diff --git a/src/exiv2.cpp b/src/exiv2.cpp
index 7c54e401..94bc7219 100644
--- a/src/exiv2.cpp
+++ b/src/exiv2.cpp
@@ -1018,7 +1018,6 @@ int Params::getopt(int argc, char* const Argv[])
     int rc = Util::Getopt::getopt(argc, argv, optstring_);
     // Further consistency checks
     if (help_ || version_) {
-        rc = 0;
         goto cleanup;
     }
     if (action_ == Action::none) {
diff --git a/src/getopt.cpp b/src/getopt.cpp
index 0d60e849..78a96abc 100644
--- a/src/getopt.cpp
+++ b/src/getopt.cpp
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ namespace Util {
         progname_ = Util::basename(argv[0]);
         Util::optind = 0; // reset the Util::Getopt scanner
 
-        for (;;) {
+        for (;!errcnt_;) {
             int c = Util::getopt(argc, argv, optstring.c_str());
             if (c == -1) {
                 break;