f 100644
--- a/src/timew.h
+++ b/src/timew.h
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@
 #include <Log.h>
 
 // init.cpp
-bool lightweightVersionCheck (int, const char**);
+bool lightweightVersionCheck (const std::vector <std::string>&);
 void initializeData (Configuration&, Database&, Log&);
 void initializeRules (Configuration&, Rules&, Log&);
 void initializeExtensions (Configuration&, Extensions&, Log&);