diff --git a/src/pipewire/pipewire.c b/src/pipewire/pipewire.c
index 2cb1d62b6..3f22196ee 100644
--- a/src/pipewire/pipewire.c
+++ b/src/pipewire/pipewire.c
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ struct support {
 	struct spa_interface i18n_iface;
 	struct spa_support support[MAX_SUPPORT];
 	uint32_t n_support;
-	unsigned int initialized:1;
+	uint32_t init_count;
 	unsigned int in_valgrind:1;
 	unsigned int no_color:1;
 	unsigned int no_config:1;
@@ -592,7 +592,7 @@ void pw_init(int *argc, char **argv[])
 	char level[32];
 
 	pthread_mutex_lock(&init_lock);
-	if (support->initialized)
+	if (support->init_count > 0)
 		goto done;
 
 	pthread_mutex_lock(&support_lock);
@@ -664,9 +664,9 @@ void pw_init(int *argc, char **argv[])
 	add_i18n(support);
 
 	pw_log_info("version %s", pw_get_library_version());
-	support->initialized = true;
 	pthread_mutex_unlock(&support_lock);
 done:
+	support->init_count++;
 	pthread_mutex_unlock(&init_lock);
 }
 
@@ -678,6 +678,11 @@ void pw_deinit(void)
 	struct plugin *p;
 
 	pthread_mutex_lock(&init_lock);
+	if (support->init_count == 0)
+		goto done;
+	if (--support->init_count > 0)
+		goto done;
+
 	pthread_mutex_lock(&support_lock);
 	pw_log_set(NULL);
 	spa_list_consume(p, &registry->plugins, link) {
@@ -691,6 +696,7 @@ void pw_deinit(void)
 	free(support->i18n_domain);
 	spa_zero(global_support);
 	pthread_mutex_unlock(&support_lock);
+done:
 	pthread_mutex_unlock(&init_lock);
 
 }
diff --git a/test/test-lib.c b/test/test-lib.c
index 1d2527a58..c2d73a488 100644
--- a/test/test-lib.c
+++ b/test/test-lib.c
@@ -49,9 +49,21 @@ PWTEST(library_version)
 	return PWTEST_PASS;
 }
 
+PWTEST(init_deinit)
+{
+	pw_init(0, NULL);
+	pw_deinit();
+	pw_init(0, NULL);
+	pw_init(0, NULL);
+	pw_deinit();
+	pw_deinit();
+	return PWTEST_PASS;
+}
+
 PWTEST_SUITE(properties)
 {
 	pwtest_add(library_version, PWTEST_NOARG);
+	pwtest_add(init_deinit, PWTEST_NOARG);
 
 	return PWTEST_PASS;
 }