diff --git a/servers/slapd/main.c b/servers/slapd/main.c
index 02becaa502..1cac009c99 100644
--- a/servers/slapd/main.c
+++ b/servers/slapd/main.c
@@ -272,6 +272,8 @@ int main( int argc, char **argv )
 
 	slap_sl_mem_init();
 
+	(void) ldap_pvt_thread_initialize();
+
 	serverName = lutil_progname( "slapd", argc, argv );
 
 	if ( strcmp( serverName, "slapd" ) ) {
@@ -531,8 +533,6 @@ unhandled_option:;
 		}
 	}
 
-	(void) ldap_pvt_thread_initialize();
-
 	ber_set_option(NULL, LBER_OPT_DEBUG_LEVEL, &slap_debug);
 	ldap_set_option(NULL, LDAP_OPT_DEBUG_LEVEL, &slap_debug);
 	ldif_debug = slap_debug;