diff --git a/tools/chibi-ffi b/tools/chibi-ffi
index 57bdeea6..206198e6 100755
--- a/tools/chibi-ffi
+++ b/tools/chibi-ffi
@@ -1736,8 +1736,8 @@
 ;; main
 
 (let ((args (command-line)))
-  (if (not (null? args)) (set! args (cdr args)))
-  (let* ((compile? (and (pair? args) (member (car args) '("-c" "--compile"))))
+  (let* ((args (if (pair? args) (cdr args) args))
+         (compile? (and (pair? args) (member (car args) '("-c" "--compile"))))
          (args (if compile? (cdr args) args))
          (cflags (if (and (pair? args) (member (car args) '("-f" "--flags")))
                      (string-split (cadr args) #\space)