diff --git a/ar.c b/ar.c
index 2a764ff5e..7f3396c8c 100644
--- a/ar.c
+++ b/ar.c
@@ -70,17 +70,17 @@ extern int ar_main(int argc, char **argv)
 
 	/* check ar magic */
 	fread(ar_magic, 1, 8, src_stream);
+	archive_offset = 8;
 	if (strncmp(ar_magic,"!<arch>",7) != 0) {
 		error_msg_and_die("invalid magic");
 	}
-	archive_offset = 8;
 
-	extract_names = malloc(sizeof(char *));
-	extract_names[0] = NULL;
+	/* Create a list of files to extract */
 	while (optind < argc) {
+		extract_names = xrealloc(extract_names, sizeof(char *) * (num_of_entries + 2));
+		extract_names[num_of_entries] = xstrdup(argv[optind]);
 		num_of_entries++;
-		*extract_names = realloc(*extract_names, num_of_entries);
-		extract_names[num_of_entries - 1] = xstrdup(argv[optind]);
+		extract_names[num_of_entries] = NULL;
 		optind++;
 	}
 
diff --git a/archival/ar.c b/archival/ar.c
index 2a764ff5e..7f3396c8c 100644
--- a/archival/ar.c
+++ b/archival/ar.c
@@ -70,17 +70,17 @@ extern int ar_main(int argc, char **argv)
 
 	/* check ar magic */
 	fread(ar_magic, 1, 8, src_stream);
+	archive_offset = 8;
 	if (strncmp(ar_magic,"!<arch>",7) != 0) {
 		error_msg_and_die("invalid magic");
 	}
-	archive_offset = 8;
 
-	extract_names = malloc(sizeof(char *));
-	extract_names[0] = NULL;
+	/* Create a list of files to extract */
 	while (optind < argc) {
+		extract_names = xrealloc(extract_names, sizeof(char *) * (num_of_entries + 2));
+		extract_names[num_of_entries] = xstrdup(argv[optind]);
 		num_of_entries++;
-		*extract_names = realloc(*extract_names, num_of_entries);
-		extract_names[num_of_entries - 1] = xstrdup(argv[optind]);
+		extract_names[num_of_entries] = NULL;
 		optind++;
 	}
 
diff --git a/archival/cpio.c b/archival/cpio.c
index 12a4340bd..7f68715eb 100644
--- a/archival/cpio.c
+++ b/archival/cpio.c
@@ -68,25 +68,28 @@ extern int cpio_main(int argc, char **argv)
 		}
 	}
 
-	if (extract_function & extract_all_to_fs && extract_function & extract_list) {
+	if ((extract_function & extract_all_to_fs) && (extract_function & extract_list)) {
 		extract_function ^= extract_all_to_fs; /* If specify t, don't extract*/
 	}
 
-	if (extract_function & extract_all_to_fs && extract_function & extract_verbose_list) { /* The meaning of v changes on extract */
+	if ((extract_function & extract_all_to_fs) && (extract_function & extract_verbose_list)) {
+		/* The meaning of v changes on extract */
 		extract_function ^= extract_verbose_list;
 		extract_function |= extract_list;
 	}
 
-	extract_names = malloc(4);
 	while (optind < argc) {
+		extract_names = xrealloc(extract_names, sizeof(char *) * (num_of_entries + 2));
+		extract_names[num_of_entries] = xstrdup(argv[optind]);
 		num_of_entries++;
-		*extract_names = realloc(*extract_names, num_of_entries);
-		extract_names[num_of_entries - 1] = xstrdup(argv[optind]);
+		extract_names[num_of_entries] = NULL;
 		optind++;
 	}
 
 	unarchive(src_stream, stdout, &get_header_cpio, extract_function, "./", extract_names);
-	if (oldmask) umask(oldmask); /* Restore umask if we changed it */
+	if (oldmask) {
+		umask(oldmask); /* Restore umask if we changed it */
+	}
 	return EXIT_SUCCESS;
 }
 
diff --git a/cpio.c b/cpio.c
index 12a4340bd..7f68715eb 100644
--- a/cpio.c
+++ b/cpio.c
@@ -68,25 +68,28 @@ extern int cpio_main(int argc, char **argv)
 		}
 	}
 
