diff --git a/src/names.c b/src/names.c
index 9fc0ad58..594e7fdd 100644
--- a/src/names.c
+++ b/src/names.c
@@ -439,7 +439,7 @@ handle_option (const char *str)
   int i;
 
   while (*str && isspace (*str))
-    ;
+    ++str;
   if (*str != '-')
     return 1;