diff --git a/cmd/tailscale/cli/cli.go b/cmd/tailscale/cli/cli.go
index a73fc71a1..fa76ba33e 100644
--- a/cmd/tailscale/cli/cli.go
+++ b/cmd/tailscale/cli/cli.go
@@ -129,6 +129,8 @@ func CleanUpArgs(args []string) []string {
 
 // Run runs the CLI. The args do not include the binary name.
 func Run(args []string) (err error) {
+	args = CleanUpArgs(args)
+
 	if len(args) == 1 && (args[0] == "-V" || args[0] == "--version") {
 		args = []string{"version"}
 	}
diff --git a/cmd/tailscale/tailscale.go b/cmd/tailscale/tailscale.go
index f5b254fe9..c69c86f64 100644
--- a/cmd/tailscale/tailscale.go
+++ b/cmd/tailscale/tailscale.go
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@
 
 func main() {
 	args := os.Args[1:]
-	args = cli.CleanUpArgs(args)
 	if name, _ := os.Executable(); strings.HasSuffix(filepath.Base(name), ".cgi") {
 		args = []string{"web", "-cgi"}
 	}