diff --git a/README b/README
index d6d6b3f..d4ecd58 100644
--- a/README
+++ b/README
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ The following tools are implemented ('*' == finished, '#' == UTF-8 support,
 =*  cal             yes                          none
 =*| cat             yes                          none
 =*  chgrp           yes                          none
-=*  chmod           yes                          none
+=*| chmod           yes                          none
 =*  chown           yes                          none
 =*| chroot          non-posix                    none
 =*  cksum           yes                          none
diff --git a/chmod.1 b/chmod.1
index 08ad958..52a2da5 100644
--- a/chmod.1
+++ b/chmod.1
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
-.Dd January 17, 2015
+.Dd March 5, 2015
 .Dt CHMOD 1
 .Os sbase
 .Sh NAME
 .Nm chmod
-.Nd change file mode
+.Nd change file modes
 .Sh SYNOPSIS
 .Nm
 .Oo
@@ -14,8 +14,10 @@
 .Ar file ...
 .Sh DESCRIPTION
 .Nm
-changes the file mode of the given
-.Ar files .
+changes the file mode of each
+.Ar file
+to
+.Ar mode .
 .Pp
 If
 .Ar mode
@@ -59,12 +61,13 @@ read | write | execute | setuid and setgid | sticky
 .It Fl R
 Change modes recursively.
 .It Fl H
-Only dereference symbolic links that are passed as command line arguments when
-recursively traversing directories.
+Dereference
+.Ar file
+if it is a symbolic link.
 .It Fl L
-Always dereference symbolic links while recursively traversing directories.
+Dereference all symbolic links.
 .It Fl P
-Don't dereference symbolic links (default).
+Preserve symbolic links. This is the default.
 .El
 .Sh SEE ALSO
 .Xr chgrp 1 ,
diff --git a/chmod.c b/chmod.c
index a29b04a..2436721 100644
--- a/chmod.c
+++ b/chmod.c
@@ -24,8 +24,7 @@ chmodr(const char *path, int depth)
 	if (chmod(path, m) < 0) {
 		weprintf("chmod %s:", path);
 		ret = 1;
-	}
-	if (Rflag)
+	} else if (Rflag)
 		recurse(path, chmodr, depth);
 }
 
@@ -40,37 +39,48 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
 	size_t i;
 
-	argv0 = argv[0];
-	for (i = 1; i < argc && argv[i][0] == '-'; i++) {
-		switch (argv[i][1]) {
-		case 'R':
-			Rflag = 1;
-			break;
-		case 'H':
-		case 'L':
-		case 'P':
-			recurse_follow = argv[i][1];
-			break;
-		case 'r': case 'w': case 'x': case 's': case 't':
-			/*
-			 * -[rwxst] are valid modes so do not interpret
-			 * them as options - in any case we are done if
-			 * we hit this case
-			 */
-			goto done;
-		default:
+	argv0 = *(argv++);
+	argc--;
+	for (; *argv && (*argv)[0] == '-'; argc--, argv++) {
+		if (!(*argv)[1])
 			usage();
+		for (i = 1; (*argv)[i]; i++) {
+			switch ((*argv)[i]) {
+			case 'R':
+				Rflag = 1;
+				break;
+			case 'H':
+			case 'L':
+			case 'P':
+				recurse_follow = (*argv)[i];
+				break;
+			case 'r': case 'w': case 'x': case 's': case 't':
+				/* -[rwxst] are valid modes, so we're done */
+				if (i == 1)
+					goto done;
+				/* fallthrough */
+			case '-':
+				/* -- terminator */
+				if (i == 1 && !(*argv)[i + 1]) {
+					argv++;
+					argc--;
+					goto done;
+				}
+				/* fallthrough */
+			default:
+				usage();
+			}
 		}
 	}
 done:
 	mask = getumask();
-	modestr = argv[i];
+	modestr = *argv;
 
-	if (argc - i - 1 < 1)
+	if (argc < 2)
 		usage();
 
-	for (++i; i < argc; i++)
-		chmodr(argv[i], 0);
+	for (--argc, ++argv; *argv; argc--, argv++)
+		chmodr(*argv, 0);
 
 	return ret;
 }