diff --git a/main.c b/main.c
index e2cf470..c2c33f5 100644
--- a/main.c
+++ b/main.c
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@
 #include "refclock.h"
 #include "clientlog.h"
 #include "nameserv.h"
+#include "privops.h"
 #include "smooth.h"
 #include "tempcomp.h"
 #include "util.h"
@@ -111,6 +112,7 @@ MAI_CleanupAndExit(void)
   NCR_Finalise();
   NIO_Finalise();
   CAM_Finalise();
+  PRV_Finalise();
   KEY_Finalise();
   RCL_Finalise();
   SRC_Finalise();
@@ -484,6 +486,7 @@ int main
   SRC_Initialise();
   RCL_Initialise();
   KEY_Initialise();
+  PRV_Initialise();
 
   /* Open privileged ports before dropping root */
   CAM_Initialise(address_family);
diff --git a/privops.c b/privops.c
index e0967ab..49fecbb 100644
--- a/privops.c
+++ b/privops.c
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ typedef struct {
   } u;
 } PrvResponse;
 
-static int helper_fd = -1;
+static int helper_fd;
 static pid_t helper_pid;
 
 static int
@@ -477,11 +477,19 @@ PRV_BindSocket(int sock, struct sockaddr *address, socklen_t address_len)
 
 /* ======================================================================= */
 
+void
+PRV_Initialise(void)
+{
+  helper_fd = -1;
+}
+
+/* ======================================================================= */
+
 /* DAEMON - setup socket(s) then fork to run the helper */
 /* must be called before privileges are dropped */
 
 void
-PRV_Initialise(void)
+PRV_StartHelper(void)
 {
   pid_t pid;
   int fd, sock_pair[2];
diff --git a/privops.h b/privops.h
index b3737e4..a513ee9 100644
--- a/privops.h
+++ b/privops.h
@@ -48,7 +48,12 @@ int PRV_BindSocket(int sock, struct sockaddr *address, socklen_t address_len);
 
 #ifdef PRIVOPS_HELPER
 void PRV_Initialise(void);
+void PRV_StartHelper(void);
 void PRV_Finalise(void);
+#else
+#define PRV_Initialise()
+#define PRV_StartHelper()
+#define PRV_Finalise()
 #endif
 
 #endif
diff --git a/sys_macosx.c b/sys_macosx.c
index 266d2ad..c1592dd 100644
--- a/sys_macosx.c
+++ b/sys_macosx.c
@@ -417,7 +417,7 @@ SYS_MacOSX_SetScheduler(int SchedPriority)
 #ifdef FEAT_PRIVDROP
 void SYS_MacOSX_DropRoot(uid_t uid, gid_t gid)
 {
-  PRV_Initialise();
+  PRV_StartHelper();
 
   if (setgroups(0, NULL))
     LOG_FATAL(LOGF_SysMacOSX, "setgroups() failed : %s", strerror(errno));
@@ -457,9 +457,6 @@ SYS_MacOSX_Finalise(void)
   SCH_RemoveTimeout(drift_removal_id);
 
   clock_finalise();
-#ifdef FEAT_PRIVDROP
-  PRV_Finalise();
-#endif
 }
 
 /* ================================================== */