diff --git a/Lib/profile.py b/Lib/profile.py
index 27d68ba4838..3af84278bf2 100755
--- a/Lib/profile.py
+++ b/Lib/profile.py
@@ -605,9 +605,9 @@ def main():
         sys.exit(2)
 
     (options, args) = parser.parse_args()
-    sys.argv[:] = args
 
-    if (len(sys.argv) > 0):
+    if (len(args) > 0):
+        sys.argv[:] = args
         sys.path.insert(0, os.path.dirname(sys.argv[0]))
         run('execfile(%r)' % (sys.argv[0],), options.outfile, options.sort)
     else:
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS b/Misc/NEWS
index 734bddf001b..555d96ea8f3 100644
--- a/Misc/NEWS
+++ b/Misc/NEWS
@@ -366,6 +366,8 @@ Core and Builtins
 Library
 -------
 
+- Issue #6635: Fix profiler printing usage message.
+
 - Issue #6856: Add a filter keyword argument to TarFile.add().
 
 - Issue #6163: Fixed HP-UX runtime library dir options in