diff --git a/hw/9pfs/virtio-9p-coth.c b/hw/9pfs/virtio-9p-coth.c
index ae05658632..25556cc6a7 100644
--- a/hw/9pfs/virtio-9p-coth.c
+++ b/hw/9pfs/virtio-9p-coth.c
@@ -67,10 +67,6 @@ int v9fs_init_worker_threads(void)
     /* Leave signal handling to the iothread.  */
     pthread_sigmask(SIG_SETMASK, &set, &oldset);
 
-    /* init thread system if not already initialized */
-    if (!g_thread_get_initialized()) {
-        g_thread_init(NULL);
-    }
     if (qemu_pipe(notifier_fds) == -1) {
         ret = -1;
         goto err_out;
diff --git a/vl.c b/vl.c
index 5ba9b35860..6e998af002 100644
--- a/vl.c
+++ b/vl.c
@@ -2200,6 +2200,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv, char **envp)
     error_set_progname(argv[0]);
 
     g_mem_set_vtable(&mem_trace);
+    g_thread_init(NULL);
 
     init_clocks();