diff --git a/libc/arch-arm/bionic/crtbegin_dynamic.S b/libc/arch-arm/bionic/crtbegin_dynamic.S
index e265923..624d611 100644
--- a/libc/arch-arm/bionic/crtbegin_dynamic.S
+++ b/libc/arch-arm/bionic/crtbegin_dynamic.S
@@ -30,25 +30,35 @@
 	.type _start,#function
 	.globl _start
 
-# this is the small startup code that is first run when
-# any executable that is statically-linked with Bionic
-# runs.
+# This is the small startup code that is called from
+# the dynamic linker to execute an executable once all
+# dependent shared libraries have been loaded and
+# initialized.
 #
-# it's purpose is to call __libc_init with appropriate
+# It's purpose is to call __libc_init as defined in
+# bionic/libc_init_dynamic.c with appropriate
 # arguments, which are:
 #
 #    - the address of the raw data block setup by the Linux
 #      kernel ELF loader
 #
-#    - address of an "onexit" function, not used on any
-#      platform supported by Bionic
+#    - address of an "onexit" function (not used on any
+#      platform supported by Bionic)
 #
 #    - address of the "main" function of the program. We
 #      can't hard-code it in the adr pseudo instruction
 #      so we use a tiny trampoline that will get relocated
 #      by the dynamic linker before this code runs
 #
-#    - address of the constructor list
+#    - address of the constructors table, i.e. a table
+#      that points to various initialization and
+#      finalization sections for the program.
+#
+# NOTE: This code is currently placed in shared libraries
+#       by the build system, but will be ignored.
+#
+#       On the other hand, the arrays defined below are
+#       required and will be parsed by the dynamic linker.
 #
 _start:	
 	mov	r0, sp
@@ -63,7 +73,7 @@
     .long   __INIT_ARRAY__
     .long   __FINI_ARRAY__
     .long   __CTOR_LIST__
-      
+
 # the .ctors section contains a list of pointers to "constructor"
 # functions that need to be called in order during C library initialization,
 # just before the program is being run. This is a C++ requirement
diff --git a/libc/arch-arm/bionic/crtbegin_static.S b/libc/arch-arm/bionic/crtbegin_static.S
index e265923..69d8df6 100644
--- a/libc/arch-arm/bionic/crtbegin_static.S
+++ b/libc/arch-arm/bionic/crtbegin_static.S
@@ -30,25 +30,27 @@
 	.type _start,#function
 	.globl _start
 
-# this is the small startup code that is first run when
-# any executable that is statically-linked with Bionic
-# runs.
+# This is the small startup code that is first run when
+# any static executable runs. A static executable is one
+# that is started directly by the Linux kernel, not from
+# the dynamic linker, it thus cannot depend on any shared
+# library.
 #
-# it's purpose is to call __libc_init with appropriate
+# It's purpose is to call __libc_init as defined in
+# bionic/libc_init_static.c with appropriate
 # arguments, which are:
 #
 #    - the address of the raw data block setup by the Linux
 #      kernel ELF loader
 #
-#    - address of an "onexit" function, not used on any
-#      platform supported by Bionic
+#    - address of an "onexit" function (not used on any
+#      platform supported by Bionic).
 #
-#    - address of the "main" function of the program. We
-#      can't hard-code it in the adr pseudo instruction
-#      so we use a tiny trampoline that will get relocated
-#      by the dynamic linker before this code runs
+#    - address of the "main" function of the program.
 #
-#    - address of the constructor list
+#    - address of the constructors table, i.e. a table
+#      that points to various initialization and
+#      finalization sections for the program.
 #
 _start:	
 	mov	r0, sp
@@ -59,11 +61,18 @@
 
 0:  b   main
 
+# The "C++ ABI for ARM" document that static C++ constructors
+# shall only be called from the .init_array section.
+#
+# Do we really need a .ctors section on ARM platforms ?
+# It looks like it will always be empty.
+#
+
 1:  .long   __PREINIT_ARRAY__
     .long   __INIT_ARRAY__
     .long   __FINI_ARRAY__
     .long   __CTOR_LIST__
-      
+
 # the .ctors section contains a list of pointers to "constructor"
 # functions that need to be called in order during C library initialization,
 # just before the program is being run. This is a C++ requirement
diff --git a/libc/arch-x86/bionic/crtbegin_dynamic.S b/libc/arch-x86/bionic/crtbegin_dynamic.S
index 3b47b18..b013641 100644
--- a/libc/arch-x86/bionic/crtbegin_dynamic.S
+++ b/libc/arch-x86/bionic/crtbegin_dynamic.S
@@ -29,25 +29,35 @@
 	.type _start, @function
 	.globl _start
 
