diff --git a/src/postgres_extension.cpp b/src/postgres_extension.cpp
index bed08a61a..dbf18afe5 100644
--- a/src/postgres_extension.cpp
+++ b/src/postgres_extension.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 #define DUCKDB_BUILD_LOADABLE_EXTENSION
 #include "duckdb.hpp"
+#include <openssl/crypto.h>
+#include <openssl/ssl.h>
 
 #include "postgres_scanner.hpp"
 #include "postgres_storage.hpp"
@@ -116,6 +118,12 @@ static std::string CreatePoolNote(const std::string &option) {
 }
 
 static void LoadInternal(ExtensionLoader &loader) {
+	// Prevent a race with OpenSSL init that manifests itself with
+	// the following message on the first connection attempt:
+	// "port 5432 failed: could not create SSL context: unknown option"
+	OPENSSL_init_crypto(0, nullptr);
+	OPENSSL_init_ssl(0, nullptr);
+
 	// Register the OAuth bearer token hook before any connections are made
 	PostgresInitOAuthHook();