diff --git a/src/conf.c b/src/conf.c
index b5a8c6b5..c1633dc6 100644
--- a/src/conf.c
+++ b/src/conf.c
@@ -78,14 +78,14 @@ static void hide_args(int argc, char *argv[])
 	}
 }
 
-int get_bool(char *ptr, int default_value)
+int get_bool(char *arg, int default_value)
 {
-	if (!ptr)
+	if (!arg)
 		goto fallback;
 
-	if (string_compare(ptr, "true") || string_compare(ptr, "on") || string_compare(ptr, "1"))
+	if (string_compare(arg, "true") || string_compare(arg, "on") || string_compare(arg, "1"))
 		return 1;
-	if (string_compare(ptr, "false") || string_compare(ptr, "off") || string_compare(ptr, "0"))
+	if (string_compare(arg, "false") || string_compare(arg, "off") || string_compare(arg, "0"))
 		return 0;
 fallback:
 	return default_value;
@@ -97,19 +97,24 @@ fallback:
  */
 static void parse_finit_opts(char *opt)
 {
-	char *ptr;
+	char *arg;
 
-	ptr = strchr(opt, '=');
-	if (ptr)
-		*ptr++ = 0;
+	arg = strchr(opt, '=');
+	if (arg)
+		*arg++ = 0;
 
 	if (string_compare(opt, "debug")) {
-		debug = get_bool(ptr, 1);
+		debug = get_bool(arg, 1);
 		return;
 	}
 
 	if (string_compare(opt, "status_style")) {
-		if (string_compare(ptr, "old") || string_compare(ptr, "classic"))
+		if (!arg) {
+			_e("status_style option requires an argument, skipping.");
+			return;
+		}
+
+		if (string_compare(arg, "old") || string_compare(arg, "classic"))
 			show_progress(PROGRESS_CLASSIC);
 		else
 			show_progress(PROGRESS_MODERN);
@@ -117,7 +122,7 @@ static void parse_finit_opts(char *opt)
 	}
 
 	if (string_compare(opt, "show_status")) {
-		show_progress(get_bool(ptr, 1) ? PROGRESS_DEFAULT : PROGRESS_SILENT);
+		show_progress(get_bool(arg, 1) ? PROGRESS_DEFAULT : PROGRESS_SILENT);
 		return;
 	}
 }