diff --git a/oci_driver.c b/oci_driver.c
index 7216fc8..97f0dc5 100644
--- a/oci_driver.c
+++ b/oci_driver.c
@@ -741,6 +741,9 @@ static int pdo_oci_handle_factory(pdo_dbh_t *dbh, zval *driver_options) /* {{{ *
 
 	H->prefetch = PDO_OCI_PREFETCH_DEFAULT;
 
+	/* create the true global environment on first use */
+	pdo_oci_init_env();
+
 	/* allocate an environment */
 #ifdef HAVE_OCIENVNLSCREATE
 	if (vars[0].optval) {
diff --git a/pdo_oci.c b/pdo_oci.c
index 49bc846..904848f 100644
--- a/pdo_oci.c
+++ b/pdo_oci.c
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ zend_module_entry pdo_oci_module_entry = {
 	NULL,
 	PHP_MINIT(pdo_oci),
 	PHP_MSHUTDOWN(pdo_oci),
-	PHP_RINIT(pdo_oci),
+	NULL,
 	NULL,
 	PHP_MINFO(pdo_oci),
 	PHP_PDO_OCI_VERSION,
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ PHP_MINIT_FUNCTION(pdo_oci)
 		return FAILURE;
 	}
 
-	// Defer OCI init to PHP_RINIT_FUNCTION because with php-fpm,
+	// Defer OCI init to pdo_oci_init_env() because with php-fpm,
 	// NLS_LANG is not yet available here.
 
 #ifdef ZTS
@@ -112,8 +112,13 @@ PHP_MINIT_FUNCTION(pdo_oci)
 }
 /* }}} */
 
-/* {{{ PHP_RINIT_FUNCTION */
-PHP_RINIT_FUNCTION(pdo_oci)
+/* {{{ pdo_oci_init_env
+ * Create the true global OCI environment on first use.
+ * Called from pdo_oci_handle_factory() rather than from MINIT (NLS_LANG is not
+ * yet available there under php-fpm) or from RINIT (initializing the Oracle
+ * client library has process-wide side effects, so a process that never opens
+ * an Oracle connection must not pay for it). */
+void pdo_oci_init_env(void)
 {
 	if (!pdo_oci_Env) {
 #ifdef ZTS
@@ -126,8 +131,6 @@ PHP_RINIT_FUNCTION(pdo_oci)
 		tsrm_mutex_unlock(pdo_oci_env_mutex);
 #endif
 	}
-
-	return SUCCESS;
 }
 /* }}} */
 
diff --git a/php_pdo_oci.h b/php_pdo_oci.h
index 7a44b67..8e15f0a 100644
--- a/php_pdo_oci.h
+++ b/php_pdo_oci.h
@@ -29,8 +29,6 @@ extern zend_module_entry pdo_oci_module_entry;
 
 PHP_MINIT_FUNCTION(pdo_oci);
 PHP_MSHUTDOWN_FUNCTION(pdo_oci);
-PHP_RINIT_FUNCTION(pdo_oci);
-PHP_RSHUTDOWN_FUNCTION(pdo_oci);
 PHP_MINFO_FUNCTION(pdo_oci);
 
 #endif /* PHP_PDO_OCI_H */
diff --git a/php_pdo_oci_int.h b/php_pdo_oci_int.h
index dd513ff..04c462d 100644
--- a/php_pdo_oci_int.h
+++ b/php_pdo_oci_int.h
@@ -91,6 +91,8 @@ extern const ub4 PDO_OCI_INIT_MODE;
 extern const pdo_driver_t pdo_oci_driver;
 extern OCIEnv *pdo_oci_Env;
 
+void pdo_oci_init_env(void);
+
 ub4 _oci_error(OCIError *err, pdo_dbh_t *dbh, pdo_stmt_t *stmt, char *what, sword status, int isinit, const char *file, int line);
 #define oci_init_error(w)	_oci_error(H->err, dbh, NULL, w, H->last_err, TRUE, __FILE__, __LINE__)
 #define oci_drv_error(w)	_oci_error(H->err, dbh, NULL, w, H->last_err, FALSE, __FILE__, __LINE__)