diff --git a/awesome.c b/awesome.c
index 54f919df9..ac1af6d2e 100644
--- a/awesome.c
+++ b/awesome.c
@@ -361,12 +361,6 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
     xcolor_new(globalconf.connection, globalconf.default_screen, "black", &globalconf.colors.fg);
     xcolor_new(globalconf.connection, globalconf.default_screen, "white", &globalconf.colors.bg);
 
-    /* parse config */
-    if(!confpath)
-        confpath = config_file();
-    if (!luaA_parserc(confpath))
-        eprint("failed to load/parse configuration file %s", confpath);
-
     /* init cursors */
     globalconf.cursor[CurNormal] = xutil_cursor_new(globalconf.connection, CURSOR_LEFT_PTR);
     globalconf.cursor[CurResize] = xutil_cursor_new(globalconf.connection, CURSOR_SIZING);
@@ -378,6 +372,15 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
     globalconf.cursor[CurBotRight] = xutil_cursor_new(globalconf.connection, CURSOR_BOTTOM_RIGHT_CORNER);
     globalconf.cursor[CurBotLeft] = xutil_cursor_new(globalconf.connection, CURSOR_BOTTOM_LEFT_CORNER);
 
+    /* init lua */
+    luaA_init();
+
+    /* parse config */
+    if(!confpath)
+        confpath = config_file();
+    if (!luaA_parserc(confpath))
+        eprint("failed to load/parse configuration file %s", confpath);
+
     /* select for events */
     const uint32_t change_win_vals[] =
     {
diff --git a/lua.c b/lua.c
index 4c9c28fca..65ab2d881 100644
--- a/lua.c
+++ b/lua.c
@@ -402,11 +402,12 @@ luaA_openlib(lua_State *L, const char *name,
     luaL_register(L, name, methods);
 }
 
-bool
-luaA_parserc(const char *rcfile)
+/** Initialize the Lua VM
+ */
+void
+luaA_init(void)
 {
     lua_State *L;
-    int screen;
 
     static const struct luaL_reg awesome_lib[] =
     {
@@ -480,10 +481,21 @@ luaA_parserc(const char *rcfile)
     lua_settable(L, LUA_GLOBALSINDEX);
 
     luaA_dostring(L, "package.path = package.path .. \";" AWESOME_LUA_LIB_PATH  "/?.lua\"");
+}
 
-    if(luaL_dofile(L, rcfile))
+/** Load a configuration file
+ *
+ * \param rcfile The configuration file to load.
+ * \return True on succes, false on failure.
+ */
+bool
+luaA_parserc(const char* rcfile)
+{
+    int screen;
+
+    if(luaL_dofile(globalconf.L, rcfile))
     {
-        fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", lua_tostring(L, -1));
+        fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", lua_tostring(globalconf.L, -1));
         return false;
     }
 
diff --git a/lua.h b/lua.h
index 2e035f97f..37469d464 100644
--- a/lua.h
+++ b/lua.h
@@ -133,6 +133,7 @@ luaA_checkboolean(lua_State *L, int n)
     return lua_toboolean(L, n);
 }
 
+void luaA_init(void);
 bool luaA_parserc(const char *);
 void luaA_docmd(char *);
 void luaA_pushpointer(void *, awesome_type_t);