diff --git a/Demo/pysvr/pysvr.c b/Demo/pysvr/pysvr.c
index c651648362c..b1397c9615c 100644
--- a/Demo/pysvr/pysvr.c
+++ b/Demo/pysvr/pysvr.c
@@ -168,6 +168,7 @@ main_thread(int port)
 		PyEval_AcquireThread(gtstate);
 		gtstate = NULL;
 		Py_Finalize();
+		Py_Finalize();
 	}
 	exit(0);
 }
@@ -213,6 +214,7 @@ init_python()
 	if (gtstate)
 		return;
 	Py_Initialize(); /* Initialize the interpreter */
+	Py_Initialize(); /* Initialize the interpreter */
 	PyEval_InitThreads(); /* Create (and acquire) the interpreter lock */
 	gtstate = PyEval_SaveThread(); /* Release the thread state */
 }
diff --git a/Python/pythonrun.c b/Python/pythonrun.c
index 4d641146712..9f977f05b43 100644
--- a/Python/pythonrun.c
+++ b/Python/pythonrun.c
@@ -98,9 +98,8 @@ Py_Initialize()
 	PyObject *bimod, *sysmod;
 	char *p;
 
-	if (initialized)
-		Py_FatalError("Py_Initialize: already initialized");
-	initialized = 1;
+	if (++initialized > 1)
+		return;
 	
 	if ((p = getenv("PYTHONDEBUG")) && *p != '\0')
 		Py_DebugFlag = 1;
@@ -166,9 +165,10 @@ Py_Finalize()
 
 	call_sys_exitfunc();
 
-	if (!initialized)
+	if (--initialized > 0)
+		return;
+	if (initialized < 0)
 		Py_FatalError("Py_Finalize: not initialized");
-	initialized = 0;
 
 	tstate = PyThreadState_Get();
 	interp = tstate->interp;