-# this is the small startup code that is first run when
-# any executable that is statically-linked with Bionic
-# runs.
+# This is the small startup code that is called from
+# the dynamic linker to execute an executable once all
+# dependent shared libraries have been loaded and
+# initialized.
 #
-# it's purpose is to call __libc_init with appropriate
+# It's purpose is to call __libc_init as defined in
+# bionic/libc_init_dynamic.c with appropriate
 # arguments, which are:
 #
 #    - the address of the raw data block setup by the Linux
 #      kernel ELF loader
 #
-#    - address of an "onexit" function, not used on any
-#      platform supported by Bionic
+#    - address of an "onexit" function (not used on any
+#      platform supported by Bionic)
 #
 #    - address of the "main" function of the program. We
 #      can't hard-code it in the adr pseudo instruction
 #      so we use a tiny trampoline that will get relocated
 #      by the dynamic linker before this code runs
 #
-#    - address of the constructor list
+#    - address of the constructors table, i.e. a table
+#      that points to various initialization and
+#      finalization sections for the program.
+#
+# NOTE: This code is currently placed in shared libraries
+#       by the build system, but will be ignored.
+#
+#       On the other hand, the arrays defined below are
+#       required and will be parsed by the dynamic linker.
 #
 _start:	
         mov     %esp, %eax
diff --git a/libc/arch-x86/bionic/crtbegin_static.S b/libc/arch-x86/bionic/crtbegin_static.S
index eb4acee..a6c9ebf 100644
--- a/libc/arch-x86/bionic/crtbegin_static.S
+++ b/libc/arch-x86/bionic/crtbegin_static.S
@@ -29,25 +29,27 @@
 	.type _start, @function
 	.globl _start
 
-# this is the small startup code that is first run when
-# any executable that is statically-linked with Bionic
-# runs.
+# This is the small startup code that is first run when
+# any static executable runs. A static executable is one
+# that is started directly by the Linux kernel, not from
+# the dynamic linker, it thus cannot depend on any shared
+# library.
 #
-# it's purpose is to call __libc_init with appropriate
+# It's purpose is to call __libc_init as defined in
+# bionic/libc_init_static.c with appropriate
 # arguments, which are:
 #
 #    - the address of the raw data block setup by the Linux
 #      kernel ELF loader
 #
-#    - address of an "onexit" function, not used on any
-#      platform supported by Bionic
+#    - address of an "onexit" function (not used on any
+#      platform supported by Bionic).
 #
-#    - address of the "main" function of the program. We
-#      can't hard-code it in the adr pseudo instruction
-#      so we use a tiny trampoline that will get relocated
-#      by the dynamic linker before this code runs
+#    - address of the "main" function of the program.
 #
-#    - address of the constructor list
+#    - address of the constructors table, i.e. a table
+#      that points to various initialization and
+#      finalization sections for the program.
 #
 _start:	
         mov     %esp, %eax
diff --git a/libc/bionic/libc_init_common.c b/libc/bionic/libc_init_common.c
index de4919d..523afcf 100644
--- a/libc/bionic/libc_init_common.c
+++ b/libc/bionic/libc_init_common.c
@@ -39,8 +39,11 @@
 #include <bionic_tls.h>
 #include <errno.h>
 
-extern void _init(void);
-extern void _fini(void);
+/* This contains the common C library initialization code.
+ * To understand what happens here, you should read the
+ * "Initialization and Finalization" section of the file
+ * named bionic/linker/README.TXT
+ */
 
 static void call_array(void(**list)())
 {
@@ -50,15 +53,6 @@
     }
 }
 
-static void __bionic_do_global_dtors(structors_array_t const * const p)
-{
-    call_array(p->fini_array);
-    //_fini();
-}
-
-extern unsigned __get_sp(void);
-extern pid_t    gettid(void);
-
 char*  __progname;
 char **environ;
 
@@ -69,30 +63,28 @@
 
 int __system_properties_init(void);
 
+/* This function can be run under two different contexts:
+ *
+ * - for statically linked executables (i.e. those who do
+ *   not depend on shared libraries at all), it will be
+ *   called from the __libc_init() function defined in
+ *   bionic/libc_init_static.c
+ *
+ * - for dynamic executables, it will be called from the
+ *   __libc_init() function defined in bionic/libc_init_dynamic.c
+ *
+ */
 void __libc_init_common(uintptr_t *elfdata,
                        void (*onexit)(void),
                        int (*slingshot)(int, char**, char**),
                        structors_array_t const * const structors,
                        void (*pre_ctor_hook)())
 {
-    pthread_internal_t thread;
-    pthread_attr_t thread_attr;
-    void *tls_area[BIONIC_TLS_SLOTS];
     int argc;
     char **argv, **envp, **envend;
     struct auxentry *auxentry;
     unsigned int page_size = 0, page_shift = 0;
 
