diff --git a/Tools/StarletBootstrapProbe/StarletBootstrapProbe.cpp b/Tools/StarletBootstrapProbe/StarletBootstrapProbe.cpp
index 8e3494e894..317ab046f5 100644
--- a/Tools/StarletBootstrapProbe/StarletBootstrapProbe.cpp
+++ b/Tools/StarletBootstrapProbe/StarletBootstrapProbe.cpp
@@ -423,8 +423,15 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv)
   SBR1Mode sbr1 = SBR1Mode::None;
   ExpectedOutcome expected = ExpectedOutcome::Idle;
   bool outcome_selected = false;
-  std::optional<std::string_view> cycles_text;
+  std::optional<u64> cycles;
   bool broadway_h1a = false;
+  // --cycles' bound: MAX_CYCLES, or MAX_CLIENT_CYCLES when --broadway-h1a is among the options
+  // (ProbeBudget.h), known before they are read so that --cycles is read where it stands.
+  const auto is_client = [](const char* argument) {
+    return std::string_view(argument) == "--broadway-h1a";
+  };
+  const u64 max_cycles =
+      std::any_of(argv + 2, argv + argc, is_client) ? MAX_CLIENT_CYCLES : MAX_CYCLES;
   std::optional<std::string> package_path;
   std::optional<std::string> script_path;
   for (int index = 2; index < argc; ++index)
@@ -462,13 +469,14 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv)
     }
     else if (option == "--cycles")
     {
-      // Given once; read below, once the mode, which bounds it, is known.
-      if (cycles_text || index + 1 == argc)
+      // A whole number of slices, at most max_cycles (ProbeBudget.h); given once.
+      if (cycles || index + 1 == argc || !(cycles = ParseCycles(argv[index + 1], max_cycles)))
       {
-        std::cerr << "--cycles takes one decimal multiple of " << SLICE_CYCLES << ", once\n";
+        std::cerr << "--cycles takes one decimal multiple of " << SLICE_CYCLES << ", at most "
+                  << max_cycles << ", once\n";
         return 2;
       }
-      cycles_text = argv[++index];
+      ++index;
     }
     else if (option == "--jit")
       jit = true;
@@ -516,16 +524,6 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv)
     std::cerr << "--broadway-h1a takes --sbr1-record: the loader's monitor reads the record\n";
     return 2;
   }
-  // A whole number of slices, at most MAX_CYCLES, or MAX_CLIENT_CYCLES with the client
-  // (ProbeBudget.h).
-  const u64 max_cycles = broadway_h1a ? MAX_CLIENT_CYCLES : MAX_CYCLES;
-  std::optional<u64> cycles;
-  if (cycles_text && !(cycles = ParseCycles(*cycles_text, max_cycles)))
-  {
-    std::cerr << "--cycles takes one decimal multiple of " << SLICE_CYCLES << ", at most "
-              << max_cycles << ", once\n";
-    return 2;
-  }
 
   // The package file read and checked before anything is set up: a refused file ends the run
   // before StarOS starts.