diff --git a/coreutils/head.c b/coreutils/head.c
index 628dae5ea..eb0dcf212 100644
--- a/coreutils/head.c
+++ b/coreutils/head.c
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ int head_main(int argc, char **argv)
 #endif
 			case 'n':
 				p = optarg;
-#if ENABLE_FEATURE_FANCY_HEAD
+#if defined CONFIG_FEATURE_SUSv2 || ENABLE_FEATURE_FANCY_HEAD
 			GET_COUNT:
 #endif
 				count = bb_xgetularg10(p);
diff --git a/coreutils/tail.c b/coreutils/tail.c
index bda8ae04f..49c00f3c9 100644
--- a/coreutils/tail.c
+++ b/coreutils/tail.c
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ int tail_main(int argc, char **argv)
 	char *s, *buf;
 	const char *fmt;
 
-#ifdef CONFIG_FEATURE_SUSv2
+#if defined CONFIG_FEATURE_SUSv2 || ENABLE_FEATURE_FANCY_TAIL
 	/* Allow legacy syntax of an initial numeric option without -n. */
 	if (argc >=2 && ((argv[1][0] == '+') || ((argv[1][0] == '-')
 			/* && (isdigit)(argv[1][1]) */
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ int tail_main(int argc, char **argv)
 				count_bytes = 1;
 				/* FALLS THROUGH */
 			case 'n':
-#if ENABLE_FEATURE_FANCY_TAIL
+#if defined CONFIG_FEATURE_SUSv2 || ENABLE_FEATURE_FANCY_TAIL
 			GET_COUNT:
 #endif
 				count = bb_xgetlarg10_sfx(optarg, tail_suffixes);