diff --git a/clients/cli/common.c b/clients/cli/common.c
index 88e9815455..d3f5f865f6 100644
--- a/clients/cli/common.c
+++ b/clients/cli/common.c
@@ -931,6 +931,8 @@ nmc_readline (const char *prompt_fmt, ...)
 	va_list args;
 	char *prompt, *str;
 
+	rl_initialize ();
+
 	va_start (args, prompt_fmt);
 	prompt = g_strdup_vprintf (prompt_fmt, args);
 	va_end (args);
@@ -985,6 +987,8 @@ nmc_readline_echo (gboolean echo_on, const char *prompt_fmt, ...)
 	prompt = g_strdup_vprintf (prompt_fmt, args);
 	va_end (args);
 
+	rl_initialize ();
+
 	/* Hide the actual password */
 	if (!echo_on) {
 		saved_history = history_get_history_state ();