diff --git a/testpar/t_pmulti_dset.c b/testpar/t_pmulti_dset.c
index 6cd5116ebb..9d045cab22 100644
--- a/testpar/t_pmulti_dset.c
+++ b/testpar/t_pmulti_dset.c
@@ -650,13 +650,13 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
     unsigned i;
     int      ret;
 
-    h5_test_init();
-
     /* Initialize MPI */
     MPI_Init(&argc, &argv);
     MPI_Comm_size(MPI_COMM_WORLD, &mpi_size);
     MPI_Comm_rank(MPI_COMM_WORLD, &mpi_rank);
 
+    h5_test_init();
+
     /* Generate random number seed, if rank 0 */
     if (MAINPROCESS)
         seed = (unsigned)time(NULL);
diff --git a/testpar/t_select_io_dset.c b/testpar/t_select_io_dset.c
index e069e2af44..2414a9a0a2 100644
--- a/testpar/t_select_io_dset.c
+++ b/testpar/t_select_io_dset.c
@@ -4086,13 +4086,13 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
     unsigned select;
     unsigned mwbuf;
 
-    h5_test_init();
-
     /* Initialize MPI */
     MPI_Init(&argc, &argv);
     MPI_Comm_size(MPI_COMM_WORLD, &mpi_size);
     MPI_Comm_rank(MPI_COMM_WORLD, &mpi_rank);
 
+    h5_test_init();
+
     if ((fapl = H5Pcreate(H5P_FILE_ACCESS)) < 0)
         P_TEST_ERROR;