diff --git a/bin/ps/ps.c b/bin/ps/ps.c
--- a/bin/ps/ps.c
+++ b/bin/ps/ps.c
@@ -253,11 +253,9 @@
 			 * added for compatibility with SUSv3, but for
 			 * now it will not be described in the man page.
 			 */
-			nselectors++;
 			all = xkeep = 1;
 			break;
 		case 'a':
-			nselectors++;
 			all = 1;
 			break;
 		case 'C':
@@ -473,7 +471,7 @@
 	if (!_fmt)
 		parsefmt(dfmt, 0);
 
-	if (nselectors == 0) {
+	if (!all && nselectors == 0) {
 		uidlist.l.ptr = malloc(sizeof(uid_t));
 		if (uidlist.l.ptr == NULL)
 			xo_errx(1, "malloc failed");
@@ -526,9 +524,6 @@
 			what = KERN_PROC_UID | showthreads;
 			flag = *uidlist.l.uids;
 			nselectors = 0;
-		} else if (all) {
-			/* No need for this routine to select processes. */
-			nselectors = 0;
 		}
 	}