diff --git a/packages/taler-wallet-cli/src/index.ts b/packages/taler-wallet-cli/src/index.ts
index ddc8b16b8..64973c396 100644
--- a/packages/taler-wallet-cli/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/taler-wallet-cli/src/index.ts
@@ -191,6 +191,7 @@ async function withWallet<T>(
       ws: wallet,
       client: wallet.client,
     };
+    await wallet.handleCoreApiRequest("initWallet", "native-init", {});
     const ret = await f(w);
     return ret;
   } catch (e) {