diff --git a/src/ia64/set_caching_policy-ia64.c b/src/ia64/set_caching_policy-ia64.c
index 7f1fa079..cb0f2135 100644
--- a/src/ia64/set_caching_policy-ia64.c
+++ b/src/ia64/set_caching_policy-ia64.c
@@ -28,6 +28,12 @@ WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.  */
 int
 unw_set_caching_policy (unw_addr_space_t as, unw_caching_policy_t policy)
 {
+  if (unw.needs_initialization)
+    {
+      unw.needs_initialization = 0;
+      ia64_init ();
+    }
+
 #ifndef HAVE___THREAD
   if (policy == UNW_CACHE_PER_THREAD)
     return -UNW_EINVAL;