diff --git a/dict.c b/dict.c
index 0537802..8901ec2 100644
--- a/dict.c
+++ b/dict.c
@@ -148,15 +148,10 @@
 /**
  * xmlInitializeDict:
  *
- * DEPRECATED: This function will be made private. Call xmlInitParser to
- * initialize the library.
- *
- * Do the dictionary mutex initialization.
- *
- * Returns 0 if initialization was already done, and 1 if that
- * call led to the initialization
+ * DEPRECATED: Alias for xmlInitParser.
  */
 int xmlInitializeDict(void) {
+    xmlInitParser();
     return(0);
 }
 
@@ -165,9 +160,6 @@
  *
  * This function is not public
  * Do the dictionary mutex initialization.
- * this function is not thread safe, initialization should
- * normally be done once at setup when called from xmlOnceInit()
- * we may also land in this code if thread support is not compiled in
  *
  * Returns 0 if initialization was already done, and 1 if that
  * call led to the initialization
@@ -214,16 +206,22 @@
 /**
  * xmlDictCleanup:
  *
- * DEPRECATED: This function will be made private. Call xmlCleanupParser
+ * DEPRECATED: This function is a no-op. Call xmlCleanupParser
  * to free global state but see the warnings there. xmlCleanupParser
  * should be only called once at program exit. In most cases, you don't
  * have call cleanup functions at all.
- *
- * Free the dictionary mutex. Do not call unless sure the library
- * is not in use anymore !
  */
 void
 xmlDictCleanup(void) {
+}
+
+/**
+ * xmlCleanupDictInternal:
+ *
+ * Free the dictionary mutex.
+ */
+void
+xmlCleanupDictInternal(void) {
     if (!xmlDictInitialized)
         return;
 
diff --git a/include/private/dict.h b/include/private/dict.h
index 02b18f9..42bebff 100644
--- a/include/private/dict.h
+++ b/include/private/dict.h
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 #define XML_DICT_H_PRIVATE__
 
 int __xmlInitializeDict(void);
+void xmlCleanupDictInternal(void);
 int __xmlRandom(void);
 
 #endif /* XML_DICT_H_PRIVATE__ */
diff --git a/parser.c b/parser.c
index 78fb642..02bc97e 100644
--- a/parser.c
+++ b/parser.c
@@ -76,6 +76,7 @@
 #endif
 
 #include "private/buf.h"
+#include "private/dict.h"
 #include "private/enc.h"
 #include "private/error.h"
 #include "private/globals.h"
@@ -14498,7 +14499,7 @@
 	xmlInitThreadsInternal();
 	xmlInitGlobalsInternal();
 	xmlInitMemoryInternal();
-        xmlInitializeDict();
+        __xmlInitializeDict();
 	xmlInitCharEncodingHandlers();
 	xmlRegisterDefaultInputCallbacks();
 #ifdef LIBXML_OUTPUT_ENABLED
@@ -14545,7 +14546,7 @@
 #ifdef LIBXML_CATALOG_ENABLED
     xmlCatalogCleanup();
 #endif
-    xmlDictCleanup();
+    xmlCleanupDictInternal();
     xmlCleanupInputCallbacks();
 #ifdef LIBXML_OUTPUT_ENABLED
     xmlCleanupOutputCallbacks();