diff --git a/src/libmain/shared.cc b/src/libmain/shared.cc
index 6751a3744..223020378 100644
--- a/src/libmain/shared.cc
+++ b/src/libmain/shared.cc
@@ -211,9 +211,19 @@ LegacyArgs::LegacyArgs(const std::string & programName,
     });
 
     auto intSettingAlias = [&](char shortName, const std::string & longName,
-        const std::string & description, const std::string & dest) {
-        mkFlag<unsigned int>(shortName, longName, description, [=](unsigned int n) {
-            settings.set(dest, std::to_string(n));
+        const std::string & description, const std::string & dest)
+    {
+        addFlag({
+            .longName = longName,
+            .shortName = shortName,
+            .description = description,
+            .labels = {"n"},
+            .handler = {[=](std::string s) {
+                unsigned int n;
+                if (!string2Int(s, n))
+                    throw UsageError("'%s' is not an integer", s);
+                settings.set(dest, std::to_string(n));
+            }}
         });
     };
 
diff --git a/src/libutil/args.hh b/src/libutil/args.hh
index 3e84ac64a..c54b0efaf 100644
--- a/src/libutil/args.hh
+++ b/src/libutil/args.hh
@@ -174,24 +174,6 @@ public:
         });
     }
 
-    template<class I>
-    void mkFlag(char shortName, const std::string & longName,
-        const std::string & description, std::function<void(I)> fun)
-    {
-        addFlag({
-            .longName = longName,
-            .shortName = shortName,
-            .description = description,
-            .labels = {"N"},
-            .handler = {[=](std::string s) {
-                I n;
-                if (!string2Int(s, n))
-                    throw UsageError("flag '--%s' requires a integer argument", longName);
-                fun(n);
-            }}
-        });
-    }
-
     void expectArgs(ExpectedArg && arg)
     {
         expectedArgs.emplace_back(std::move(arg));