diff --git a/src/linux.cc b/src/linux.cc
index 4e6609d05c..1096d728d3 100644
--- a/src/linux.cc
+++ b/src/linux.cc
@@ -902,8 +902,12 @@ void determine_longstat_file(void) {
 #define MAX_PROCSTAT_LINELEN 255
   FILE *stat_fp;
   static int reported = 0;
+  static bool first = true;
   char buf[MAX_PROCSTAT_LINELEN + 1];
 
+  if (! first) return;
+  first = false;
+
   if (!(stat_fp = open_file("/proc/stat", &reported))) return;
   while (!feof(stat_fp) &&
          fgets(buf, MAX_PROCSTAT_LINELEN, stat_fp) != nullptr) {
@@ -1000,6 +1004,7 @@ int update_stat(void) {
   }
 
   if (!stat_template) {
+    determine_longstat_file();
     stat_template =
         KFLAG_ISSET(KFLAG_IS_LONGSTAT) ? TMPL_LONGSTAT : TMPL_SHORTSTAT;
   }