diff --git a/lib/eal/linux/eal.c b/lib/eal/linux/eal.c
index a6220524a4..afcbba4397 100644
--- a/lib/eal/linux/eal.c
+++ b/lib/eal/linux/eal.c
@@ -927,6 +927,8 @@ rte_eal_init(int argc, char **argv)
 	struct internal_config *internal_conf =
 		eal_get_internal_configuration();
 
+	eal_init_early();
+
 	/* setup log as early as possible */
 	if (eal_parse_log_options(argc, argv) < 0) {
 		rte_eal_init_alert("invalid log arguments.");
diff --git a/lib/init/meson.build b/lib/init/meson.build
index a6c1ade098..e503dd7294 100644
--- a/lib/init/meson.build
+++ b/lib/init/meson.build
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-3-Clause
 # Copyright (c) 2024 Red Hat, Inc.
 
+includes += global_inc
+sources = files('rte_init.c')
 headers = files('rte_init.h')
diff --git a/lib/init/rte_init.c b/lib/init/rte_init.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..da68aaf300
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/init/rte_init.c
@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+/* SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-3-Clause
+ * Copyright (c) 2024 Red Hat, Inc.
+ */
+
+#include <stdbool.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
+
+#include <rte_common.h>
+#include <rte_tailq.h>
+
+static bool init_called;
+
+static RTE_TAILQ_HEAD(, rte_init) init_list = TAILQ_HEAD_INITIALIZER(init_list);
+struct rte_init {
+	RTE_TAILQ_ENTRY(rte_init) next;
+	unsigned int priority;
+	const char *func;
+	void (*init)(void);
+};
+
+void
+rte_init_register(const char *func, void (*init)(void), unsigned int priority)
+{
+	struct rte_init *p;
+	struct rte_init *i;
+
+	/*
+	 * This code has been invoked after rte_eal_init() (common case is with drivers loaded
+	 * as shared libraries).
+	 */
+	if (init_called) {
+		init();
+		return;
+	}
+
+	i = malloc(sizeof(*i));
+	if (i == NULL)
+		return;
+
+	i->priority = priority;
+	i->func = func;
+	i->init = init;
+
+	TAILQ_FOREACH(p, &init_list, next) {
+		if (i->priority >= p->priority)
+			continue;
+		TAILQ_INSERT_BEFORE(p, i, next);
+		return;
+	}
+
+	TAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&init_list, i, next);
+}
+
+void
+eal_init_early(void)
+{
+	struct rte_init *i;
+
+	init_called = true;
+
+	TAILQ_FOREACH(i, &init_list, next)
+		i->init();
+}
diff --git a/lib/init/rte_init.h b/lib/init/rte_init.h
index 3ebb7339ac..87351178ab 100644
--- a/lib/init/rte_init.h
+++ b/lib/init/rte_init.h
@@ -5,6 +5,17 @@
 #ifndef RTE_INIT_H
 #define RTE_INIT_H
 
+#include <rte_os.h>
+
+#include <rte_compat.h>
+
+void
+rte_init_register(const char *func, void (*init)(void), unsigned int prio);
+
+__rte_internal
+void
+eal_init_early(void);
+
 #define RTE_PRIORITY_LOG 101
 #define RTE_PRIORITY_BUS 110
 #define RTE_PRIORITY_CLASS 120
@@ -25,7 +36,12 @@
 #ifndef RTE_INIT_PRIO /* Allow to override from EAL */
 #ifndef RTE_TOOLCHAIN_MSVC
 #define RTE_INIT_PRIO(func, prio) \
-static void __attribute__((constructor(RTE_PRIO(prio)), used)) func(void)
+static void func(void); \
+static void __attribute__((constructor(RTE_PRIO(prio)), used)) init_ ## func(void) \
+{ \
+	rte_init_register(#func, func, RTE_PRIO(prio)); \
+} \
+static void func(void)
 #else
 /* definition from the Microsoft CRT */
 typedef int(__cdecl *_PIFV)(void);
diff --git a/lib/init/version.map b/lib/init/version.map
index 17cc97bda6..de82294019 100644
--- a/lib/init/version.map
+++ b/lib/init/version.map
@@ -1,3 +1,13 @@
 DPDK_25 {
+	global:
+
+	rte_init_register;
+
 	local: *;
 };
+
+INTERNAL {
+	global:
+
+	eal_init_early;
+};