diff --git a/include/rtc/init.hpp b/include/rtc/init.hpp
index 2299986..ef1dbf6 100644
--- a/include/rtc/init.hpp
+++ b/include/rtc/init.hpp
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ using init_token = std::shared_ptr<Init>;
 class Init {
 public:
 	static init_token Token();
+	static void Preload();
 	static void Cleanup();
 
 	~Init();
@@ -43,6 +44,7 @@ private:
 	static std::mutex Mutex;
 };
 
+inline void Preload() { Init::Preload(); }
 inline void Cleanup() { Init::Cleanup(); }
 
 } // namespace rtc
diff --git a/src/certificate.hpp b/src/certificate.hpp
index bd5095c..4c19dfc 100644
--- a/src/certificate.hpp
+++ b/src/certificate.hpp
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ string make_fingerprint(X509 *x509);
 using certificate_ptr = std::shared_ptr<Certificate>;
 using future_certificate_ptr = std::shared_future<certificate_ptr>;
 
-future_certificate_ptr make_certificate(string commonName); // cached
+future_certificate_ptr make_certificate(string commonName = "libdatachannel"); // cached
 
 void CleanupCertificateCache();
 
diff --git a/src/init.cpp b/src/init.cpp
index c3b37c7..cbc4198 100644
--- a/src/init.cpp
+++ b/src/init.cpp
@@ -55,6 +55,11 @@ init_token Init::Token() {
 	return Global;
 }
 
+void Init::Preload() {
+	Token();                   // pre-init
+	make_certificate().wait(); // preload certificate
+}
+
 void Init::Cleanup() { Global.reset(); }
 
 Init::Init() {
diff --git a/src/peerconnection.cpp b/src/peerconnection.cpp
index a9de036..aed6933 100644
--- a/src/peerconnection.cpp
+++ b/src/peerconnection.cpp
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ using std::weak_ptr;
 PeerConnection::PeerConnection() : PeerConnection(Configuration()) {}
 
 PeerConnection::PeerConnection(const Configuration &config)
-    : mConfig(config), mCertificate(make_certificate("libdatachannel")), mState(State::New),
+    : mConfig(config), mCertificate(make_certificate()), mState(State::New),
       mGatheringState(GatheringState::New) {
 	PLOG_VERBOSE << "Creating PeerConnection";
 }
diff --git a/test/benchmark.cpp b/test/benchmark.cpp
index a6fa7ab..326aa67 100644
--- a/test/benchmark.cpp
+++ b/test/benchmark.cpp
@@ -183,10 +183,13 @@ size_t benchmark(milliseconds duration) {
 #ifdef BENCHMARK_MAIN
 int main(int argc, char **argv) {
 	try {
+		rtc::Preload();
+
 		size_t goodput = benchmark(30s);
 		if (goodput == 0)
 			throw runtime_error("No data received");
 
+		rtc::Cleanup();
 		return 0;
 
 	} catch (const std::exception &e) {