-	if (extract_function & extract_all_to_fs && extract_function & extract_list) {
+	if ((extract_function & extract_all_to_fs) && (extract_function & extract_list)) {
 		extract_function ^= extract_all_to_fs; /* If specify t, don't extract*/
 	}
 
-	if (extract_function & extract_all_to_fs && extract_function & extract_verbose_list) { /* The meaning of v changes on extract */
+	if ((extract_function & extract_all_to_fs) && (extract_function & extract_verbose_list)) {
+		/* The meaning of v changes on extract */
 		extract_function ^= extract_verbose_list;
 		extract_function |= extract_list;
 	}
 
-	extract_names = malloc(4);
 	while (optind < argc) {
+		extract_names = xrealloc(extract_names, sizeof(char *) * (num_of_entries + 2));
+		extract_names[num_of_entries] = xstrdup(argv[optind]);
 		num_of_entries++;
-		*extract_names = realloc(*extract_names, num_of_entries);
-		extract_names[num_of_entries - 1] = xstrdup(argv[optind]);
+		extract_names[num_of_entries] = NULL;
 		optind++;
 	}
 
 	unarchive(src_stream, stdout, &get_header_cpio, extract_function, "./", extract_names);
-	if (oldmask) umask(oldmask); /* Restore umask if we changed it */
+	if (oldmask) {
+		umask(oldmask); /* Restore umask if we changed it */
+	}
 	return EXIT_SUCCESS;
 }
 
diff --git a/libbb/unarchive.c b/libbb/unarchive.c
index d10e60cbb..78260d2d6 100644
--- a/libbb/unarchive.c
+++ b/libbb/unarchive.c
@@ -232,25 +232,24 @@ char *unarchive(FILE *src_stream, FILE *out_stream, file_header_t *(*get_headers
 	int i;
 	char *buffer = NULL;
 
-	if (extract_names == NULL) {
-		return(NULL);
-	}
 	archive_offset = 0;
 	while ((file_entry = get_headers(src_stream)) != NULL) {
 		found = FALSE;
-		if (extract_names[0] != NULL) {
+		if (extract_names == NULL) {
+			found = TRUE;
+		} else {
 			for(i = 0; extract_names[i] != 0; i++) {
 				if (strcmp(extract_names[i], file_entry->name) == 0) {
 					found = TRUE;
 				}
 			}
-			if (!found) {
-				/* seek past the data entry */
-				seek_sub_file(src_stream, file_entry->size);
-				continue;
-			}
 		}
-		buffer = extract_archive(src_stream, out_stream, file_entry, extract_function, prefix);
+		if (found) {
+			buffer = extract_archive(src_stream, out_stream, file_entry, extract_function, prefix);
+		} else {
+			/* seek past the data entry */
+			seek_sub_file(src_stream, file_entry->size);
+		}
 	}
 	return(buffer);
 }
@@ -544,17 +543,14 @@ char *deb_extract(const char *package_filename, FILE *out_stream,
 	FILE *deb_stream;
 	FILE *uncompressed_stream = NULL;
 	file_header_t *ar_header = NULL;
+	char **file_list = NULL;
 	char *output_buffer = NULL;
 	char *ared_file = NULL;
 	char ar_magic[8];
-	char **file_list;
 	int gunzip_pid;
 
-	if (filename == NULL) {
-		file_list = xmalloc(sizeof(char *));
-		file_list[0] = NULL;
-	} else {
-		file_list = xmalloc(sizeof(char *) * 3);
+	if (filename != NULL) {
+		file_list = xmalloc(sizeof(char *) * 2);
 		file_list[0] = xstrdup(filename);
 		file_list[1] = NULL;
 	}