diff --git a/drivers/rpmsg/rpmsg.c b/drivers/rpmsg/rpmsg.c
index 9c0fb6c03c5..f2c9f444696 100644
--- a/drivers/rpmsg/rpmsg.c
+++ b/drivers/rpmsg/rpmsg.c
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 
 #include <nuttx/config.h>
 
+#include <metal/sys.h>
 #include <nuttx/kmalloc.h>
 #include <nuttx/mutex.h>
 #include <nuttx/semaphore.h>
@@ -455,8 +456,21 @@ void rpmsg_device_destory(FAR struct rpmsg_s *rpmsg)
 int rpmsg_register(FAR const char *path, FAR struct rpmsg_s *rpmsg,
                    FAR const struct rpmsg_ops_s *ops)
 {
+  struct metal_init_params params = METAL_INIT_DEFAULTS;
+  static bool onceinit = false;
   int ret;
 
+  if (!onceinit)
+    {
+      ret = metal_init(&params);
+      if (ret < 0)
+        {
+          return ret;
+        }
+
+      onceinit = true;
+    }
+
   ret = register_driver(path, &g_rpmsg_dev_ops, 0222, rpmsg);
   if (ret < 0)
     {
diff --git a/drivers/rptun/rptun.c b/drivers/rptun/rptun.c
index ac62c0d1e3c..82e60b076bd 100644
--- a/drivers/rptun/rptun.c
+++ b/drivers/rptun/rptun.c
@@ -971,25 +971,12 @@ static metal_phys_addr_t rptun_da_to_pa(FAR struct rptun_dev_s *dev,
 
 int rptun_initialize(FAR struct rptun_dev_s *dev)
 {
-  struct metal_init_params params = METAL_INIT_DEFAULTS;
   FAR struct rptun_priv_s *priv;
-  static bool onceinit = false;
   FAR char *argv[3];
   char arg1[32];
   char name[32];
   int ret;
 
-  if (!onceinit)
-    {
-      ret = metal_init(&params);
-      if (ret < 0)
-        {
-          return ret;
-        }
-
-      onceinit = true;
-    }
-
   priv = kmm_zalloc(sizeof(struct rptun_priv_s));
   if (priv == NULL)
     {