diff --git a/src/init.c b/src/init.c
index 5f75421..3e03af6 100644
--- a/src/init.c
+++ b/src/init.c
@@ -1,27 +1,15 @@
 #include <stdbool.h>
 
 #include "api.h"
-#include "error.h"
 #include "init.h"
 #include "nt.h"
 #include "reflock.h"
 #include "util.h"
-#include "win.h"
+#include "ws.h"
 
 static bool _initialized = false;
 static INIT_ONCE _once = INIT_ONCE_STATIC_INIT;
 
-static int _winsock_global_init(void) {
-  int r;
-  WSADATA wsa_data;
-
-  r = WSAStartup(MAKEWORD(2, 2), &wsa_data);
-  if (r != 0)
-    return_error(-1);
-
-  return 0;
-}
-
 static BOOL CALLBACK _init_once_callback(INIT_ONCE* once,
                                          void* parameter,
                                          void** context) {
@@ -29,7 +17,8 @@ static BOOL CALLBACK _init_once_callback(INIT_ONCE* once,
   unused_var(parameter);
   unused_var(context);
 
-  if (_winsock_global_init() < 0 || nt_global_init() < 0 ||
+  /* N.b. that initialization order matters here. */
+  if (ws_global_init() < 0 || nt_global_init() < 0 ||
       reflock_global_init() < 0 || api_global_init() < 0)
     return FALSE;
 
diff --git a/src/ws.c b/src/ws.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4260b28
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/ws.c
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+#include "ws.h"
+#include "error.h"
+#include "win.h"
+
+int ws_global_init(void) {
+  int r;
+  WSADATA wsa_data;
+
+  r = WSAStartup(MAKEWORD(2, 2), &wsa_data);
+  if (r != 0)
+    return_error(-1);
+
+  return 0;
+}
diff --git a/src/ws.h b/src/ws.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6be473c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/ws.h
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+#ifndef WEPOLL_WS_H_
+#define WEPOLL_WS_H_
+
+#include "internal.h"
+
+WEPOLL_INTERNAL int ws_global_init(void);
+
+#endif /* WEPOLL_WS_H_ */