diff --git a/usr.bin/renice/renice.c b/usr.bin/renice/renice.c
index fd442b425897..890d7043ebbd 100644
--- a/usr.bin/renice/renice.c
+++ b/usr.bin/renice/renice.c
@@ -1,191 +1,194 @@
 /*-
  * SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-3-Clause
  *
  * Copyright (c) 1983, 1989, 1993
  *	The Regents of the University of California.  All rights reserved.
  *
  * Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
  * modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions
  * are met:
  * 1. Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
  *    notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
  * 2. Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright
  *    notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the
  *    documentation and/or other materials provided with the distribution.
  * 3. Neither the name of the University nor the names of its contributors
  *    may be used to endorse or promote products derived from this software
  *    without specific prior written permission.
  *
  * THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE REGENTS AND CONTRIBUTORS ``AS IS'' AND
  * ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE
  * IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE
  * ARE DISCLAIMED.  IN NO EVENT SHALL THE REGENTS OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE
  * FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL
  * DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS
  * OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION)
  * HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT
  * LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY
  * OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF
  * SUCH DAMAGE.
  */
 
 #ifndef lint
 static const char copyright[] =
 "@(#) Copyright (c) 1983, 1989, 1993\n\
 	The Regents of the University of California.  All rights reserved.\n";
 #endif /* not lint */
 
 #if 0
 #ifndef lint
 static char sccsid[] = "@(#)renice.c	8.1 (Berkeley) 6/9/93";
 #endif /* not lint */
 #endif
 
 #include <sys/cdefs.h>
 __FBSDID("$FreeBSD$");
 
 #include <sys/types.h>
 #include <sys/time.h>
 #include <sys/resource.h>
 
 #include <err.h>
 #include <errno.h>
 #include <limits.h>
 #include <pwd.h>
+#include <stdbool.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <string.h>
 
-static int	donice(int, int, int, int);
+static int	donice(int, int, int, bool);
 static int	getnum(const char *, const char *, int *);
 static void	usage(void);
 
 /*
  * Change the priority (nice) of processes
  * or groups of processes which are already
  * running.
  */
 int
 main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
 	struct passwd *pwd;
-	int delim, errs, incr, prio, which, who;
+	bool havedelim = false, haveprio = false, incr = false;
+	int errs = 0, prio = 0, who = 0, which = PRIO_PROCESS;
 
-	delim = 0;
-	errs = 0;
-	incr = 0;
-	which = PRIO_PROCESS;
-	who = 0;
-	argc--, argv++;
-	if (argc < 2)
-		usage();
-	if (strcmp(*argv, "-n") == 0) {
-		incr = 1;
-		argc--, argv++;
-		if (argc < 2)
-			usage();
-	}
-	if (getnum("priority", *argv, &prio))
-		return (1);
-	argc--, argv++;
-	for (; argc > 0; argc--, argv++) {
-		if (!delim) {
+	for (argc--, argv++; argc > 0; argc--, argv++) {
+		if (!havedelim) {
+			/* can occur at any time prior to delimiter */
 			if (strcmp(*argv, "-g") == 0) {
 				which = PRIO_PGRP;
 				continue;
 			}
 			if (strcmp(*argv, "-u") == 0) {
 				which = PRIO_USER;
 				continue;
 			}
 			if (strcmp(*argv, "-p") == 0) {
 				which = PRIO_PROCESS;
 				continue;
 			}
 			if (strcmp(*argv, "--") == 0) {
-				delim = 1;
+				havedelim = true;
 				continue;
 			}
+			if (strcmp(*argv, "-n") == 0) {
+				/* may occur only once, prior to priority */
+				if (haveprio || incr)
+					usage();
+				incr = true;
+				(void)argc--, argv++;
+				/* fall through to priority */
+			}
+		}
+		if (!haveprio) {
+			/* must occur exactly once, prior to target */
+			if (getnum("priority", *argv, &prio))
+				return (1);
+			haveprio = true;
+			continue;
 		}
 		if (which == PRIO_USER) {
 			if ((pwd = getpwnam(*argv)) != NULL)
 				who = pwd->pw_uid;
 			else if (getnum("uid", *argv, &who)) {
 				errs++;
 				continue;
 			} else if (who < 0) {
 				warnx("%s: bad value", *argv);
 				errs++;
 				continue;
 			}
 		} else {
 			if (getnum("pid", *argv, &who)) {
 				errs++;
 				continue;
 			}
 			if (who < 0) {
 				warnx("%s: bad value", *argv);
 				errs++;
 				continue;
 			}
 		}
 		errs += donice(which, who, prio, incr);
 	}
+	if (!haveprio)
+		usage();
 	exit(errs != 0);
 }
 
 static int
-donice(int which, int who, int prio, int incr)
+donice(int which, int who, int prio, bool incr)
 {
 	int oldprio;
 
 	errno = 0;
 	oldprio = getpriority(which, who);
 	if (oldprio == -1 && errno) {
 		warn("%d: getpriority", who);
 		return (1);
 	}
 	if (incr)
 		prio = oldprio + prio;
 	if (prio > PRIO_MAX)
 		prio = PRIO_MAX;
 	if (prio < PRIO_MIN)
 		prio = PRIO_MIN;
 	if (setpriority(which, who, prio) < 0) {
 		warn("%d: setpriority", who);
 		return (1);
 	}
 	fprintf(stderr, "%d: old priority %d, new priority %d\n", who,
 	    oldprio, prio);
 	return (0);
 }
 
 static int
 getnum(const char *com, const char *str, int *val)
 {
 	long v;
 	char *ep;
 
 	errno = 0;
 	v = strtol(str, &ep, 10);
 	if (v < INT_MIN || v > INT_MAX || errno == ERANGE) {
 		warnx("%s argument %s is out of range.", com, str);
 		return (1);
 	}
 	if (ep == str || *ep != '\0' || errno != 0) {
-		warnx("Bad %s argument: %s.", com, str);
+		warnx("%s argument %s is invalid.", com, str);
 		return (1);
 	}
 
 	*val = (int)v;
 	return (0);
 }
 
 static void
 usage(void)
 {
 	fprintf(stderr, "%s\n%s\n",
 "usage: renice priority [[-p] pid ...] [[-g] pgrp ...] [[-u] user ...]",
 "       renice -n increment [[-p] pid ...] [[-g] pgrp ...] [[-u] user ...]");
 	exit(1);
 }