diff --git a/include/QF/plugin/vid_render.h b/include/QF/plugin/vid_render.h
index dc86c70db..d47655ee1 100644
--- a/include/QF/plugin/vid_render.h
+++ b/include/QF/plugin/vid_render.h
@@ -145,6 +145,7 @@ typedef struct vid_render_funcs_s {
 						float time);
 	void (*Fog_ParseWorldspawn) (struct plitem_s *worldspawn);
 
+	void (*R_Init) (void);
 	void (*R_ClearState) (void);
 	void (*R_LoadSkys) (const char *);
 	void (*R_NewMap) (model_t *worldmodel, model_t **models, int num_models);
diff --git a/include/QF/render.h b/include/QF/render.h
index ff0bde3a7..747bbdc60 100644
--- a/include/QF/render.h
+++ b/include/QF/render.h
@@ -168,6 +168,7 @@ extern	struct texture_s	*r_notexture_mip;
 extern entity_t r_worldentity;
 
 void R_Init (void);
+void R_LoadModule (void);
 struct progs_s;
 void R_Progs_Init (struct progs_s *pr);
 
diff --git a/libs/video/renderer/gl/gl_rmisc.c b/libs/video/renderer/gl/gl_rmisc.c
index 79f0c7f2c..49459166d 100644
--- a/libs/video/renderer/gl/gl_rmisc.c
+++ b/libs/video/renderer/gl/gl_rmisc.c
@@ -140,6 +140,9 @@ gl_R_LoadSky_f (void)
 void
 gl_R_Init (void)
 {
+	R_Init_Cvars ();
+	gl_R_Particles_Init_Cvars ();
+
 	Cmd_AddCommand ("timerefresh", gl_R_TimeRefresh_f,
 					"Tests the current refresh rate for the current location");
 	Cmd_AddCommand ("envmap", R_Envmap_f, "No Description");
@@ -161,6 +164,7 @@ gl_R_Init (void)
 	gl_R_InitParticles ();
 	gl_R_InitSprites ();
 	gl_Fog_Init ();
+	Skin_Init ();
 }
 
 static void
diff --git a/libs/video/renderer/glsl/glsl_main.c b/libs/video/renderer/glsl/glsl_main.c
index 21f1106ed..c1a7b4f94 100644
--- a/libs/video/renderer/glsl/glsl_main.c
+++ b/libs/video/renderer/glsl/glsl_main.c
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ static __attribute__ ((used)) const char rcsid[] = "$Id$";
 #include "QF/GLSL/qf_lightmap.h"
 #include "QF/GLSL/qf_textures.h"
 
+#include "mod_internal.h"
 #include "r_internal.h"
 
 mat4_t glsl_projection;
@@ -241,6 +242,8 @@ glsl_R_RenderView (void)
 void
 glsl_R_Init (void)
 {
+	R_Init_Cvars ();
+	glsl_R_Particles_Init_Cvars ();
 	Draw_Init ();
 	SCR_Init ();
 	glsl_R_InitBsp ();
@@ -248,6 +251,7 @@ glsl_R_Init (void)
 	glsl_R_InitSprites ();
 	glsl_R_InitParticles ();
 	glsl_Fog_Init ();
+	Skin_Init ();
 }
 
 void
diff --git a/libs/video/renderer/r_init.c b/libs/video/renderer/r_init.c
index fc099fff5..03284d4da 100644
--- a/libs/video/renderer/r_init.c
+++ b/libs/video/renderer/r_init.c
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ static U void (*const r_progs_init)(struct progs_s *) = R_Progs_Init;
 #undef U
 
