diff --git a/criu/cr-service.c b/criu/cr-service.c
index 61a04c5ffe..b9d11ced22 100644
--- a/criu/cr-service.c
+++ b/criu/cr-service.c
@@ -1310,6 +1310,14 @@ int cr_service_work(int sk)
 	int ret = -1;
 	CriuReq *msg = 0;
 
+	/*
+	 * util_init initializes criu_run_id and compel_run_id so that sockets
+	 * are generated with an unique name identifying the specific process
+	 * even in cases where multiple processes with the same pid in
+	 * different pid namespaces are sharing the same network namespace.
+	 */
+	util_init();
+
 more:
 	opts.mode = CR_SWRK;
 
diff --git a/criu/crtools.c b/criu/crtools.c
index 94657f4186..6f493850b9 100644
--- a/criu/crtools.c
+++ b/criu/crtools.c
@@ -169,7 +169,13 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[], char *envp[])
 		pr_err("unknown command: %s\n", argv[optind]);
 		goto usage;
 	}
-
+	/*
+	 * util_init initializes criu_run_id and compel_run_id so that sockets
+	 * are generated with an unique name identifying the specific process
+	 * even in cases where multiple processes with the same pid in
+	 * different pid namespaces are sharing the same network namespace.
+	 */
+	util_init();
 	if (opts.mode == CR_SWRK) {
 		if (argc != optind + 2) {
 			fprintf(stderr, "Usage: criu swrk <fd>\n");
@@ -254,8 +260,6 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[], char *envp[])
 		return 1;
 	}
 
-	util_init();
-
 	if (log_init(opts.output))
 		return 1;