diff --git a/gobject/gtype.c b/gobject/gtype.c
index ded0acee28dccf777fa4b79d24c13d7dcbd6a511..190423dce54c990a2a99288f59436ae88ba0f466 100644
--- a/gobject/gtype.c
+++ b/gobject/gtype.c
@@ -4426,13 +4426,25 @@ g_type_init (void)
   g_assert_type_system_initialized ();
 }
 
-static void
+#ifdef GOBJECT_STATIC_COMPILATION
+void gobject_init (void);
+
+#else
+static
+#endif
+void
 gobject_init (void)
 {
   const gchar *env_string;
   GTypeInfo info;
   TypeNode *node;
   GType type G_GNUC_UNUSED  /* when compiling with G_DISABLE_ASSERT */;
+  static gboolean gobject_inited = FALSE;
+
+  if (gobject_inited)
+    return;
+
+  gobject_inited = TRUE;
 
   /* Ensure GLib is initialized first, see
    * https://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=756139