diff --git a/src/Extism.Pdk.MSBuild/FFIGenerator.cs b/src/Extism.Pdk.MSBuild/FFIGenerator.cs
index 43427bb..90e472f 100644
--- a/src/Extism.Pdk.MSBuild/FFIGenerator.cs
+++ b/src/Extism.Pdk.MSBuild/FFIGenerator.cs
@@ -97,14 +97,8 @@ private FileEntry GenerateExports(string assemblyFileName, MethodDefinition[] ex
                 WASI_AFTER_RUNTIME_LOADED_DECLARATIONS
                 #endif
 
-                bool mono_runtime_initialized = false;
                 void initialize_runtime() {
-                    if (mono_runtime_initialized) {
-                        return;
-                    }
-
                     mono_wasm_load_runtime("", 0);
-                    mono_runtime_initialized = true;
                 }
 
                 // end of _initialize
diff --git a/src/Extism.Pdk/Extism.Pdk.csproj b/src/Extism.Pdk/Extism.Pdk.csproj
index ad8db5e..b36dd18 100644
--- a/src/Extism.Pdk/Extism.Pdk.csproj
+++ b/src/Extism.Pdk/Extism.Pdk.csproj
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 
 	<PropertyGroup>
 		<PackageId>Extism.Pdk</PackageId>
-		<Version>1.0.0-rc2</Version>
+		<Version>1.0.0-rc3</Version>
 		<Authors>Extism Contributors</Authors>
 		<Description>Extism PDK that allows compiling .NET apps into wasm Extism plugins.</Description>
 		<Tags>extism, wasm, plugin</Tags>
diff --git a/src/Extism.Pdk/build/Extism.Pdk.targets b/src/Extism.Pdk/build/Extism.Pdk.targets
index 1bd1a6d..41a1610 100644
--- a/src/Extism.Pdk/build/Extism.Pdk.targets
+++ b/src/Extism.Pdk/build/Extism.Pdk.targets
@@ -9,6 +9,9 @@
 			<!-- Wrap mono_runtime_run_main because we have to make sure at least one argument is passed in to Mono -->
 			<!-- See native/env.c for the implementation -->
 			<_WasiSdkClangArgs Include="-Wl,--wrap=mono_runtime_run_main" />
+
+			<!-- Wrap mono_wasm_load_runtime to ensure mono is loaded only once when _start is called after an exported function -->
+			<_WasiSdkClangArgs Include="-Wl,--wrap=mono_wasm_load_runtime" />
 		</ItemGroup>
 	</Target>
 </Project>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/Extism.Pdk/native/env.c b/src/Extism.Pdk/native/env.c
index 1832de2..6658442 100644
--- a/src/Extism.Pdk/native/env.c
+++ b/src/Extism.Pdk/native/env.c
@@ -232,4 +232,17 @@ int __wrap_mono_runtime_run_main(MonoMethod *method, int argc, char *argv[], Mon
 	}
 
 	return __real_mono_runtime_run_main(method, argc, argv, exc);
+}
+
+// Wrap mono_wasm_load_runtime to make sure we don't initialize mono more than once
+void __real_mono_wasm_load_runtime(const char* unused, int debug_level);
+
+bool mono_runtime_initialized = false;
+void __wrap_mono_wasm_load_runtime(const char* unused, int debug_level) {
+    if (mono_runtime_initialized) {
+        return;
+    }
+
+    __real_mono_wasm_load_runtime(unused, debug_level);
+    mono_runtime_initialized = true;
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/Extism.Pdk.MsBuild.Tests/snapshots/exports.txt b/tests/Extism.Pdk.MsBuild.Tests/snapshots/exports.txt
index f24fe41..2b1cb01 100644
--- a/tests/Extism.Pdk.MsBuild.Tests/snapshots/exports.txt
+++ b/tests/Extism.Pdk.MsBuild.Tests/snapshots/exports.txt
@@ -24,14 +24,8 @@ void mono_wasm_load_runtime(const char* unused, int debug_level);
 WASI_AFTER_RUNTIME_LOADED_DECLARATIONS
 #endif
 
-bool mono_runtime_initialized = false;
 void initialize_runtime() {
-    if (mono_runtime_initialized) {
-        return;
-    }
-
     mono_wasm_load_runtime("", 0);
-    mono_runtime_initialized = true;
 }
 
 // end of _initialize