diff --git a/npa/src/boxing.c b/npa/src/boxing.c
index b901c80..3c7eb9c 100644
--- a/npa/src/boxing.c
+++ b/npa/src/boxing.c
@@ -46,11 +46,6 @@
 #include "libopensc/apdu.c"
 #endif
 
-#ifndef HAVE_LIST_ITERATOR_NEXT
-#include "opensc/src/common/simclist.c"
-#endif
-
-
 static const u8 boxing_cla                          = 0xff;
 static const u8 boxing_ins                          = 0x9a;
 static const u8 boxing_p1                           = 0x04;
@@ -737,6 +732,11 @@ void sc_detect_boxing_cmds(sc_reader_t *reader)
 }
 
 #ifndef DISABLE_GLOBAL_BOXING_INITIALIZATION
+
+#ifndef HAVE_LIST_ITERATOR_NEXT
+#include "opensc/src/common/simclist.c"
+#endif
+
 void sc_initialize_boxing_cmds(sc_context_t *ctx)
 {
     sc_reader_t *reader;
diff --git a/npa/src/card-npa.c b/npa/src/card-npa.c
index f699f6a..112eba8 100644
--- a/npa/src/card-npa.c
+++ b/npa/src/card-npa.c
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 #include "iso-sm-internal.h"
 #include "libopensc/internal.h"
 #include "libopensc/pace.h"
+#include <npa/boxing.h>
 #include <npa/npa.h>
 #include <string.h>
 
@@ -61,6 +62,10 @@ static int npa_init(sc_card_t * card)
     card->drv_data = NULL;
     card->caps |= SC_CARD_CAP_APDU_EXT | SC_CARD_CAP_RNG;
 
+#ifdef DISABLE_GLOBAL_BOXING_INITIALIZATION
+    sc_detect_boxing_cmds(card->reader);
+#endif
+
     return SC_SUCCESS;
 }
 
diff --git a/npa/src/npa-tool.c b/npa/src/npa-tool.c
index 7fe0187..948b094 100644
--- a/npa/src/npa-tool.c
+++ b/npa/src/npa-tool.c
@@ -370,7 +370,9 @@ main (int argc, char **argv)
         exit(1);
     }
 
-#ifndef DISABLE_GLOBAL_BOXING_INITIALIZATION
+#ifdef DISABLE_GLOBAL_BOXING_INITIALIZATION
+    sc_detect_boxing_cmds(card->reader);
+#else
     sc_initialize_boxing_cmds(ctx);
 #endif
 
diff --git a/npa/src/npa.c b/npa/src/npa.c
index 1f9e5fa..46a3c92 100644
--- a/npa/src/npa.c
+++ b/npa/src/npa.c
@@ -1206,10 +1206,6 @@ int perform_pace(sc_card_t *card,
         }
     }
 
-#ifdef DISABLE_GLOBAL_BOXING_INITIALIZATION
-    sc_detect_boxing_cmds(card->reader);
-#endif
-
     if (card->reader->capabilities & SC_READER_CAP_PACE_GENERIC
             && card->reader->ops->perform_pace) {
         r = card->reader->ops->perform_pace(card->reader, &pace_input, pace_output);
diff --git a/npa/src/npa/boxing.h b/npa/src/npa/boxing.h
index 5070223..20108a2 100644
--- a/npa/src/npa/boxing.h
+++ b/npa/src/npa/boxing.h
@@ -30,9 +30,11 @@ extern "C" {
 
 #define DISABLE_GLOBAL_BOXING_INITIALIZATION
 #ifndef DISABLE_GLOBAL_BOXING_INITIALIZATION
-    /** initialize boxing for all available readers */
-    /* currently disabled, because the OpenSC PC/SC reader implementation
-     * allows a transmit only when a card is connected. */
+    /** initialize boxing for all available readers once on the application
+     * layer */
+    /* The OpenSC PC/SC reader implementation allows a transmit only when a
+     * card is connected. So testing for boxing commands will yield an error
+     * then. */
 void sc_initialize_boxing_cmds(sc_context_t *ctx);
 #else
 void sc_detect_boxing_cmds(sc_reader_t *reader);