diff --git a/src/initctl.c b/src/initctl.c
index b6bcaf9fc6ecee159bd6818005167b67dfd0a766..3de7fcd42e89242b6dd1de24161bc6e91396ccde 100644
--- a/src/initctl.c
+++ b/src/initctl.c
@@ -336,6 +336,16 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
         Server server;
         int r = 3, n;
 
+        if (getppid() != 1) {
+                log_error("This program should be invoked by init only.");
+                return 1;
+        }
+
+        if (argc > 1) {
+                log_error("This program does not take arguments.");
+                return 1;
+        }
+
         log_set_target(LOG_TARGET_SYSLOG_OR_KMSG);
         log_parse_environment();
 
diff --git a/src/logger.c b/src/logger.c
index 66f6f8c2e5b3f71da5be1328abd91775d2ce841b..cc394df55c37e342c67f07082f6b0523371e184d 100644
--- a/src/logger.c
+++ b/src/logger.c
@@ -535,6 +535,16 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
         Server server;
         int r = 3, n;
 
+        if (getppid() != 1) {
+                log_error("This program should be invoked by init only.");
+                return 1;
+        }
+
+        if (argc > 1) {
+                log_error("This program does not take arguments.");
+                return 1;
+        }
+
         log_set_target(LOG_TARGET_SYSLOG_OR_KMSG);
         log_parse_environment();