diff --git a/admin/kdb_edit.c b/admin/kdb_edit.c
index 0b63d4817..0919c2cea 100644
--- a/admin/kdb_edit.c
+++ b/admin/kdb_edit.c
@@ -149,6 +149,8 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 
     set_progname(argv[0]);
 
+    krb5_init_context(&context);
+
     while((e = getarg(args, num_args, argc, argv, &optind)))
 	warnx("error at argument `%s'", argv[optind]);
 
@@ -164,8 +166,6 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
     if (argc != 0)
 	usage (1);
 
-    krb5_init_context(&context);
-
     if (config_file == NULL)
 	config_file = HDB_DB_DIR "/kdc.conf";