 VISIBLE void
-R_Init (void)
+R_LoadModule (void)
 {
 	PI_RegisterPlugins (vidrend_plugin_list);
 	vidrend_plugin = Cvar_Get ("vid_render", VID_RENDER_DEFAULT, CVAR_ROM, 0,
@@ -82,3 +82,9 @@ R_Init (void)
 
 	vidrendmodule->functions->general->p_Init ();
 }
+
+VISIBLE void
+R_Init (void)
+{
+	r_funcs->R_Init ();
+}
diff --git a/libs/video/renderer/sw/sw_rmain.c b/libs/video/renderer/sw/sw_rmain.c
index 11ce26c86..9883cb161 100644
--- a/libs/video/renderer/sw/sw_rmain.c
+++ b/libs/video/renderer/sw/sw_rmain.c
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ static __attribute__ ((used)) const char rcsid[] =
 #include "QF/sys.h"
 
 #include "compat.h"
+#include "mod_internal.h"
 #include "r_internal.h"
 #include "vid_internal.h"
 
@@ -121,6 +122,9 @@ sw_R_Init (void)
 	// get stack position so we can guess if we are going to overflow
 	r_stack_start = (byte *) & dummy;
 
+	R_Init_Cvars ();
+	R_Particles_Init_Cvars ();
+
 	Draw_Init ();
 	SCR_Init ();
 	R_SetFPCW ();
@@ -155,6 +159,8 @@ sw_R_Init (void)
 						   (long) R_EdgeCodeEnd - (long) R_EdgeCodeStart);
 #endif // USE_INTEL_ASM
 	D_Init ();
+
+	Skin_Init ();
 }
 
 void
diff --git a/libs/video/renderer/sw32/sw32_rmain.c b/libs/video/renderer/sw32/sw32_rmain.c
index 6c68439ea..0c74f38a6 100644
--- a/libs/video/renderer/sw32/sw32_rmain.c
+++ b/libs/video/renderer/sw32/sw32_rmain.c
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ static __attribute__ ((used)) const char rcsid[] = "$Id$";
 #include "QF/sys.h"
 
 #include "compat.h"
+#include "mod_internal.h"
 #include "r_internal.h"
 #include "vid_internal.h"
 
@@ -146,6 +147,9 @@ sw32_R_Init (void)
 	// get stack position so we can guess if we are going to overflow
 	r_stack_start = (byte *) & dummy;
 
+	R_Init_Cvars ();
+	sw32_R_Particles_Init_Cvars ();
+
 	sw32_Draw_Init ();
 	SCR_Init ();
 	sw32_R_InitTurb ();
@@ -170,6 +174,8 @@ sw32_R_Init (void)
 	r_refdef.yOrigin = YCENTERING;
 
 	sw32_D_Init ();
+
+	Skin_Init ();
 }
 
 void
diff --git a/libs/video/renderer/vid_render_gl.c b/libs/video/renderer/vid_render_gl.c
index 66b23a4ba..68d3c34a0 100644
--- a/libs/video/renderer/vid_render_gl.c
+++ b/libs/video/renderer/vid_render_gl.c
@@ -97,6 +97,7 @@ vid_render_funcs_t gl_vid_render_funcs = {
 	gl_Fog_Update,
 	gl_Fog_ParseWorldspawn,
 
+	gl_R_Init,
 	gl_R_ClearState,
 	gl_R_LoadSkys,
 	gl_R_NewMap,
@@ -116,10 +117,6 @@ static void
 gl_vid_render_init (void)
 {
 	m_funcs = &model_funcs;
-	R_Init_Cvars ();
-	gl_R_Particles_Init_Cvars ();
-	gl_R_Init ();
-	Skin_Init ();
 	vid = *vr_data.vid;
 }
 
diff --git a/libs/video/renderer/vid_render_glsl.c b/libs/video/renderer/vid_render_glsl.c
index e25799e6b..bec1d8c71 100644
--- a/libs/video/renderer/vid_render_glsl.c
+++ b/libs/video/renderer/vid_render_glsl.c
@@ -97,6 +97,7 @@ vid_render_funcs_t glsl_vid_render_funcs = {
 	glsl_Fog_Update,
 	glsl_Fog_ParseWorldspawn,
 
