diff --git a/libhdf5/hdf5plugins.c b/libhdf5/hdf5plugins.c
index 85e70948be..ac03cf57d1 100644
--- a/libhdf5/hdf5plugins.c
+++ b/libhdf5/hdf5plugins.c
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ static const NC_PluginPathDispatch pluginpathtable = {
     NC4_hdf5_plugin_path_write
 };
 
-const NC_PluginPathDispatch* NC4_hdf5_pluginpathtable = &pluginpathtable;
+const NC_PluginPathDispatch* NC4_hdf5_pluginpathtable = NULL;
 
 /**************************************************/
 
@@ -67,6 +67,9 @@ NC4_hdf5_plugin_path_initialize(void** statep, const NClist* initialpaths)
     
     assert(statep != NULL);
     if(*statep != NULL) goto done; /* already initialized */
+
+    NC4_hdf5_pluginpathtable = &pluginpathtable;
+
     if((g5 = (GlobalHDF5*)calloc(1,sizeof(GlobalHDF5)))==NULL) {stat = NC_ENOMEM; goto done;}
     *statep = (void*)g5; g5 = NULL;
 done:
diff --git a/libnczarr/zplugins.c b/libnczarr/zplugins.c
index d96d2b8ba9..c35524eea0 100644
--- a/libnczarr/zplugins.c
+++ b/libnczarr/zplugins.c
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ static const NC_PluginPathDispatch pluginpathtable = {
     NCZ_plugin_path_write,
 };
 
-const NC_PluginPathDispatch* NCZ_pluginpathtable = &pluginpathtable;
+const NC_PluginPathDispatch* NCZ_pluginpathtable = NULL;
 
 /**************************************************/
 /**
@@ -86,6 +86,8 @@ NCZ_plugin_path_initialize(void** statep, const NClist* initialpaths)
     assert(statep != NULL);
     if(*statep != NULL) goto done; /* already initialized */
 
+    NCZ_pluginpathtable = &pluginpathtable;
+
     if((gz = (GlobalNCZarr*)calloc(1,sizeof(GlobalNCZarr)))==NULL) {stat = NC_ENOMEM; goto done;}
 
     gz->pluginpaths = nclistnew();