diff --git a/server.c b/server.c
index 680ac93f..bd6c28c3 100644
--- a/server.c
+++ b/server.c
@@ -163,6 +163,8 @@ server_start(char *path)
 	server_fd = server_create_socket();
 	server_client_create(pair[1]);
 
+	event_init();
+
 	if (access(SYSTEM_CFG, R_OK) == 0) {
 		if (load_cfg(SYSTEM_CFG, NULL, &cause) != 0)
 			goto error;
@@ -173,8 +175,6 @@ server_start(char *path)
 	if (cfg_file != NULL && load_cfg(cfg_file, NULL, &cause) != 0)
 		goto error;
 
-	event_init();
-
 	event_set(&server_ev_accept,
 	    server_fd, EV_READ|EV_PERSIST, server_accept_callback, NULL);
 	event_add(&server_ev_accept, NULL);