diff --git a/mx_getopt.c b/mx_getopt.c
index 1ef82c2..0f47b35 100644
--- a/mx_getopt.c
+++ b/mx_getopt.c
@@ -127,8 +127,7 @@ static int find_short_option(struct mx_option *options, char **name, char **opta
 
    assert(short_opt);
 
-   if (optarg)
-       *optarg = NULL;
+   *optarg = NULL;
 
    for (i=0, idx=-1; options[i].long_opt || options[i].short_opt; i++) {