+	glsl_R_Init,
 	glsl_R_ClearState,
 	glsl_R_LoadSkys,
 	glsl_R_NewMap,
@@ -116,10 +117,6 @@ static void
 glsl_vid_render_init (void)
 {
 	m_funcs = &model_funcs;
-	R_Init_Cvars ();
-	glsl_R_Particles_Init_Cvars ();
-	glsl_R_Init ();
-	Skin_Init ();
 	vid = *vr_data.vid;
 }
 
diff --git a/libs/video/renderer/vid_render_sw.c b/libs/video/renderer/vid_render_sw.c
index 4dd0d063b..499dffda7 100644
--- a/libs/video/renderer/vid_render_sw.c
+++ b/libs/video/renderer/vid_render_sw.c
@@ -92,6 +92,7 @@ vid_render_funcs_t sw_vid_render_funcs = {
 	0,
 	0,
 
+	sw_R_Init,
 	R_ClearState,
 	R_LoadSkys,
 	R_NewMap,
@@ -111,10 +112,6 @@ static void
 sw_vid_render_init (void)
 {
 	m_funcs = &model_funcs;
-	R_Init_Cvars ();
-	R_Particles_Init_Cvars ();
-	sw_R_Init ();
-	Skin_Init ();
 	vid = *vr_data.vid;
 }
 
diff --git a/libs/video/renderer/vid_render_sw32.c b/libs/video/renderer/vid_render_sw32.c
index 6f9f7053a..856af9ccc 100644
--- a/libs/video/renderer/vid_render_sw32.c
+++ b/libs/video/renderer/vid_render_sw32.c
@@ -97,6 +97,7 @@ vid_render_funcs_t sw32_vid_render_funcs = {
 	0,
 	0,
 
+	sw32_R_Init,
 	sw32_R_ClearState,
 	sw32_R_LoadSkys,
 	sw32_R_NewMap,
@@ -116,10 +117,6 @@ static void
 sw32_vid_render_init (void)
 {
 	m_funcs = &model_funcs;
-	R_Init_Cvars ();
-	sw32_R_Particles_Init_Cvars ();
-	sw32_R_Init ();
-	Skin_Init ();
 	vid = *vr_data.vid;
 }
 
diff --git a/libs/video/targets/vid_fbdev.c b/libs/video/targets/vid_fbdev.c
index 922d38034..efdba84d2 100644
--- a/libs/video/targets/vid_fbdev.c
+++ b/libs/video/targets/vid_fbdev.c
@@ -427,6 +427,8 @@ VID_Init (byte *palette, byte *colormap)
 		return;
 	}
 
+	R_LoadModule ();
+
 	fbname = getenv("FRAMEBUFFER");
 	if (!fbname)
 		fbname = "/dev/fb0";
diff --git a/libs/video/targets/vid_sdl.c b/libs/video/targets/vid_sdl.c
index 459d7e524..f421e40cd 100644
--- a/libs/video/targets/vid_sdl.c
+++ b/libs/video/targets/vid_sdl.c
@@ -94,6 +94,8 @@ VID_Init (byte *palette, byte *colormap)
 	if (SDL_Init (SDL_INIT_VIDEO) < 0)
 		Sys_Error ("VID: Couldn't load SDL: %s", SDL_GetError ());
 
+	R_LoadModule ();
+
 	// Set up display mode (width and height)
 	VID_GetWindowSize (BASEWIDTH, BASEHEIGHT);
 
diff --git a/libs/video/targets/vid_x11.c b/libs/video/targets/vid_x11.c
index a9394a8e9..f86bc86a9 100644
--- a/libs/video/targets/vid_x11.c
+++ b/libs/video/targets/vid_x11.c
@@ -497,6 +497,8 @@ x11_create_context (void)
 void
 VID_Init (byte *palette, byte *colormap)
 {
+	R_LoadModule ();
+
 	viddef.numpages = 2;
 	viddef.colormap8 = colormap;
 	viddef.fullbright = 256 - viddef.colormap8[256 * VID_GRADES];