diff --git a/src/sigverify.rs b/src/sigverify.rs
index ffe7698e09c8e0..1264626f142828 100644
--- a/src/sigverify.rs
+++ b/src/sigverify.rs
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@ struct Elems {
 #[cfg(feature = "cuda")]
 #[link(name = "cuda_verify_ed25519")]
 extern "C" {
+    fn ed25519_init() -> bool;
+    fn ed25519_set_verbose(val: bool);
     fn ed25519_verify_many(
         vecs: *const Elems,
         num: u32,          //number of vecs
@@ -34,6 +36,11 @@ extern "C" {
     ) -> u32;
 }
 
+#[cfg(not(feature = "cuda"))]
+pub fn init() {
+    // stub
+}
+
 #[cfg(not(feature = "cuda"))]
 fn verify_packet(packet: &Packet) -> u8 {
     use ring::signature;
@@ -88,6 +95,17 @@ pub fn ed25519_verify(batches: &Vec<SharedPackets>) -> Vec<Vec<u8>> {
     rv
 }
 
+#[cfg(feature = "cuda")]
+pub fn init() {
+    unsafe {
+        ed25519_set_verbose(true);
+        if !ed25519_init() {
+            panic!("ed25519_init() failed");
+        }
+        ed25519_set_verbose(false);
+    }
+}
+
 #[cfg(feature = "cuda")]
 pub fn ed25519_verify(batches: &Vec<SharedPackets>) -> Vec<Vec<u8>> {
     use packet::PACKET_DATA_SIZE;
diff --git a/src/sigverify_stage.rs b/src/sigverify_stage.rs
index 57ffa020e76a9a..26cee3f42632bb 100644
--- a/src/sigverify_stage.rs
+++ b/src/sigverify_stage.rs
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ pub struct SigVerifyStage {
 
 impl SigVerifyStage {
     pub fn new(packet_receiver: Receiver<SharedPackets>) -> (Self, Receiver<VerifiedPackets>) {
+        sigverify::init();
         let (verified_sender, verified_receiver) = channel();
         let thread_hdls = Self::verifier_services(packet_receiver, verified_sender);
         (SigVerifyStage { thread_hdls }, verified_receiver)