diff --git a/ompi/mpi/c/init_thread.c b/ompi/mpi/c/init_thread.c
index 179e45e651..ed6d686734 100644
--- a/ompi/mpi/c/init_thread.c
+++ b/ompi/mpi/c/init_thread.c
@@ -86,8 +86,6 @@ int MPI_Init_thread(int *argc, char ***argv, int required,
         err = ompi_mpi_init(0, NULL, required, provided);
     }
 
-    OPAL_CR_INIT_LIBRARY();
-
     /* Since we don't have a communicator to invoke an errorhandler on
        here, don't use the fancy-schmancy ERRHANDLER macros; they're
        really designed for real communicator objects.  Just use the
@@ -98,5 +96,8 @@ int MPI_Init_thread(int *argc, char ***argv, int required,
                                       err < 0 ? ompi_errcode_get_mpi_code(err) :
                                       err, FUNC_NAME);
     }
+
+    OPAL_CR_INIT_LIBRARY();
+
     return MPI_SUCCESS;
 }