diff --git a/daemon/sysroot-c.c b/daemon/sysroot-c.c
index ad31d36ee..e664232b0 100644
--- a/daemon/sysroot-c.c
+++ b/daemon/sysroot-c.c
@@ -28,10 +28,10 @@
 
 #include "daemon.h"
 
-extern value guestfs_int_daemon_sysroot (value unitv);
+extern value guestfs_int_daemon_get_sysroot (value unitv);
 
 value
-guestfs_int_daemon_sysroot (value unitv)
+guestfs_int_daemon_get_sysroot (value unitv)
 {
   return caml_copy_string (sysroot);
 }
diff --git a/daemon/sysroot.ml b/daemon/sysroot.ml
index 57e727066..35ae11f3f 100644
--- a/daemon/sysroot.ml
+++ b/daemon/sysroot.ml
@@ -18,7 +18,10 @@
 
 open Std_utils
 
-external sysroot : unit -> string = "guestfs_int_daemon_sysroot"
+external get_sysroot : unit -> string = "guestfs_int_daemon_get_sysroot"
+
+let sysroot = lazy (get_sysroot ())
+let sysroot () = Lazy.force sysroot
 
 let sysroot_path path =
   let sysroot = sysroot () in