diff --git a/ccops.cc b/ccops.cc
index 1985a3aabd29cae3eccd3b037a11b5996545e6a0..1cb9afd91662d52494fee54fa38704ca69cb8385 100644
--- a/ccops.cc
+++ b/ccops.cc
@@ -275,6 +275,7 @@ void rem_cols(Matrix& myOMmat,Matrix& tractcoordmat,const bool tractcoordbool,co
 int main ( int argc, char **argv ){
   ccopsOptions& opts = ccopsOptions::getInstance();
   int success=opts.parse_command_line(argc,argv);
+  if(!success) return 0;
   string ip=opts.inmatrix.value();
   make_basename(ip);