-    /* The main thread's stack has empirically shown to be 84k */
-    unsigned stacktop = (__get_sp() & ~(PAGE_SIZE - 1)) + PAGE_SIZE;
-    unsigned stacksize = 128 * 1024; //84 * 1024;
-    unsigned stackbottom = stacktop - stacksize;
-
-    pthread_attr_init(&thread_attr);
-    pthread_attr_setstack(&thread_attr, (void*)stackbottom, stacksize);
-    _init_thread(&thread, gettid(), &thread_attr, (void*)stackbottom);
-    __init_tls(tls_area, &thread);
-
     argc = (int) *elfdata++;
     argv = (char**) elfdata;
     envp = argv+(argc+1);
@@ -106,17 +98,17 @@
 
     if (pre_ctor_hook) pre_ctor_hook();
 
-    // XXX: we should execute the .fini_array upon exit
+    if (structors != NULL) {
+        // pre-init array.
+        call_array(structors->preinit_array);
 
-    // pre-init array.
-    // XXX: I'm not sure what's the different with the init array.
-    call_array(structors->preinit_array);
+        // for compatibility with non-eabi binary, call the .ctors section
+        // this is only useful for static non-ARM (e.g. x86) executables.
+        call_array(structors->ctors_array);
 
-    // for compatibility with non-eabi binary, call the .ctors section
-    call_array(structors->ctors_array);
-
-    // call static constructors
-    call_array(structors->init_array);
+        // call static constructors
+        call_array(structors->init_array);
+    }
 
     exit(slingshot(argc, argv, envp));
 }
diff --git a/libc/bionic/libc_init_dynamic.c b/libc/bionic/libc_init_dynamic.c
index 8cf24b4..e1ff13d 100644
--- a/libc/bionic/libc_init_dynamic.c
+++ b/libc/bionic/libc_init_dynamic.c
@@ -25,18 +25,29 @@
  * OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF
  * SUCH DAMAGE.
  */
+
 /*
  * libc_init_static.c
  *
- * This function takes the raw data block set up by the ELF loader
- * in the kernel and parses it.  It is invoked by crt0.S which makes
- * any necessary adjustments and passes calls this function using
- * the standard C calling convention.
+ * This function is called for dynamic executables after the dynamic
+ * linker has loaded and initialized all dependent shared libraries.
+ *
+ * It takes the raw data block set up by the ELF loader
+ * in the kernel and parses it.
  *
  * The arguments are:
- *  uintptr_t *elfdata	 -- The ELF loader data block; usually from the stack.
- *                          Basically a pointer to argc.
- *  void (*onexit)(void) -- Function to install into onexit
+ *      elfdata   -- The ELF loader data block; usually from the stack.
+ *                   Basically a pointer to argc.
+ *
+ *      onexit    -- Function to call on exit, can be NULL.
+ *
+ *      slingshot -- Address of the program's main function
+ *
+ *      structors -- Table of constructor functions arrays that must
+ *                   be called before the slingshot.
+ *
+ * It is called from the assembly fragment found in
+ * arch-$ARCH/bionic/crtbegin_dynamic.S
  */
 
 /*
@@ -62,5 +73,18 @@
                        int (*slingshot)(int, char**, char**),
                        structors_array_t const * const structors)
 {
-    __libc_init_common(elfdata, onexit, slingshot, structors, malloc_debug_init);
+    /* NOTE: At this point, the dynamic linker has *already* called
+     *       all initializers properly, so we ignore 'structors' to
+     *       avoid calling them twice.
+     */
+
+    /* NOTE2: Is it worthwhile to use malloc_debug_init() in the case of
+     *        of the non-debug shared C library ?
+     *
+     *        The implementation in bionic/malloc_leak.c contains a lot
+     *        of code which will turn to be unused, and we add a dispatch
+     *        overhead to malloc() et al. that proved to be significant
+     *        in the past (e.g. making boot sequence 5% slower)
+     */
+    __libc_init_common(elfdata, onexit, slingshot, NULL, malloc_debug_init);
 }
diff --git a/libc/bionic/libc_init_static.c b/libc/bionic/libc_init_static.c
index ec463f7..d7af640 100644
--- a/libc/bionic/libc_init_static.c
+++ b/libc/bionic/libc_init_static.c
@@ -25,18 +25,30 @@
  * OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF
  * SUCH DAMAGE.
  */
+
 /*
  * libc_init_static.c
  *
- * This function takes the raw data block set up by the ELF loader
- * in the kernel and parses it.  It is invoked by crt0.S which makes
- * any necessary adjustments and passes calls this function using
- * the standard C calling convention.
+ * This function is called for static executables, i.e. those that
+ * dont depend on shared libraries and are directly started by the
+ * Linux kernel.
+ *
+ * It takes the raw data block set up by the ELF loader
+ * in the kernel and parses it.
  *
  * The arguments are:
- *  uintptr_t *elfdata	 -- The ELF loader data block; usually from the stack.
- *                          Basically a pointer to argc.
- *  void (*onexit)(void) -- Function to install into onexit
+ *      elfdata   -- The ELF loader data block; usually from the stack.
+ *                   Basically a pointer to argc.
+ *
+ *      onexit    -- Function to call on exit, can be NULL.
+ *
+ *      slingshot -- Address of the program's main function
+ *
+ *      structors -- Table of constructor functions arrays that must
+ *                   be called before the slingshot.
+ *
+ * It is called from the assembly fragment found in
+ * arch-$ARCH/bionic/crtbegin_static.S
  */
 
