diff --git a/src/lib/utils/httpclient.cpp b/src/lib/utils/httpclient.cpp
index 02a9c838..442076d3 100755
--- a/src/lib/utils/httpclient.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/utils/httpclient.cpp
@@ -208,7 +208,13 @@ SSLSocket* SSLSocket::connect(const string& host, const uint16_t& port, bool htt
   return nullptr;
 }
 
+bool HttpClient::s_initialized = false;
+
 void HttpClient::initialize() {
+  if (s_initialized) {
+    return;
+  }
+  s_initialized = true;
   SSL_library_init();
   SSL_load_error_strings();
   signal(SIGPIPE, SIG_IGN); // needed to avoid SIGPIPE when writing to a closed pipe
diff --git a/src/lib/utils/httpclient.h b/src/lib/utils/httpclient.h
index 9897fd14..f9fc3cb9 100755
--- a/src/lib/utils/httpclient.h
+++ b/src/lib/utils/httpclient.h
@@ -120,7 +120,9 @@ class HttpClient {
   /**
    * Constructor.
    */
-  HttpClient() : m_socket(nullptr), m_port(0), m_timeout(0), m_bufferSize(0), m_buffer(nullptr) {}
+  HttpClient() : m_socket(nullptr), m_port(0), m_timeout(0), m_bufferSize(0), m_buffer(nullptr) {
+    initialize();
+  }
 
   /**
    * Destructor.
@@ -218,6 +220,11 @@ class HttpClient {
   size_t readUntil(const string& delim, const size_t length, string* result);
 
  private:
+#ifdef HAVE_SSL
+  /** true once @a initialize() was called. */
+  static bool s_initialized;
+#endif
+
   /** the currently connected socket. */
   SocketClass* m_socket;