diff --git a/makeuser b/makeuser
index 5dcda94..1d25cf8 100755
--- a/makeuser
+++ b/makeuser
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@ CONFIG=./setenv
 source include/functions
 
 [[ $(id -u) == 0 ]] && error_exit "Do not run this script as root."
-[[ $# -ne 3 ]] && error_exit "not enough args"
 
 case $1 in
   -h | --help)
@@ -23,6 +22,7 @@ case $1 in
   -* | --*)
     usage; error_exit "unknown option $1" ;;
   *)
+    [[ $# -ne 3 ]] && error_exit "not enough args"
     $(sudo grep -qiw $1 $BANNED) && error_exit "$1 is on the ban list!"
 
 	# username passed lowercased
diff --git a/makeuser_no_ansible b/makeuser_no_ansible
index e7cdea5..22cd8dc 100755
--- a/makeuser_no_ansible
+++ b/makeuser_no_ansible
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@ CONFIG=./setenv
 source include/functions
 
 [[ $(id -u) == 0 ]] && error_exit "Do not run this script as root."
-[[ $# -ne 3 ]] && error_exit "not enough args"
 
 case $1 in
   -h | --help)
@@ -22,6 +21,7 @@ case $1 in
   -* | --*)
     usage; error_exit "unknown option $1" ;;
   *)
+    [[ $# -ne 3 ]] && error_exit "not enough args"
     $(sudo grep -qiw $1 $BANNED) && error_exit "$1 is on the ban list!"
 
 	# username passed lowercased