modified   libguile/hashtab.c
@@ -1608,10 +1608,11 @@ scm_c_weak_table_fold (scm_t_hash_fold_fn fn, void *closure,
 
 
 
+/* Initialize weak pairs, used by weak hash tables.  This needs to be
+   done early on because it's used by interned symbols etc.  */
 void
-scm_init_hashtab ()
+scm_init_weak_pairs ()
 {
-  /* Initialize weak pairs.  */
   GC_word wcar_pair_bitmap[GC_BITMAP_SIZE (scm_t_cell)] = { 0 };
   GC_word wcdr_pair_bitmap[GC_BITMAP_SIZE (scm_t_cell)] = { 0 };
 
@@ -1627,6 +1628,11 @@ scm_init_hashtab ()
   wcdr_pair_descr = GC_make_descriptor (wcdr_pair_bitmap,
 					GC_WORD_LEN (scm_t_cell));
 
+}
+
+void
+scm_init_hashtab ()
+{
 #include "libguile/hashtab.x"
 }
 
modified   libguile/hashtab.h
@@ -174,6 +174,7 @@ SCM_API SCM scm_hash_map_to_list (SCM proc, SCM hash);
 SCM_API SCM scm_hash_count (SCM hash, SCM pred);
 SCM_INTERNAL void scm_i_hashtable_print (SCM exp, SCM port, scm_print_state *pstate);
 SCM_INTERNAL void scm_init_hashtab (void);
+SCM_INTERNAL void scm_init_weak_pairs (void);
 
 
 /* Guile 2.2.x (x <= 2) weak-table API.  */
modified   libguile/init.c
@@ -390,7 +390,8 @@ scm_i_init_guile (void *base)
 #ifdef GUILE_DEBUG_MALLOC
   scm_debug_malloc_prehistory ();
 #endif
-  scm_symbols_prehistory ();      /* requires weak_table_prehistory */
+  scm_init_weak_pairs ();
+  scm_symbols_prehistory ();      /* requires weak_pairs */
   scm_modules_prehistory ();
   scm_init_array_handle ();