diff --git a/lib/lock.h b/lib/lock.h
index 3f0da52..04d98e0 100644
--- a/lib/lock.h
+++ b/lib/lock.h
@@ -361,11 +361,26 @@ typedef pthread_mutex_t gl_recursive_lock_t;
        PTHREAD_RECURSIVE_MUTEX_INITIALIZER_NP
 #   endif
 #   define gl_recursive_lock_init(NAME) \
-      do                                                                  \
-        {                                                                 \
-          if (pthread_in_use () && pthread_mutex_init (&NAME, NULL) != 0) \
-            abort ();                                                     \
-        }                                                                 \
+      do                                                                         \
+        {                                                                        \
+          pthread_mutexattr_t mattr;                                             \
+                                                                                 \
+          if ( ! pthread_in_use() )                                              \
+            return 0;                                                            \
+                                                                                 \
+          if (pthread_mutexattr_init (&mattr) != 0)                              \
+            abort ();                                                            \
+                                                                                 \
+          if (pthread_mutexattr_settype(&mattr, PTHREAD_MUTEX_RECURSIVE) != 0) { \
+            pthread_mutexattr_destroy(&mattr);                                   \
+            abort ();                                                            \
+          }                                                                      \
+                                                                                 \
+          if (pthread_mutex_init (&NAME, &mattr) != 0)                           \
+            abort ();                                                            \
+                                                                                 \
+          pthread_mutexattr_destroy(&mattr);                                     \
+        }                                                                        \
       while (0)
 #   define gl_recursive_lock_lock(NAME) \
       do                                                            \