 /*
@@ -51,18 +63,19 @@
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <stdint.h>
 #include <elf.h>
-#include "pthread_internal.h"
-#include "atexit.h"
+#include "bionic_preinit.h"
 #include "libc_init_common.h"
 
-#include <bionic_tls.h>
-#include <errno.h>
-
 __noreturn void __libc_init(uintptr_t *elfdata,
                        void (*onexit)(void),
                        int (*slingshot)(int, char**, char**),
                        structors_array_t const * const structors)
 {
+    pthread_internal_t thread;
+    void *tls_area[BIONIC_TLS_SLOTS];
+
+    __libc_preinit( &thread, tls_area );
+
 /* 
  * To enable malloc checks for statically linked programs, add
  * "WITH_MALLOC_CHECK_LIBC_A := true" in device/buildspec.mk
diff --git a/libc/private/bionic_preinit.h b/libc/private/bionic_preinit.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b74a8b4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libc/private/bionic_preinit.h
@@ -0,0 +1,76 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2009 The Android Open Source Project
+ * All rights reserved.
+ *
+ * Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
+ * modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions
+ * are met:
+ *  * Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
+ *    notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
+ *  * Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright
+ *    notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in
+ *    the documentation and/or other materials provided with the
+ *    distribution.
+ *
+ * THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS
+ * "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT
+ * LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS
+ * FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
+ * COPYRIGHT OWNER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT,
+ * INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING,
+ * BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS
+ * OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED
+ * AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY,
+ * OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT
+ * OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF
+ * SUCH DAMAGE.
+ */
+
+#ifndef _BIONIC_PREINIT_H
+#define _BIONIC_PREINIT_H
+
+#include "pthread_internal.h"
+#include "bionic_tls.h"
+#include <asm/page.h>
+
+/* this function is used to perform a minimal initialization of the
+ * the C library. This must be performed before any other call to
+ * other functions, in either the dynamic linker's startup code
+ * or libc_init_static.c
+ *
+ * 'main_thread' and 'tls_area' must be persistent variables,
+ * which means they must be either global, or allocated in the
+ * main thread's stack frame and never, ever, freed before
+ * program exit.
+ *
+ * VERY IMPORTANT NOTE:
+ *
+ *   THIS IMPLEMENTATION SHOULD NOT USE GLOBAL VARIABLES.
+ *
+ *   The reason is the dynamic linker's tricky usage of C library
+ *   functions and later renaming of their symbols. See the
+ *   "C Library Usage Restriction" section in bionic/linker/README.TXT
+ *   for details.
+ */
+
+extern unsigned __get_sp(void);
+extern pid_t    gettid(void);
+
+static __inline__ void
+__libc_preinit( pthread_internal_t*  main_thread,
+                void*                tls_area[BIONIC_TLS_SLOTS] )
+{
+    pthread_attr_t  thread_attr;
+
+    /* Setup the main thread's information */
+    unsigned stacktop = (__get_sp() & ~(PAGE_SIZE - 1)) + PAGE_SIZE;
+    unsigned stacksize = 128 * 1024;
+    unsigned stackbottom = stacktop - stacksize;
+
+    pthread_attr_init(&thread_attr);
+    pthread_attr_setstack(&thread_attr, (void*)stackbottom, stacksize);
+    _init_thread(main_thread, gettid(), &thread_attr, (void*)stackbottom);
+    __init_tls(tls_area, main_thread);
+}
+
+#endif /* _BIONIC_INIT_H */
diff --git a/libc/bionic/pthread_internal.h b/libc/private/pthread_internal.h
similarity index 100%
rename from libc/bionic/pthread_internal.h
rename to libc/private/pthread_internal.h