diff -U 3 -H -d -p -r -N -- a/journalctl.c b/journalctl.c
--- a/journalctl.c	2013-01-02 15:26:49.152000374 +0100
+++ b/journalctl.c	2013-01-02 15:26:23.398665322 +0100
@@ -417,11 +417,6 @@ static int parse_argv(int argc, char *ar
         if (arg_follow && !arg_no_tail && arg_lines <= 0)
                 arg_lines = 10;
 
-        if (arg_since_set && arg_until_set && arg_since_set > arg_until_set) {
-                log_error("--since= must be before --until=.");
-                return -EINVAL;
-        }
-
         if (arg_cursor && arg_since_set) {
                 log_error("Please specify either --since= or --cursor=, not both.");
                 return -EINVAL;
@@ -1047,6 +1042,8 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
                         if (r == 0)
                                 break;
 
+                        need_seek = true;
+                        
                         if (arg_until_set) {
                                 usec_t usec;
 
@@ -1055,6 +1052,9 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
                                         log_error("Failed to determine timestamp: %s", strerror(-r));
                                         goto finish;
                                 }
+                                else if (usec > arg_until) {
+                                        need_seek = false;
+                                }
                         }
 
                         if (!arg_merge) {
@@ -1081,7 +1081,6 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
                         if (r < 0)
                                 goto finish;
 
-                        need_seek = true;
                         n_shown++;
                 }