diff --git a/libdwfl/debuginfod-client.c b/libdwfl/debuginfod-client.c
index 37a4c71f..ee604ad9 100644
--- a/libdwfl/debuginfod-client.c
+++ b/libdwfl/debuginfod-client.c
@@ -46,32 +46,7 @@ get_client (Dwfl *dwfl)
   if (dwfl->debuginfod != NULL)
     return dwfl->debuginfod;
 
-  if (fp_debuginfod_begin == NULL)
-    {
-      void *debuginfod_so = dlopen("libdebuginfod-" VERSION ".so", RTLD_LAZY);
-
-      if (debuginfod_so == NULL)
-	debuginfod_so = dlopen("libdebuginfod.so", RTLD_LAZY);
-
-      if (debuginfod_so != NULL)
-	{
-	  fp_debuginfod_begin = dlsym (debuginfod_so, "debuginfod_begin");
-	  fp_debuginfod_find_executable = dlsym (debuginfod_so,
-						 "debuginfod_find_executable");
-	  fp_debuginfod_find_debuginfo = dlsym (debuginfod_so,
-						"debuginfod_find_debuginfo");
-	  fp_debuginfod_end = dlsym (debuginfod_so, "debuginfod_end");
-	}
-
-      if (fp_debuginfod_begin == NULL
-	  || fp_debuginfod_find_executable == NULL
-	  || fp_debuginfod_find_debuginfo == NULL
-	  || fp_debuginfod_end == NULL)
-	fp_debuginfod_begin = (void *) -1; /* never try again */
-    }
-
-  if (fp_debuginfod_begin != NULL
-      && fp_debuginfod_begin != (void *) -1)
+  if (fp_debuginfod_begin != NULL)
     {
       dwfl->debuginfod = (*fp_debuginfod_begin) ();
       return dwfl->debuginfod;
@@ -120,3 +95,37 @@ __libdwfl_debuginfod_end (debuginfod_client *c)
   if (c != NULL)
     (*fp_debuginfod_end) (c);
 }
+
+/* Try to get the libdebuginfod library functions to make sure
+   everything is initialized early.  */
+void __attribute__ ((constructor))
+__libdwfl_debuginfod_init (void)
+{
+  void *debuginfod_so = dlopen("libdebuginfod-" VERSION ".so", RTLD_LAZY);
+
+  if (debuginfod_so == NULL)
+    debuginfod_so = dlopen("libdebuginfod.so", RTLD_LAZY);
+
+  if (debuginfod_so != NULL)
+    {
+      fp_debuginfod_begin = dlsym (debuginfod_so, "debuginfod_begin");
+      fp_debuginfod_find_executable = dlsym (debuginfod_so,
+					     "debuginfod_find_executable");
+      fp_debuginfod_find_debuginfo = dlsym (debuginfod_so,
+					    "debuginfod_find_debuginfo");
+      fp_debuginfod_end = dlsym (debuginfod_so, "debuginfod_end");
+
+      /* We either get them all, or we get none.  */
+      if (fp_debuginfod_begin == NULL
+	  || fp_debuginfod_find_executable == NULL
+	  || fp_debuginfod_find_debuginfo == NULL
+	  || fp_debuginfod_end == NULL)
+	{
+	  fp_debuginfod_begin = NULL;
+	  fp_debuginfod_find_executable = NULL;
+	  fp_debuginfod_find_debuginfo = NULL;
+	  fp_debuginfod_end = NULL;
+	  dlclose (debuginfod_so);
+	}
+    }
+}