diff --git a/src/h5core/h5_file.c b/src/h5core/h5_file.c
index 2160111..2b70331 100644
--- a/src/h5core/h5_file.c
+++ b/src/h5core/h5_file.c
@@ -617,7 +617,7 @@ h5_close_h5hut (
         void
         ) {
 	H5_CORE_API_ENTER (h5_err_t, "%s", "");
-	TRY (h5priv_finalize ());
+	TRY (h5_finalize ());
 	TRY (hdf5_close ());
 	H5_RETURN (H5_SUCCESS);
 }
diff --git a/src/h5core/h5_init.c b/src/h5core/h5_init.c
index a7d8386..5684f4b 100644
--- a/src/h5core/h5_init.c
+++ b/src/h5core/h5_init.c
@@ -741,9 +741,10 @@ _h5_exit (int status) {
 }
 
 h5_err_t
-h5priv_initialize (
+h5_initialize (
         void
         ) {
+	if (h5_initialized) return 0;
 	memset (&h5_call_stack, 0, sizeof (h5_call_stack));
 	// must be set here, otherwise next statement will fail!
 	h5_initialized = 1;
@@ -785,7 +786,7 @@ h5priv_initialize (
 }
 
 h5_err_t
-h5priv_finalize (
+h5_finalize (
 	void
 	) {
 	H5_PRIV_FUNC_ENTER (h5_err_t, "%s", "void");
diff --git a/src/h5core/private/h5_init.h b/src/h5core/private/h5_init.h
index 2403431..a58c0ec 100644
--- a/src/h5core/private/h5_init.h
+++ b/src/h5core/private/h5_init.h
@@ -20,10 +20,10 @@ extern "C" {
 #endif
 
 h5_err_t
-h5priv_initialize (void);
+h5_initialize (void);
 
 h5_err_t
-h5priv_finalize (void);
+h5_finalize (void);
 
 extern int h5_initialized;
 extern h5_dta_types_t h5_dta_types;