diff --git a/ape/loader.c b/ape/loader.c
index 45794d1eb..aa40b6262 100644
--- a/ape/loader.c
+++ b/ape/loader.c
@@ -999,7 +999,7 @@ EXTERN_C __attribute__((__noreturn__)) void ApeLoader(long di, long *sp,
       pagesz = ap[1];
     } else if (SupportsNetbsd() && !os && ap[0] == AT_EXECFN_NETBSD) {
       os = NETBSD;
-    } else if (ap[0] == AT_FLAGS) {
+    } else if (!flags && ap[0] == AT_FLAGS) {
       // TODO(mrdomino): does anyone use auxv 8 for anything else?
       flags = ap;
       arg0 = !!(ap[1] & AT_FLAGS_PRESERVE_ARGV0);