diff --git a/src/bench/bench_bitcoin.cpp b/src/bench/bench_bitcoin.cpp
--- a/src/bench/bench_bitcoin.cpp
+++ b/src/bench/bench_bitcoin.cpp
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@
 
 #include <crypto/sha256.h>
 #include <key.h>
-#include <random.h>
 #include <util/strencodings.h>
 #include <util/system.h>
 #include <validation.h>
@@ -86,7 +85,6 @@
     }
 
     SHA256AutoDetect();
-    RandomInit();
     ECC_Start();
     SetupEnvironment();
 
diff --git a/src/random.h b/src/random.h
--- a/src/random.h
+++ b/src/random.h
@@ -190,7 +190,12 @@
  */
 bool Random_SanityCheck();
 
-/** Initialize the RNG. */
+/**
+ * Initialize global RNG state and log any CPU features that are used.
+ *
+ * Calling this function is optional. RNG state will be initialized when first
+ * needed if it is not called.
+ */
 void RandomInit();
 
 #endif // BITCOIN_RANDOM_H
diff --git a/src/random.cpp b/src/random.cpp
--- a/src/random.cpp
+++ b/src/random.cpp
@@ -82,13 +82,24 @@
 static void RDRandInit() {
     uint32_t eax, ebx, ecx, edx;
     if (__get_cpuid(1, &eax, &ebx, &ecx, &edx) && (ecx & CPUID_F1_ECX_RDRAND)) {
-        LogPrintf("Using RdRand as an additional entropy source\n");
         rdrand_supported = true;
     }
     hwrand_initialized.store(true);
 }
+
+static void RDRandReport() {
+    assert(hwrand_initialized.load(std::memory_order_relaxed));
+    if (rdrand_supported) {
+        // This must be done in a separate function, as HWRandInit() may be
+        // indirectly called from global constructors, before logging is
+        // initialized.
+        LogPrintf("Using RdRand as an additional entropy source\n");
+    }
+}
+
 #else
 static void RDRandInit() {}
+static void RDRandReport() {}
 #endif
 
 static bool GetHWRand(uint8_t *ent32) {
@@ -289,6 +300,24 @@
     }
 }
 
+namespace {
+struct RNGState {
+    Mutex m_mutex;
+    uint8_t m_state[32] = {0};
+    uint64_t m_counter = 0;
+
+    explicit RNGState() { RDRandInit(); }
+};
+
+RNGState &GetRNGState() {
+    // This C++11 idiom relies on the guarantee that static variable are
+    // initialized on first call, even when multiple parallel calls are
+    // permitted.
+    static std::unique_ptr<RNGState> g_rng{new RNGState()};
+    return *g_rng;
+}
+} // namespace
+
 static void AddDataToRng(void *data, size_t len);
 
 void RandAddSeedSleep() {
@@ -304,27 +333,27 @@
     memory_cleanse(&nPerfCounter2, sizeof(nPerfCounter2));
 }
 
-static Mutex cs_rng_state;
-static uint8_t rng_state[32] = {0};
-static uint64_t rng_counter = 0;
-
 static void AddDataToRng(void *data, size_t len) {
+    RNGState &rng = GetRNGState();
+
     CSHA512 hasher;
     hasher.Write((const uint8_t *)&len, sizeof(len));
     hasher.Write((const uint8_t *)data, len);
     uint8_t buf[64];
     {
-        WAIT_LOCK(cs_rng_state, lock);
-        hasher.Write(rng_state, sizeof(rng_state));
-        hasher.Write((const uint8_t *)&rng_counter, sizeof(rng_counter));
-        ++rng_counter;
+        WAIT_LOCK(rng.m_mutex, lock);
+        hasher.Write(rng.m_state, sizeof(rng.m_state));
+        hasher.Write((const uint8_t *)&rng.m_counter, sizeof(rng.m_counter));
+        ++rng.m_counter;
         hasher.Finalize(buf);
-        memcpy(rng_state, buf + 32, 32);
+        memcpy(rng.m_state, buf + 32, 32);
     }
     memory_cleanse(buf, 64);
 }
 
 void GetStrongRandBytes(uint8_t *out, int num) {
+    RNGState &rng = GetRNGState();
+
     assert(num <= 32);
     CSHA512 hasher;
     uint8_t buf[64];
@@ -345,12 +374,12 @@
 
     // Combine with and update state
     {
-        WAIT_LOCK(cs_rng_state, lock);
-        hasher.Write(rng_state, sizeof(rng_state));
-        hasher.Write((const uint8_t *)&rng_counter, sizeof(rng_counter));
-        ++rng_counter;
+        WAIT_LOCK(rng.m_mutex, lock);
+        hasher.Write(rng.m_state, sizeof(rng.m_state));
+        hasher.Write((const uint8_t *)&rng.m_counter, sizeof(rng.m_counter));
+        ++rng.m_counter;
         hasher.Finalize(buf);
-        memcpy(rng_state, buf + 32, 32);
+        memcpy(rng.m_state, buf + 32, 32);
     }
 
     // Produce output
@@ -494,5 +523,8 @@
 }
 
 void RandomInit() {
-    RDRandInit();
+    // Invoke RNG code to trigger initialization (if not already performed)
+    GetRNGState();
+
+    RDRandReport();
 }
diff --git a/src/test/test_bitcoin.cpp b/src/test/test_bitcoin.cpp
--- a/src/test/test_bitcoin.cpp
+++ b/src/test/test_bitcoin.cpp
@@ -45,7 +45,6 @@
                   strprintf("%lu_%i", static_cast<unsigned long>(GetTime()),
                             int(InsecureRandRange(1 << 30)))) {
     SHA256AutoDetect();
-    RandomInit();
     ECC_Start();
     SetupEnvironment();
     SetupNetworking();