diff --git a/tests/benchmarks/CMakeLists.txt b/tests/benchmarks/CMakeLists.txt
index ca4f0006..4074b8f4 100644
--- a/tests/benchmarks/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/tests/benchmarks/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -14,4 +14,4 @@ include_directories(${libssh_BINARY_DIR})
 
 add_executable(benchmarks ${benchmarks_SRCS})
 
-target_link_libraries(benchmarks ssh::ssh)
+target_link_libraries(benchmarks ssh::static)
diff --git a/tests/benchmarks/benchmarks.c b/tests/benchmarks/benchmarks.c
index 0dedffe3..0091fc22 100644
--- a/tests/benchmarks/benchmarks.c
+++ b/tests/benchmarks/benchmarks.c
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@
  * MA 02111-1307, USA.
  */
 
+#define LIBSSH_STATIC
+
 #include "config.h"
 #include "benchmarks.h"
 #include <libssh/libssh.h>
@@ -390,7 +392,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
     struct argument_s arguments;
     ssh_session session = NULL;
-    int i;
+    int i, r;
 
     arguments_init(&arguments);
     cmdline_parse(argc, argv, &arguments);
@@ -427,6 +429,12 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
         fprintf(stdout,"\n");
     }
 
+    r = ssh_init();
+    if (r == SSH_ERROR) {
+        fprintf(stderr, "Failed to initialize libssh\n");
+        return EXIT_FAILURE;
+    }
+
     for (i = 0; i < arguments.nhosts; ++i) {
         if (arguments.verbose > 0)
             fprintf(stdout, "Connecting to \"%s\"...\n", arguments.hosts[i]);
@@ -447,6 +455,12 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
         ssh_free(session);
     }
 
+    r = ssh_finalize();
+    if (r == SSH_ERROR) {
+        fprintf(stderr, "Failed to finalize libssh\n");
+        return EXIT_FAILURE;
+    }
+
     return EXIT_SUCCESS;
 }