diff --git a/src/session_client.c b/src/session_client.c
index f9351c2d..22e3313a 100644
--- a/src/session_client.c
+++ b/src/session_client.c
@@ -39,6 +39,9 @@
 #include <sys/un.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
 
+#ifdef NC_ENABLED_SSH_TLS
+#include <libssh/libssh.h>
+#endif
 #include <libyang/libyang.h>
 
 #include "compat.h"
@@ -1917,6 +1920,13 @@ nc_client_init(void)
         return -1;
     }
 
+#ifdef NC_ENABLED_SSH_TLS
+    if (ssh_init()) {
+        ERR(NULL, "%s: failed to init libssh.", __func__);
+        return -1;
+    }
+#endif
+
     return 0;
 }
 
@@ -1929,6 +1939,7 @@ nc_client_destroy(void)
     nc_client_ch_del_bind(NULL, 0, 0);
     nc_client_ssh_destroy_opts();
     nc_client_tls_destroy_opts();
+    ssh_finalize();
 #endif /* NC_ENABLED_SSH_TLS */
 }
 
diff --git a/src/session_server.c b/src/session_server.c
index d93ae334..94dd5d50 100644
--- a/src/session_server.c
+++ b/src/session_server.c
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@
 
 #ifdef NC_ENABLED_SSH_TLS
 #include <curl/curl.h>
+#include <libssh/libssh.h>
 #endif
 
 #include "compat.h"
@@ -809,6 +810,12 @@ nc_server_init(void)
         ERR(NULL, "%s: failed to init CURL.", __func__);
         goto error;
     }
+
+    /* optional for dynamic library, mandatory for static */
+    if (ssh_init()) {
+        ERR(NULL, "%s: failed to init libssh.", __func__);
+        goto error;
+    }
 #endif
 
     if ((r = pthread_mutex_init(&server_opts.bind_lock, NULL))) {
@@ -866,6 +873,7 @@ nc_server_destroy(void)
     nc_server_config_ks_keystore(NULL, NC_OP_DELETE);
     nc_server_config_ts_truststore(NULL, NC_OP_DELETE);
     curl_global_cleanup();
+    ssh_finalize();
 #endif /* NC_ENABLED_SSH_TLS */
 }