diff --git a/README b/README
index 13b2d9e3..63e004fc 100644
--- a/README
+++ b/README
@@ -11,10 +11,13 @@ find your unzipped Maven install directory.
 Now try running one of the example apps:
 
   cd examples
-  mvn exec:java -Dexec.mainClass=com.google.bitcoin.examples.ForwardingService <insert a bitcoin address here>
+  mvn exec:java -Dexec.mainClass=com.google.bitcoin.examples.ForwardingService -Dexec.args="<insert a bitcoin address here>"
 
 It will download the block chain and eventually print a Bitcoin address. If you send coins to it,
-it will forward them on to the address you specified.
+it will forward them on to the address you specified. Note that this example app does not use
+checkpointing, so the initial chain sync will be pretty slow. You can make an app that starts up and
+does the initial sync much faster by including a checkpoints file; see the documentation for
+more info on this.
 
 Now you are ready to follow the tutorial:
 
diff --git a/examples/src/main/java/com/google/bitcoin/examples/ForwardingService.java b/examples/src/main/java/com/google/bitcoin/examples/ForwardingService.java
index 065b0f2c..8fadab7c 100644
--- a/examples/src/main/java/com/google/bitcoin/examples/ForwardingService.java
+++ b/examples/src/main/java/com/google/bitcoin/examples/ForwardingService.java
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ public class ForwardingService {
     public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception {
         // This line makes the log output more compact and easily read, especially when using the JDK log adapter.
         BriefLogFormatter.init();
-        if (args.length < 2) {
+        if (args.length < 1) {
             System.err.println("Usage: address-to-send-back-to [regtest|testnet]");
             return;
         }
@@ -51,10 +51,10 @@ public class ForwardingService {
         // Figure out which network we should connect to. Each one gets its own set of files.
         NetworkParameters params;
         String filePrefix;
-        if (args[1].equals("testnet")) {
+        if (args.length > 1 && args[1].equals("testnet")) {
             params = TestNet3Params.get();
             filePrefix = "forwarding-service-testnet";
-        } else if (args[1].equals("regtest")) {
+        } else if (args.length > 1 && args[1].equals("regtest")) {
             params = RegTestParams.get();
             filePrefix = "forwarding-service-regtest";
         } else {