diff --git a/wrlib/context.c b/wrlib/context.c
index a52d702b..47848f1d 100644
--- a/wrlib/context.c
+++ b/wrlib/context.c
@@ -713,7 +713,9 @@ RCreateContext(Display *dpy, int screen_number, RContextAttributes *attribs)
 	free(context);
 	return NULL;
     }
-    
+
+    Hermes_Init();
+
     context->hermes_data->palette = Hermes_PaletteInstance();
     {
 	unsigned long flags = 0;