diff --git a/barf.sh b/barf.sh
index a71b933..ceb1f27 100755
--- a/barf.sh
+++ b/barf.sh
@@ -19,6 +19,32 @@ BARFPATH="$(dirname $(realpath $0))/src"
 CHUNKSIZE=1
 PERSISTENT="False"
 
+# show the help and exit
+function show_help {
+	echo "Usage: ./barf.sh <options ...> ./path/to/your/binary"
+	echo ""
+	echo "    BASIC OPTIONS"
+	echo "		-p | --positive-addr 0x123456	a location to be counted as good hit"
+	echo "		-n | --negative-addr 0x234567	a location to be counted as bad hit"
+	echo "		-w | --win-addr      0x345678	a location reached if your input is correct"
+	echo "		-l | --lose-addr     0x456789	a location reached if your input is incorrect"
+	echo ""
+	echo "    PERSISTENT MODE OPTIONS"
+	echo "		-x | --persistent		enable the experimental (!) persistent mode"
+	echo "		-s | --start-addr    0x56789A	a location directly after your input is fed into the target"
+	echo "		-e | --end-addr	     0x6789AB	a location where the to-be-fuzzed logic is done"
+	echo "		--buff-addr          0x789ABC	the location where user input is stored"
+	echo ""
+	echo "    MISC OPTIONS"
+	echo "		-b | --prefix        CTF{	a known prefix, e.g. the prefix of your flag"
+	echo "		-a | --suffix        }		a known suffix, e.g. the suffix of your flag"
+	echo "		-c | --chunksize     2		amount of characters to try at once (default: 1)"
+	echo "		-h | --help			a great and useful help message, you should try it!"
+	echo ""
+	echo "See https://github.com/maride/barf for more information and examples!"
+	exit 1
+}
+
 # getopt is kind-of unstable across distributions and versions, so we implement it on our own
 # hat-tip to https://stackoverflow.com/questions/192249/how-do-i-parse-command-line-arguments-in-bash
 while [[ $# -gt 0 ]]; do
@@ -80,16 +106,22 @@ while [[ $# -gt 0 ]]; do
 	esac
 done
 
+# see if the user needs our help
+if [ "$SHOWHELP" == 1 ]; then
+	show_help
+fi
+
 # check if we have all arguments we need
 if [ "$POSITIVEADDR" == "" ] && [ "$NEGATIVEADDR" == "" ] || [ "$TARGETFILE" == "" ] ; then
 	# nope, missing some args
-	SHOWHELP=1
+	echo "Missing -p and -n or a target"
+	show_help
 fi
 
 # check if the arguments are valid
 if [ ! "$TARGETFILE" == "" ] && [ ! -e "$TARGETFILE" ]; then
 	echo "The file $TARGETFILE does not exist."
-	SHOWHELP=1
+	show_help
 fi
 
 # check if the persistent mode can be used
@@ -99,34 +131,7 @@ if [[ "$PERSISTENT" == "1" && ("$STARTADDR" == "" || "$ENDADDR" == "" || "$BUFFA
 	echo "Set --start-addr to an address before your input reaches the program (e.g. before fgets())"
 	echo "Set --end-addr to an address after the program has checked if the input is good or not (e.g. somewhere after gets('Yay!') and gets('Nay!'))"
 	echo "Set --buffer-addr to the address where user input is stored (e.g. the address of b in case of fgets(b, 16, stdin)"
-	SHOWHELP=1
-fi
-
-
-# see if the user needs our help
-if [ "$SHOWHELP" == 1 ]; then
-	echo "Usage: ./barf.sh <options ...> ./path/to/your/binary"
-	echo ""
-	echo "    BASIC OPTIONS"
-	echo "		-p | --positive-addr 0x123456	a location to be counted as good hit"
-	echo "		-n | --negative-addr 0x234567	a location to be counted as bad hit"
-	echo "		-w | --win-addr      0x345678	a location reached if your input is correct"
-	echo "		-l | --lose-addr     0x456789	a location reached if your input is incorrect"
-	echo ""
-	echo "    PERSISTENT MODE OPTIONS"
-	echo "		-x | --persistent		enable the experimental (!) persistent mode"
-	echo "		-s | --start-addr    0x56789A	a location directly after your input is fed into the target"
-	echo "		-e | --end-addr	     0x6789AB	a location where the to-be-fuzzed logic is done"
-	echo "		--buff-addr          0x789ABC	the location where user input is stored"
-	echo ""
-	echo "    MISC OPTIONS"
-	echo "		-b | --prefix        CTF{	a known prefix, e.g. the prefix of your flag"
-	echo "		-a | --suffix        }		a known suffix, e.g. the suffix of your flag"
-	echo "		-c | --chunksize     2		amount of characters to try at once (default: 1)"
-	echo "		-h | --help			a great and useful help message, you should try it!"
-	echo ""
-	echo "See https://github.com/maride/barf for more information and examples!"
-	exit 1
+	show_help
 fi
 
 # ready for take-off