diff --git a/dict.c b/dict.c
index ae4966bc..3579f64d 100644
--- a/dict.c
+++ b/dict.c
@@ -135,6 +135,15 @@ static xmlRMutexPtr xmlDictMutex = NULL;
  */
 static int xmlDictInitialized = 0;
 
+#ifdef DICT_RANDOMIZATION
+#ifdef HAVE_RAND_R
+/*
+ * Internal data for random function, protected by xmlDictMutex
+ */
+unsigned int rand_seed = 0;
+#endif
+#endif
+
 /**
  * xmlInitializeDict:
  *
@@ -142,24 +151,50 @@ static int xmlDictInitialized = 0;
  * this function is not thread safe, initialization should
  * preferably be done once at startup
  */
-static int xmlInitializeDict(void) {
+int xmlInitializeDict(void) {
     if (xmlDictInitialized)
         return(1);
 
     if ((xmlDictMutex = xmlNewRMutex()) == NULL)
         return(0);
+    xmlRMutexLock(xmlDictMutex);
 
 #ifdef DICT_RANDOMIZATION
+#ifdef HAVE_RAND_R
+    rand_seed = time(NULL);
+    rand_r(& rand_seed);
+#else
     srand(time(NULL));
+#endif
 #endif
     xmlDictInitialized = 1;
+    xmlRMutexUnlock(xmlDictMutex);
     return(1);
 }
 
+#ifdef DICT_RANDOMIZATION
+int __xmlRandom(void) {
+    int ret;
+
+    if (xmlDictInitialized == 0)
+        xmlInitializeDict();
+
+    xmlRMutexLock(xmlDictMutex);
+#ifdef HAVE_RAND_R
+    ret = rand_r(& rand_seed);
+#else
+    ret = rand();
+#endif
+    xmlRMutexUnlock(xmlDictMutex);
+    return(ret);
+}
+#endif
+
 /**
  * xmlDictCleanup:
  *
- * Free the dictionary mutex.
+ * Free the dictionary mutex. Do not call unless sure the library
+ * is not in use anymore !
  */
 void
 xmlDictCleanup(void) {
@@ -488,7 +523,7 @@ xmlDictCreate(void) {
         if (dict->dict) {
 	    memset(dict->dict, 0, MIN_DICT_SIZE * sizeof(xmlDictEntry));
 #ifdef DICT_RANDOMIZATION
-            dict->seed = rand();
+            dict->seed = __xmlRandom();
 #else
             dict->seed = 0;
 #endif
diff --git a/hash.c b/hash.c
index fe1424f2..15e1efe9 100644
--- a/hash.c
+++ b/hash.c
@@ -47,10 +47,6 @@
 
 /* #define DEBUG_GROW */
 
-#ifdef HASH_RANDOMIZATION
-static int hash_initialized = 0;
-#endif
-
 /*
  * A single entry in the hash table
  */
@@ -186,11 +182,7 @@ xmlHashCreate(int size) {
         if (table->table) {
   	    memset(table->table, 0, size * sizeof(xmlHashEntry));
 #ifdef HASH_RANDOMIZATION
-            if (!hash_initialized) {
-                srand(time(NULL));
-                hash_initialized = 1;
-            }
-            table->random_seed = rand();
+            table->random_seed = __xmlRandom();
 #endif
   	    return(table);
         }
diff --git a/include/libxml/dict.h b/include/libxml/dict.h
index abb8339c..59948689 100644
--- a/include/libxml/dict.h
+++ b/include/libxml/dict.h
@@ -24,6 +24,11 @@ extern "C" {
 typedef struct _xmlDict xmlDict;
 typedef xmlDict *xmlDictPtr;
 
+/*
+ * Initializer
+ */
+XMLPUBFUN int XMLCALL  xmlInitializeDict(void);
+
 /*
  * Constructor and destructor.
  */
@@ -33,28 +38,28 @@ XMLPUBFUN xmlDictPtr XMLCALL
 			xmlDictCreateSub(xmlDictPtr sub);
 XMLPUBFUN int XMLCALL
 			xmlDictReference(xmlDictPtr dict);
-XMLPUBFUN void XMLCALL			
+XMLPUBFUN void XMLCALL
 			xmlDictFree	(xmlDictPtr dict);
 
 /*
  * Lookup of entry in the dictionnary.
  */
-XMLPUBFUN const xmlChar * XMLCALL		
+XMLPUBFUN const xmlChar * XMLCALL
 			xmlDictLookup	(xmlDictPtr dict,
 		                         const xmlChar *name,
 		                         int len);
-XMLPUBFUN const xmlChar * XMLCALL		
+XMLPUBFUN const xmlChar * XMLCALL
 			xmlDictExists	(xmlDictPtr dict,
 		                         const xmlChar *name,
 		                         int len);
-XMLPUBFUN const xmlChar * XMLCALL		
+XMLPUBFUN const xmlChar * XMLCALL
 			xmlDictQLookup	(xmlDictPtr dict,
 		                         const xmlChar *prefix,
 		                         const xmlChar *name);
 XMLPUBFUN int XMLCALL
 			xmlDictOwns	(xmlDictPtr dict,
 					 const xmlChar *str);
-XMLPUBFUN int XMLCALL			
+XMLPUBFUN int XMLCALL
 			xmlDictSize	(xmlDictPtr dict);
 
 /*
diff --git a/libxml.h b/libxml.h
index dfc6c648..fa3aea4f 100644
--- a/libxml.h
+++ b/libxml.h
@@ -79,6 +79,13 @@ void __xmlGlobalInitMutexLock(void);
 void __xmlGlobalInitMutexUnlock(void);
 void __xmlGlobalInitMutexDestroy(void);
 
+#if defined(HAVE_RAND) && defined(HAVE_SRAND) && defined(HAVE_TIME)
+/*
+ * internal thread safe random function
+ */
+int __xmlRandom(void);
+#endif
+
 #ifdef IN_LIBXML
 #ifdef __GNUC__
 #ifdef PIC
diff --git a/parser.c b/parser.c
index 1b80a8c5..2c38faee 100644
--- a/parser.c
+++ b/parser.c
@@ -14178,6 +14178,7 @@ xmlInitParser(void) {
 	    (xmlGenericError == NULL))
 	    initGenericErrorDefaultFunc(NULL);
 	xmlInitMemory();
+        xmlInitializeDict();
 	xmlInitCharEncodingHandlers();
 	xmlDefaultSAXHandlerInit();
 	xmlRegisterDefaultInputCallbacks();