diff --git a/src/error_code.cpp b/src/error_code.cpp
index cf7a1c2..ef3efee 100644
--- a/src/error_code.cpp
+++ b/src/error_code.cpp
@@ -214,9 +214,6 @@ namespace
     error_condition     default_error_condition( int ev ) const;
   };
 
-  const posix_error_category   posix_category_const;
-  const system_error_category  system_category_const;
-
   //  posix_error_category implementation  ---------------------------------//
 
   const char * posix_error_category::name() const
@@ -378,11 +375,13 @@ namespace boost
 
     BOOST_SYSTEM_DECL const error_category & get_system_category()
     {
+      static const system_error_category  system_category_const;
       return system_category_const;
     }
 
     BOOST_SYSTEM_DECL const error_category & get_posix_category()
     {
+      static const posix_error_category posix_category_const;
       return posix_category_const;
     }
 
diff --git a/test/Jamfile.v2 b/test/Jamfile.v2
index d6f1d1c..c608255 100644
--- a/test/Jamfile.v2
+++ b/test/Jamfile.v2
@@ -42,6 +42,9 @@ project
             :  :  : <define>BOOST_SYSTEM_DYN_LINK 
                   : system_error_test_dll
          ]
+         [ run initialization_test.cpp
+            :  :  : <define>BOOST_SYSTEM_DYN_LINK 
+         ]
          [ run header_only_test.cpp
            :  :  : <link>static
          ]
diff --git a/test/initialization_test.cpp b/test/initialization_test.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7ccd594
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/initialization_test.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+//  initialization_test.cpp  -------------------------------------------------//
+
+//  Copyright Christoper Kohlhoff 2007
+
+//  Distributed under the Boost Software License, Version 1.0. (See accompanying
+//  file LICENSE_1_0.txt or copy at http://www.boost.org/LICENSE_1_0.txt)
+
+//  See library home page at http://www.boost.org/libs/system
+
+//  This test verifiies that the error_category vtable does not suffer from
+//  order-of-initialization problems.
+
+#include <boost/test/minimal.hpp>
+#include <boost/system/error_code.hpp>
+
+struct foo
+{
+  foo()
+  {
+    boost::system::error_code ec;
+    ec == boost::system::posix::permission_denied;
+  }
+} f;
+
+int test_main( int, char ** )
+{
+       return 0;
+}