diff --git a/src/musrfit.cpp b/src/musrfit.cpp
index d83cfd65e..654c88af9 100644
--- a/src/musrfit.cpp
+++ b/src/musrfit.cpp
@@ -443,37 +443,15 @@ void musrfit_dump_root(char *fileName, PRunListCollection *runList)
  */
 int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
+
   bool show_syntax = false;
-  int  status;
-  bool keep_mn2_output = false;
-  bool chisq_only = false;
-  bool yaml_out = false;
-  bool title_from_data_file = false;
-  bool timeout_enabled = true;
-  bool reset_startup_file = false;
-  PStartupOptions startup_options;
-  startup_options.writeExpectedChisq = false;
-  startup_options.estimateN0 = false;  
-  int number_of_cores=1;
 
-#ifdef HAVE_GOMP
-  number_of_cores = omp_get_num_procs();
-#endif
-
-  TString dump("");
-  char filename[1024];
-
-  // check syntax
+    // check syntax (root unrelated)
   if (argc < 2) {
     musrfit_syntax();
     return PMUSR_WRONG_STARTUP_SYNTAX;
   }
 
-  // add default shared library path /usr/local/lib if not already persent
-  const char *dsp = gSystem->GetDynamicPath();
-  if (strstr(dsp, "/usr/local/lib") == nullptr)
-    gSystem->AddDynamicPath("/usr/local/lib");
-
   if (argc == 2) {
     if (!strcmp(argv[1], "--version")) {
 #ifdef HAVE_CONFIG_H
@@ -497,12 +475,8 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
       std::cout << std::endl << "musrfit: NeXus support NOT enabled." << std::endl << std::endl;
 #endif
       return PMUSR_SUCCESS;
-    } else if (!strcmp(argv[1], "--show-dynamic-path")) {
-      std::cout << std::endl << "musrfit: internal dynamic search paths for shared libraries/root dictionaries:";
-      std::cout << std::endl << "  '" << gSystem->GetDynamicPath() << "'" << std::endl << std::endl;
-      return PMUSR_SUCCESS;
     } else if (!strcmp(argv[1], "--help")) {
-      show_syntax = true;
+        show_syntax = true;
     }
   }
 
@@ -511,6 +485,39 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     return PMUSR_WRONG_STARTUP_SYNTAX;
   }
 
+  int  status;
+  bool keep_mn2_output = false;
+  bool chisq_only = false;
+  bool yaml_out = false;
+  bool title_from_data_file = false;
+  bool timeout_enabled = true;
+  bool reset_startup_file = false;
+  PStartupOptions startup_options;
+  startup_options.writeExpectedChisq = false;
+  startup_options.estimateN0 = false;  
+  int number_of_cores=1;
+
+#ifdef HAVE_GOMP
+  number_of_cores = omp_get_num_procs();
+#endif
+
+  TString dump("");
+  char filename[1024];
+
+  // add default shared library path /usr/local/lib if not already persent
+  const char *dsp = gSystem->GetDynamicPath();
+  if (strstr(dsp, "/usr/local/lib") == nullptr)
+    gSystem->AddDynamicPath("/usr/local/lib");
+
+  // check syntax (root related)
+  if (argc == 2) {
+    if (!strcmp(argv[1], "--show-dynamic-path")) {
+      std::cout << std::endl << "musrfit: internal dynamic search paths for shared libraries/root dictionaries:";
+      std::cout << std::endl << "  '" << gSystem->GetDynamicPath() << "'" << std::endl << std::endl;
+      return PMUSR_SUCCESS;
+    }
+  }
+
   strcpy(filename, "");
   for (int i=1; i<argc; i++) {
     if (strstr(argv[i], ".msr")) {