diff --git a/src/aod_sketch_pg_functions.c b/src/aod_sketch_pg_functions.c
index a1f0673..d3d27cc 100644
--- a/src/aod_sketch_pg_functions.c
+++ b/src/aod_sketch_pg_functions.c
@@ -173,8 +173,7 @@
 
   bytes_in = PG_GETARG_BYTEA_P(0);
   sketchptr = aod_sketch_deserialize(VARDATA(bytes_in), VARSIZE(bytes_in) - VARHDRSZ);
-  num_std_devs = PG_GETARG_INT32(1);
-  if (num_std_devs == 0) num_std_devs = 1; // default
+  num_std_devs = PG_NARGS() > 1 ? PG_GETARG_INT32(1) : 1;
   est_and_bounds = (Datum*) aod_sketch_get_estimate_and_bounds(sketchptr, num_std_devs);
   compact_aod_sketch_delete(sketchptr);
 
@@ -190,11 +189,7 @@
   bool print_entries;
   char* str;
   bytes_in = PG_GETARG_BYTEA_P(0);
-  if (PG_NARGS() > 1) {
-    print_entries = PG_GETARG_BOOL(1);
-  } else {
-    print_entries = false;
-  }
+  print_entries = PG_NARGS() > 1 ? PG_GETARG_BOOL(1) : false;
   sketchptr = aod_sketch_deserialize(VARDATA(bytes_in), VARSIZE(bytes_in) - VARHDRSZ);
   str = aod_sketch_to_string(sketchptr, print_entries);
   compact_aod_sketch_delete(sketchptr);
@@ -390,9 +385,8 @@
   int num_values;
   int lg_k;
   
-  num_values = PG_GETARG_INT32(2);
-  if (num_values == 0) num_values = 1;
-  lg_k = PG_GETARG_INT32(3);
+  num_values = PG_NARGS() > 2 ? PG_GETARG_INT32(2) : 1;
+  lg_k = PG_NARGS() > 3 ? PG_GETARG_INT32(3) : 0;
   unionptr = lg_k ? aod_union_new_lgk(num_values, lg_k) : aod_union_new(num_values);
   if (!PG_ARGISNULL(0)) {
     bytes_in1 = PG_GETARG_BYTEA_P(0);
@@ -424,8 +418,7 @@
   struct ptr_with_size bytes_out;
   int num_values;
   
-  num_values = PG_GETARG_INT32(2);
-  if (num_values == 0) num_values = 1;
+  num_values = PG_NARGS() > 2 ? PG_GETARG_INT32(2) : 1;
   interptr = aod_intersection_new(num_values);
   if (!PG_ARGISNULL(0)) {
     bytes_in1 = PG_GETARG_BYTEA_P(0);
diff --git a/src/cpc_sketch_pg_functions.c b/src/cpc_sketch_pg_functions.c
index 00a521e..2d0d626 100644
--- a/src/cpc_sketch_pg_functions.c
+++ b/src/cpc_sketch_pg_functions.c
@@ -129,8 +129,7 @@
 
   bytes_in = PG_GETARG_BYTEA_P(0);
   sketchptr = cpc_sketch_deserialize(VARDATA(bytes_in), VARSIZE(bytes_in) - VARHDRSZ);
-  num_std_devs = PG_GETARG_INT32(1);
-  if (num_std_devs == 0) num_std_devs = 1; // default
+  num_std_devs = PG_NARGS() > 1 ? PG_GETARG_INT32(1) : 1;
   est_and_bounds = (Datum*) cpc_sketch_get_estimate_and_bounds(sketchptr, num_std_devs);
   cpc_sketch_delete(sketchptr);
 
@@ -272,8 +271,8 @@
   struct ptr_with_size bytes_out;
   int lg_k;
 
-  lg_k = PG_GETARG_INT32(2);
-  unionptr = cpc_union_new(lg_k ? lg_k : CPC_DEFAULT_LG_K);
+  lg_k = PG_NARGS() > 2 ? PG_GETARG_INT32(2) : CPC_DEFAULT_LG_K;
+  unionptr = cpc_union_new(lg_k);
   if (!PG_ARGISNULL(0)) {
     bytes_in1 = PG_GETARG_BYTEA_P(0);
     sketchptr1 = cpc_sketch_deserialize(VARDATA(bytes_in1), VARSIZE(bytes_in1) - VARHDRSZ);
diff --git a/src/hll_sketch_pg_functions.c b/src/hll_sketch_pg_functions.c
index 4de4b68..743cced 100644
--- a/src/hll_sketch_pg_functions.c
+++ b/src/hll_sketch_pg_functions.c
@@ -138,8 +138,7 @@
 
   bytes_in = PG_GETARG_BYTEA_P(0);
   sketchptr = hll_sketch_deserialize(VARDATA(bytes_in), VARSIZE(bytes_in) - VARHDRSZ);
-  num_std_devs = PG_GETARG_INT32(1);
-  if (num_std_devs == 0) num_std_devs = 1; // default
+  num_std_devs = PG_NARGS() > 1 ? PG_GETARG_INT32(1) : 1;
   est_and_bounds = (Datum*) hll_sketch_get_estimate_and_bounds(sketchptr, num_std_devs);
   hll_sketch_delete(sketchptr);
 
diff --git a/src/kll_float_sketch_pg_functions.c b/src/kll_float_sketch_pg_functions.c
index 3e31159..44ab20f 100644
--- a/src/kll_float_sketch_pg_functions.c
+++ b/src/kll_float_sketch_pg_functions.c
@@ -358,8 +358,7 @@
   bytes_in = PG_GETARG_BYTEA_P(0);
   sketchptr = kll_float_sketch_deserialize(VARDATA(bytes_in), VARSIZE(bytes_in) - VARHDRSZ);
 
-  num_bins = PG_GETARG_INT32(1);
-  if (num_bins == 0) num_bins = DEFAULT_NUM_BINS;
+  num_bins = PG_NARGS() > 1 ? PG_GETARG_INT32(1) : DEFAULT_NUM_BINS;
   if (num_bins < 2) {
     elog(ERROR, "at least two bins expected");
   }
diff --git a/src/theta_sketch_pg_functions.c b/src/theta_sketch_pg_functions.c
index 04f64bf..00b8195 100644
--- a/src/theta_sketch_pg_functions.c
+++ b/src/theta_sketch_pg_functions.c
@@ -141,8 +141,7 @@
 
   bytes_in = PG_GETARG_BYTEA_P(0);
   sketchptr = theta_sketch_deserialize(VARDATA(bytes_in), VARSIZE(bytes_in) - VARHDRSZ);
-  num_std_devs = PG_GETARG_INT32(1);
-  if (num_std_devs == 0) num_std_devs = 1; // default
+  num_std_devs = PG_NARGS() > 1 ? PG_GETARG_INT32(1) : 1;
   est_and_bounds = (Datum*) theta_sketch_get_estimate_and_bounds(sketchptr, num_std_devs);
   theta_sketch_delete(sketchptr);