diff --git a/src/util/u_process.c b/src/util/u_process.c
index 9f847d1cc02..992ed0e718d 100644
--- a/src/util/u_process.c
+++ b/src/util/u_process.c
@@ -46,6 +46,8 @@
 
 #if defined(__linux__) && defined(HAVE_PROGRAM_INVOCATION_NAME)
 
+#include "debug.h"
+
 static char *path = NULL;
 
 static void __freeProgramPath()
@@ -66,7 +68,7 @@ __getProgramName()
        * Strip these arguments out by using the realpath only if it was
        * a prefix of the invocation name.
        */
-      if (!path) {
+      do_once {
          path = realpath("/proc/self/exe", NULL);
          atexit(__freeProgramPath);
       }