diff --git a/gpgme-vala/src/gpgme_helper.vala b/gpgme-vala/src/gpgme_helper.vala
index 2a27ba3e..9efa2b4c 100644
--- a/gpgme-vala/src/gpgme_helper.vala
+++ b/gpgme-vala/src/gpgme_helper.vala
@@ -3,7 +3,11 @@ using GPG;
 
 namespace GPGHelper {
 
+private static bool initialized = false;
+
 public static string encrypt_armor(string plain, Key[] keys, EncryptFlags flags) throws GLib.Error {
+    initialize();
+
     global_mutex.lock();
     Data plain_data = Data.create_from_memory(plain.data, false);
     Context context = Context.create();
@@ -14,6 +18,8 @@ public static string encrypt_armor(string plain, Key[] keys, EncryptFlags flags)
 }
 
 public static string decrypt(string encr) throws GLib.Error {
+    initialize();
+
     global_mutex.lock();
     Data enc_data = Data.create_from_memory(encr.data, false);
     Context context = Context.create();
@@ -23,6 +29,8 @@ public static string decrypt(string encr) throws GLib.Error {
 }
 
 public static string sign(string plain, SigMode mode) throws GLib.Error {
+    initialize();
+
     global_mutex.lock();
     Data plain_data = Data.create_from_memory(plain.data, false);
     Context context = Context.create();
@@ -32,6 +40,8 @@ public static string sign(string plain, SigMode mode) throws GLib.Error {
 }
 
 public static string? get_sign_key(string signature, string? text) throws GLib.Error {
+    initialize();
+
     global_mutex.lock();
     Data sig_data = Data.create_from_memory(signature.data, false);
     Data text_data;
@@ -49,6 +59,8 @@ public static string? get_sign_key(string signature, string? text) throws GLib.E
 }
 
 public static Gee.List<Key> get_keylist(string? pattern = null, bool secret_only = false) throws GLib.Error {
+    initialize();
+
     Gee.List<Key> keys = new ArrayList<Key>();
     Context context = Context.create();
     context.op_keylist_start(pattern, secret_only ? 1 : 0);
@@ -64,6 +76,8 @@ public static Gee.List<Key> get_keylist(string? pattern = null, bool secret_only
 }
 
 public static Key? get_public_key(string sig) throws GLib.Error {
+    initialize();
+
     global_mutex.lock();
     Context context = Context.create();
     Key key = context.get_key(sig, false);
@@ -72,6 +86,8 @@ public static Key? get_public_key(string sig) throws GLib.Error {
 }
 
 private static string get_string_from_data(Data data) {
+    initialize();
+
     data.seek(0);
     uint8[] buf = new uint8[256];
     ssize_t? len = null;
@@ -87,4 +103,11 @@ private static string get_string_from_data(Data data) {
     return res;
 }
 
+private static void initialize() {
+    if (!initialized) {
+        check_version();
+        initialized = true;
+    }
+}
+
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/gpgme-vala/vapi/gpgme.vapi b/gpgme-vala/vapi/gpgme.vapi
index 8c942f4b..48d11b8c 100644
--- a/gpgme-vala/vapi/gpgme.vapi
+++ b/gpgme-vala/vapi/gpgme.vapi
@@ -267,7 +267,7 @@ namespace GPG {
 
         public static Context create() throws GLib.Error {
             Context ctx;
-            @new(out ctx);
+            throw_if_error(@new(out ctx));
             return ctx;
         }
 
diff --git a/xmpp-vala/src/module/xep/0027_pgp/module.vala b/xmpp-vala/src/module/xep/0027_pgp/module.vala
index 8d75a17d..5906abc3 100644
--- a/xmpp-vala/src/module/xep/0027_pgp/module.vala
+++ b/xmpp-vala/src/module/xep/0027_pgp/module.vala
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@ namespace Xmpp.Xep.Pgp {
         private string? own_key_id;
 
         public Module() {
-            GPG.check_version();
             signed_status = gpg_sign("");
             if (signed_status != null) own_key_id = gpg_verify(signed_status, "");
         }