diff --git a/templates/library_constructor.c.in b/templates/library_constructor.c.in
index 96868b1..fb408e4 100644
--- a/templates/library_constructor.c.in
+++ b/templates/library_constructor.c.in
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 #include "gettext-config.h"
 
 #if defined(_WIN32) || defined(_WIN64)
-  HINSTANCE hCurrentModuleInstance;
+  static HINSTANCE hCurrentModuleInstance;
 #endif
 
 @LC_GLOB_VARS@
@@ -42,8 +42,8 @@ void __attribute__ ((constructor)) load_library (void)
 
   gchar *so_path = g_new (gchar, FILENAME_MAX);
 #if defined(_WIN32) || defined(_WIN64)
-  get_library_path (so_path, NULL);
   hCurrentModuleInstance = hInstance;
+  get_library_path (so_path, NULL);
   @LC_WIN32_CODE@
 #elif defined(linux) || defined(UNIX) || defined(__unix__)
   get_library_path (so_path, load_library);