diff --git a/src/frontends/qt3/lyx_gui.C b/src/frontends/qt3/lyx_gui.C
index b0930f3da1..83ff15f0ea 100644
--- a/src/frontends/qt3/lyx_gui.C
+++ b/src/frontends/qt3/lyx_gui.C
@@ -247,7 +247,7 @@ void start(string const & batch, vector<string> const & files,
 
 	view.init();
 
-	if (width != -1 && height != -1) {
+	if (width != 0 && height != 0) {
 		view.initFloatingGeometry(QRect(posx, posy, width, height));
 		view.resize(width, height);
 		if (posx != -1 && posy != -1)
diff --git a/src/frontends/qt4/lyx_gui.C b/src/frontends/qt4/lyx_gui.C
index 9c74df9a56..1769554950 100644
--- a/src/frontends/qt4/lyx_gui.C
+++ b/src/frontends/qt4/lyx_gui.C
@@ -211,7 +211,7 @@ void start(string const & batch, vector<string> const & files,
 	view.init();
 		
 	// only true when the -geometry option was NOT used
-	if (width != -1 && height != -1) {
+	if (width != 0 && height != 0) {
 		if (posx != -1 && posy != -1) {
 #ifdef Q_OS_WIN32
 			// FIXME: use only setGeoemtry when Trolltech has
diff --git a/src/lyx_main.C b/src/lyx_main.C
index cd9d079844..ab48c7aa67 100644
--- a/src/lyx_main.C
+++ b/src/lyx_main.C
@@ -337,8 +337,8 @@ void LyX::exec2(int & argc, char * argv[])
 		}
 
 		if (geometryOption_) {
-			width = -1;
-			height = -1;
+			width = 0;
+			height = 0;
 		}
 
 		lyx_gui::start(batch_command, files, width, height, posx, posy, maximize);