diff --git a/lib/open.cc b/lib/open.cc
index dc191d64..9bb313da 100644
--- a/lib/open.cc
+++ b/lib/open.cc
@@ -183,27 +183,18 @@ _db_dir_exists (const char *database_path, char **message)
 
 static notmuch_status_t
 _choose_database_path (void *ctx,
-		       const char *config_path,
 		       const char *profile,
-		       GKeyFile **key_file,
+		       GKeyFile *key_file,
 		       const char **database_path,
 		       bool *split,
 		       char **message)
 {
-    notmuch_status_t status;
-
-    status = _load_key_file (config_path, profile, key_file);
-    if (status) {
-	*message = strdup ("Error: cannot load config file.\n");
-	return status;
-    }
-
     if (! *database_path) {
 	*database_path = getenv ("NOTMUCH_DATABASE");
     }
 
-    if (! *database_path && *key_file) {
-	char *path = g_key_file_get_value (*key_file, "database", "path", NULL);
+    if (! *database_path && key_file) {
+	char *path = g_key_file_get_value (key_file, "database", "path", NULL);
 	if (path) {
 	    *database_path = talloc_strdup (ctx, path);
 	    g_free (path);
@@ -500,8 +491,14 @@ notmuch_database_open_with_config (const char *database_path,
 	goto DONE;
     }
 
-    if ((status = _choose_database_path (local, config_path, profile,
-					 &key_file, &database_path, &split,
+    status = _load_key_file (config_path, profile, &key_file);
+    if (status) {
+	message = strdup ("Error: cannot load config file.\n");
+	goto DONE;
+    }
+
+    if ((status = _choose_database_path (local, profile, key_file,
+					 &database_path, &split,
 					 &message)))
 	goto DONE;
 
@@ -591,11 +588,14 @@ notmuch_database_create_with_config (const char *database_path,
 	goto DONE;
     }
 
-    _init_libs ();
+    status = _load_key_file (config_path, profile, &key_file);
+    if (status) {
+	message = strdup ("Error: cannot load config file.\n");
+	goto DONE;
+    }
 
-    if ((status = _choose_database_path (local, config_path, profile,
-					 &key_file, &database_path, &split,
-					 &message)))
+    if ((status = _choose_database_path (local, profile, key_file,
+					 &database_path, &split, &message)))
 	goto DONE;
 
     status = _db_dir_exists (database_path, &message);