diff --git a/include/libvirt/libvirt-admin.h b/include/libvirt/libvirt-admin.h
index fa69de4b6a..c810be3222 100644
--- a/include/libvirt/libvirt-admin.h
+++ b/include/libvirt/libvirt-admin.h
@@ -85,6 +85,7 @@ typedef virAdmServer *virAdmServerPtr;
  */
 typedef virAdmClient *virAdmClientPtr;
 
+int virAdmInitialize(void);
 virAdmConnectPtr virAdmConnectOpen(const char *name, unsigned int flags);
 int virAdmConnectClose(virAdmConnectPtr conn);
 int virAdmConnectRef(virAdmConnectPtr conn);
diff --git a/src/libvirt-admin.c b/src/libvirt-admin.c
index 86120e4abf..f07cb10f7e 100644
--- a/src/libvirt-admin.c
+++ b/src/libvirt-admin.c
@@ -81,9 +81,16 @@ virAdmGlobalInit(void)
  *
  * Initialize the library.
  *
+ * This method is automatically invoked by virAdmConnectOpen() API. Therefore,
+ * in most cases it is unnecessary to call this method manually, unless an
+ * event loop should be set up by calling virEventRegisterImpl() or the error
+ * reporting of the first connection attempt with virSetErrorFunc() should be
+ * altered prior to setting up connections. If the latter is the case, it is
+ * necessary for the application to call virAdmInitialize.
+ *
  * Returns 0 in case of success, -1 in case of error
  */
-static int
+int
 virAdmInitialize(void)
 {
     if (virOnce(&virAdmGlobalOnce, virAdmGlobalInit) < 0)
diff --git a/src/libvirt_admin_public.syms b/src/libvirt_admin_public.syms
index c63b9bdf1e..2de28e989c 100644
--- a/src/libvirt_admin_public.syms
+++ b/src/libvirt_admin_public.syms
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 #
 LIBVIRT_ADMIN_2.0.0 {
     global:
+        virAdmInitialize;
         virAdmClientFree;
         virAdmClientGetID;
         virAdmClientGetTimestamp;
diff --git a/tools/virt-admin.c b/tools/virt-admin.c
index 4acac65b02..c4ee8f5b13 100644
--- a/tools/virt-admin.c
+++ b/tools/virt-admin.c
@@ -1371,6 +1371,11 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
         return EXIT_FAILURE;
     }
 
+    if (virAdmInitialize() < 0) {
+        vshError(ctl, "%s", _("Failed to initialize libvirt"));
+        return EXIT_FAILURE;
+    }
+
     virFileActivateDirOverride(argv[0]);
 
     if (!vshInit(ctl, cmdGroups, NULL))