diff --git a/src/core/main.c b/src/core/main.c
index 06fe3726318..6d440cc13fe 100644
--- a/src/core/main.c
+++ b/src/core/main.c
@@ -2095,6 +2095,10 @@ static int load_configuration(int argc, char **argv, const char **ret_error_mess
                 }
         }
 
+        /* Initialize the show status setting if it hasn't been set explicitly yet */
+        if (arg_show_status == _SHOW_STATUS_UNSET)
+                arg_show_status = SHOW_STATUS_YES;
+
         return 0;
 }
 
@@ -2463,9 +2467,6 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
                 log_open();
         }
 
-        if (arg_show_status == _SHOW_STATUS_UNSET)
-                arg_show_status = SHOW_STATUS_YES;
-
         /* Make sure we leave a core dump without panicing the
          * kernel. */
         if (getpid_cached() == 1) {