diff -up rcs-5.9.0/src/rlog.c.fix_locks rcs-5.9.0/src/rlog.c
--- rcs-5.9.0/src/rlog.c.fix_locks	2019-04-24 18:24:50.631189377 +0200
+++ rcs-5.9.0/src/rlog.c	2019-04-24 18:25:03.060364074 +0200
@@ -894,7 +894,6 @@ rlog_main (const char *cmd, int argc, ch
         repo_filename = REPO (filename);
         tip = REPO (tip);
         defbr = GROK (branch);
-        locks = GROK (locks);
         strictly_locking = BE (strictly_locking);
         kws = BE (kws);
 
@@ -902,6 +901,8 @@ rlog_main (const char *cmd, int argc, ch
         if (lockflag)
           trunclocks (&criteria);
 
+        locks = GROK (locks);
+
         /* Do nothing if ‘-L’ is given and there are no locks.  */
         if (onlylockflag && !locks)
           continue;