diff --git a/src/core/nginx.c b/src/core/nginx.c
index ffd63cf59..b8bab37e3 100644
--- a/src/core/nginx.c
+++ b/src/core/nginx.c
@@ -203,6 +203,10 @@ main(int argc, char *const *argv)
     ngx_cycle_t      *cycle, init_cycle;
     ngx_core_conf_t  *ccf;
 
+    if (ngx_strerror_init() != NGX_OK) {
+        return 1;
+    }
+
     if (ngx_get_options(argc, argv) != NGX_OK) {
         return 1;
     }
@@ -270,10 +274,6 @@ main(int argc, char *const *argv)
 
     ngx_pid = ngx_getpid();
 
-    if (ngx_strerror_init() != NGX_OK) {
-        return 1;
-    }
-
     log = ngx_log_init(ngx_prefix);
     if (log == NULL) {
         return 1;