diff --git a/stand/common/bootstrap.h b/stand/common/bootstrap.h
index b7d6e538f9b..79ce0b023b7 100644
--- a/stand/common/bootstrap.h
+++ b/stand/common/bootstrap.h
@@ -54,7 +54,8 @@ bool	interp_has_builtin_cmd(const char *cmd);
 
 /* Called by interp.c for interp_*.c embedded interpreters */
 int	interp_include(const char *);	/* Execute commands from filename */
-void	interp_init(void);		/* Initialize interpreater */
+void	interp_preinit(void);		/* Initialize interpreater execution engine */
+void	interp_init(void);		/* Initialize interpreater and run main script */
 int	interp_run(const char *);	/* Run a single command */
 
 /* interp_backslash.c */
diff --git a/stand/common/interp.c b/stand/common/interp.c
index c6ac01ea099..5d20822e037 100644
--- a/stand/common/interp.c
+++ b/stand/common/interp.c
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ interact(void)
 	 * we need to switch interpreters.
 	 */
 	interp_identifier = bootprog_interp;
+	interp_preinit();
 	interp_init();
 
 	printf("\n");
diff --git a/stand/common/interp_forth.c b/stand/common/interp_forth.c
index 854addb22d5..388a20e319b 100644
--- a/stand/common/interp_forth.c
+++ b/stand/common/interp_forth.c
@@ -337,12 +337,21 @@ bf_run(const char *line)
 	return (result);
 }
 
+static bool preinit_run = false;
+
+void
+interp_preinit(void)
+{
+	if (preinit_run)
+		return;
+	setenv("script.lang", "forth", 1);
+	bf_init();
+	preinit_run = true;
+}
+
 void
 interp_init(void)
 {
-
-	setenv("script.lang", "forth", 1);
-	bf_init();
 	/* Read our default configuration. */
 	interp_include("/boot/loader.rc");
 }
diff --git a/stand/common/interp_lua.c b/stand/common/interp_lua.c
index aa759aa99ec..2a61bb9d04a 100644
--- a/stand/common/interp_lua.c
+++ b/stand/common/interp_lua.c
@@ -96,17 +96,21 @@ static const luaL_Reg loadedlibs[] = {
   {NULL, NULL}
 };
 
+static bool preinit_done = false;
+
 void
-interp_init(void)
+interp_preinit(void)
 {
 	lua_State *luap;
 	struct interp_lua_softc	*softc = &lua_softc;
-	const char *filename;
 	const luaL_Reg *lib;
 	lua_init_md_t **fnpp;
 
 	TSENTER();
 
+	if (preinit_done)
+		return;
+
 	setenv("script.lang", "lua", 1);
 	LDBG("creating context");
 
@@ -126,6 +130,21 @@ interp_init(void)
 	LUA_FOREACH_SET(fnpp)
 	    (*fnpp)(luap);
 
+	preinit_done = true;
+
+	TSEXIT();
+}
+
+void
+interp_init(void)
+{
+	lua_State *luap;
+	struct interp_lua_softc	*softc = &lua_softc;
+	const char *filename;
+
+	TSENTER();
+
+	luap = softc->luap;
 	filename = getenv("loader_lua");
 	if (filename == NULL)
 		filename = LOADER_LUA;
diff --git a/stand/common/interp_simple.c b/stand/common/interp_simple.c
index d675da0aa61..437739a3bcc 100644
--- a/stand/common/interp_simple.c
+++ b/stand/common/interp_simple.c
@@ -34,6 +34,11 @@
 
 INTERP_DEFINE("simp");
 
+void
+interp_preinit(void)
+{
+}
+
 void
 interp_init(void)
 {