diff --git a/tools/normalize.py b/tools/normalize.py
index e0159133a6..7d87c5e154 100755
--- a/tools/normalize.py
+++ b/tools/normalize.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 import sys, subprocess
 
-if len(sys.argv) > 1:
+if len(sys.argv) > 2:
     ifile  = sys.argv[1]
     encopt = sys.argv[2:-1]
     ofile  = sys.argv[-1]