diff --git a/src/core/linux/SDL_dbus.c b/src/core/linux/SDL_dbus.c
index 8a279b474..02579aa30 100644
--- a/src/core/linux/SDL_dbus.c
+++ b/src/core/linux/SDL_dbus.c
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ LoadDBUSSyms(void)
     SDL_DBUS_SYM(message_iter_get_arg_type);
     SDL_DBUS_SYM(message_iter_recurse);
     SDL_DBUS_SYM(message_unref);
+    SDL_DBUS_SYM(threads_init_default);
     SDL_DBUS_SYM(error_init);
     SDL_DBUS_SYM(error_is_set);
     SDL_DBUS_SYM(error_free);
@@ -124,6 +125,11 @@ SDL_DBus_Init(void)
             return;  /* oh well */
         }
 
+        if (!dbus.threads_init_default()) {
+            is_dbus_available = SDL_FALSE;
+            return;
+        }
+
         dbus.error_init(&err);
         /* session bus is required */
 
diff --git a/src/core/linux/SDL_dbus.h b/src/core/linux/SDL_dbus.h
index 6967cc9b9..9f77512aa 100644
--- a/src/core/linux/SDL_dbus.h
+++ b/src/core/linux/SDL_dbus.h
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ typedef struct SDL_DBusContext {
     int (*message_iter_get_arg_type)(DBusMessageIter *);
     void (*message_iter_recurse)(DBusMessageIter *, DBusMessageIter *); 
     void (*message_unref)(DBusMessage *);
+    dbus_bool_t (*threads_init_default)(void);
     void (*error_init)(DBusError *);
     dbus_bool_t (*error_is_set)(const DBusError *);
     void (*error_free)(DBusError *);