diff --git a/tsv/tsvhead b/tsv/tsvhead
index c40df35..368b94f 100755
--- a/tsv/tsvhead
+++ b/tsv/tsvhead
@@ -43,8 +43,11 @@ Simple implementation of head that keeps the header row.
                      help="File(s) to be headed")
     opts=parser.parse_args()
     if not opts.lines:
-        int(opts.file[0])
-        opts.lines=int(opts.file.pop(0))
+        try:
+            int(opts.file[0])
+            opts.lines=int(opts.file.pop(0))
+        except:
+            pass
     if not opts.lines:
         opts.lines=10
     return opts
diff --git a/tsv/tsvtail b/tsv/tsvtail
index 7c2f478..b822838 100755
--- a/tsv/tsvtail
+++ b/tsv/tsvtail
@@ -43,8 +43,11 @@ simple implementation of tail, keeping the header row
                      help="File(s) to be headed")
     opts=parser.parse_args()
     if not opts.lines:
-        int(opts.file[0])
-        opts.lines=opts.file.pop(0)
+        try:
+            int(opts.file[0])
+            opts.lines=opts.file.pop(0)
+        except:
+            pass
     if not opts.lines:
         opts.lines="10"
     if opts.lines.startswith("+"):