diff --git a/perl/lib/Nix/Store.xs b/perl/lib/Nix/Store.xs
index de91dc28d..b3f192810 100644
--- a/perl/lib/Nix/Store.xs
+++ b/perl/lib/Nix/Store.xs
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@ static ref<Store> store()
     if (!_store) {
         try {
             initLibStore();
-            loadConfFile();
             settings.lockCPU = false;
             _store = openStore();
         } catch (Error & e) {
diff --git a/src/libmain/shared.cc b/src/libmain/shared.cc
index 2ed310cba..6dd64c6c7 100644
--- a/src/libmain/shared.cc
+++ b/src/libmain/shared.cc
@@ -166,8 +166,6 @@ void initNix()
     if (sodium_init() == -1)
         throw Error("could not initialise libsodium");
 
-    loadConfFile();
-
     startSignalHandlerThread();
 
     /* Reset SIGCHLD to its default. */
diff --git a/src/libstore/globals.cc b/src/libstore/globals.cc
index 823b4af74..b18525dd7 100644
--- a/src/libstore/globals.cc
+++ b/src/libstore/globals.cc
@@ -291,6 +291,9 @@ void assertLibStoreInitialized() {
 }
 
 void initLibStore() {
+
+    loadConfFile();
+
     initLibStoreDone = true;
 }