diff --git a/CHANGES b/CHANGES
index 4b5a9d3b2..008f259b0 100644
--- a/CHANGES
+++ b/CHANGES
@@ -4,6 +4,10 @@
 
  Changes between 0.9.7l and 0.9.7m  [xx XXX xxxx]
 
+  *) Load error codes if they are not already present instead of using a
+     static variable. This allows them to be cleanly unloaded and reloaded.
+     [Steve Henson]
+
  Changes between 0.9.7k and 0.9.7l  [28 Sep 2006]
 
   *) Introduce limits to prevent malicious keys being able to
diff --git a/util/mkerr.pl b/util/mkerr.pl
index 967851460..4171e0c98 100644
--- a/util/mkerr.pl
+++ b/util/mkerr.pl
@@ -422,7 +422,7 @@ EOF
 	print OUT <<"EOF";
 /* $cfile */
 /* ====================================================================
- * Copyright (c) 1999-2005 The OpenSSL Project.  All rights reserved.
+ * Copyright (c) 1999-2006 The OpenSSL Project.  All rights reserved.
  *
  * Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
  * modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions
@@ -536,17 +536,14 @@ if($static) {
 
 ${staticloader}void ERR_load_${lib}_strings(void)
 	{
-	static int init=1;
-
-	if (init)
-		{
-		init=0;
 #ifndef OPENSSL_NO_ERR
+
+	if (ERR_func_error_string(${lib}_str_functs[0].error) == NULL)
+		{
 		ERR_load_strings($load_errcode,${lib}_str_functs);
 		ERR_load_strings($load_errcode,${lib}_str_reasons);
-#endif
-
 		}
+#endif
 	}
 EOF
 } else {