diff --git a/usr.bin/procstat/procstat.c b/usr.bin/procstat/procstat.c
index 0431169030db..a1cd082ecb5a 100644
--- a/usr.bin/procstat/procstat.c
+++ b/usr.bin/procstat/procstat.c
@@ -425,9 +425,7 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	argc -= optind;
 	argv += optind;
 
-	if (cmd == NULL && argv[0] != NULL)
-		cmd = getcmd(argv[0]);
-	if (cmd != NULL) {
+	if (cmd == NULL && argv[0] != NULL && (cmd = getcmd(argv[0])) != NULL) {
 		if ((procstat_opts & PS_SUBCOMMAND_OPTS) != 0)
 			usage(cmd);
 		if (cmd->opt != NULL) {
@@ -443,12 +441,13 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 			argv += 1;
 		}
 	} else {
-		cmd = getcmd("basic");
+		if (cmd == NULL)
+			cmd = getcmd("basic");
+		if (cmd->cmd != procstat_files &&
+		    (procstat_opts & PS_OPT_CAPABILITIES) != 0 &&
+		    (cmd->cmp & PS_MODE_COMPAT) == 0)
+			usage(cmd);
 	}
-	if (cmd->cmd != procstat_files &&
-	    (procstat_opts & PS_OPT_CAPABILITIES) != 0 &&
-	    (cmd->cmp & PS_MODE_COMPAT) == 0)
-		usage(cmd);
 
 	/* Must specify either the -a flag or a list of pids. */
 	if (!(aflag == 1 && argc == 0) && !(aflag == 0 && argc > 0))