diff --git a/panda/src/pnmimage/pnmFileType.cxx b/panda/src/pnmimage/pnmFileType.cxx
index c400db9d53..af9cf89f4a 100644
--- a/panda/src/pnmimage/pnmFileType.cxx
+++ b/panda/src/pnmimage/pnmFileType.cxx
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@
 
 using std::string;
 
-bool PNMFileType::_did_init_pnm = false;
 TypeHandle PNMFileType::_type_handle;
 
 /**
@@ -107,21 +106,6 @@ make_writer(std::ostream *, bool) {
   return nullptr;
 }
 
-/**
- * Initializes the underlying PNM library, if it has not already been
- * initialized.  This should be called by every implementation of
- * make_reader() and make_writer(), to ensure that the library is properly
- * initialized before any I/O is attempted.
- */
-void PNMFileType::
-init_pnm() {
-  if (!_did_init_pnm) {
-    _did_init_pnm = true;
-
-    // No reason to do anything here nowadays.
-  }
-}
-
 /**
  * Fills the indicated datagram up with a binary representation of the current
  * object, in preparation for writing to a Bam file.
diff --git a/panda/src/pnmimage/pnmFileType.h b/panda/src/pnmimage/pnmFileType.h
index fbde4717a2..ddf44c9992 100644
--- a/panda/src/pnmimage/pnmFileType.h
+++ b/panda/src/pnmimage/pnmFileType.h
@@ -56,13 +56,6 @@ public:
                                  const std::string &magic_number = std::string());
   virtual PNMWriter *make_writer(std::ostream *file, bool owns_file = true);
 
-protected:
-  static void init_pnm();
-
-private:
-  static bool _did_init_pnm;
-
-
   // The TypedWritable interface follows.
 public:
   static void register_with_read_factory();
diff --git a/panda/src/pnmimagetypes/pnmFileTypeBMP.cxx b/panda/src/pnmimagetypes/pnmFileTypeBMP.cxx
index 688275edf7..28efd2feb2 100644
--- a/panda/src/pnmimagetypes/pnmFileTypeBMP.cxx
+++ b/panda/src/pnmimagetypes/pnmFileTypeBMP.cxx
@@ -99,7 +99,6 @@ matches_magic_number(const string &magic_number) const {
  */
 PNMReader *PNMFileTypeBMP::
 make_reader(std::istream *file, bool owns_file, const string &magic_number) {
-  init_pnm();
   return new Reader(this, file, owns_file, magic_number);
 }
 
@@ -110,7 +109,6 @@ make_reader(std::istream *file, bool owns_file, const string &magic_number) {
  */
 PNMWriter *PNMFileTypeBMP::
 make_writer(std::ostream *file, bool owns_file) {
-  init_pnm();
   return new Writer(this, file, owns_file);
 }
 
diff --git a/panda/src/pnmimagetypes/pnmFileTypeEXR.cxx b/panda/src/pnmimagetypes/pnmFileTypeEXR.cxx
index 83d7cf5bb4..6d717579d9 100644
--- a/panda/src/pnmimagetypes/pnmFileTypeEXR.cxx
+++ b/panda/src/pnmimagetypes/pnmFileTypeEXR.cxx
@@ -180,7 +180,6 @@ matches_magic_number(const string &magic_number) const {
  */
 PNMReader *PNMFileTypeEXR::
 make_reader(istream *file, bool owns_file, const string &magic_number) {
-  init_pnm();
   return new Reader(this, file, owns_file, magic_number);
 }
 
@@ -191,7 +190,6 @@ make_reader(istream *file, bool owns_file, const string &magic_number) {
  */
 PNMWriter *PNMFileTypeEXR::
 make_writer(ostream *file, bool owns_file) {
-  init_pnm();
   return new Writer(this, file, owns_file);
 }
 
diff --git a/panda/src/pnmimagetypes/pnmFileTypeIMG.cxx b/panda/src/pnmimagetypes/pnmFileTypeIMG.cxx
index 3e20f41a87..4f9390e53f 100644
--- a/panda/src/pnmimagetypes/pnmFileTypeIMG.cxx
+++ b/panda/src/pnmimagetypes/pnmFileTypeIMG.cxx
@@ -86,7 +86,6 @@ get_suggested_extension() const {
  */
 PNMReader *PNMFileTypeIMG::
 make_reader(istream *file, bool owns_file, const string &magic_number) {
-  init_pnm();
   return new Reader(this, file, owns_file, magic_number);
 }
 
@@ -97,7 +96,6 @@ make_reader(istream *file, bool owns_file, const string &magic_number) {
  */
 PNMWriter *PNMFileTypeIMG::
 make_writer(ostream *file, bool owns_file) {
-  init_pnm();
   return new Writer(this, file, owns_file);
 }
 
diff --git a/panda/src/pnmimagetypes/pnmFileTypeJPG.cxx b/panda/src/pnmimagetypes/pnmFileTypeJPG.cxx
index d7793be7fe..19d9cff18f 100644
--- a/panda/src/pnmimagetypes/pnmFileTypeJPG.cxx
+++ b/panda/src/pnmimagetypes/pnmFileTypeJPG.cxx
@@ -100,7 +100,6 @@ matches_magic_number(const string &magic_number) const {
  */
 PNMReader *PNMFileTypeJPG::
 make_reader(std::istream *file, bool owns_file, const string &magic_number) {
-  init_pnm();
   return new Reader(this, file, owns_file, magic_number);
 }
 
@@ -111,7 +110,6 @@ make_reader(std::istream *file, bool owns_file, const string &magic_number) {
  */
 PNMWriter *PNMFileTypeJPG::
 make_writer(std::ostream *file, bool owns_file) {
-  init_pnm();
   return new Writer(this, file, owns_file);
 }
 
diff --git a/panda/src/pnmimagetypes/pnmFileTypePNG.cxx b/panda/src/pnmimagetypes/pnmFileTypePNG.cxx
index e4b144dd95..a150eccaa5 100644
--- a/panda/src/pnmimagetypes/pnmFileTypePNG.cxx
+++ b/panda/src/pnmimagetypes/pnmFileTypePNG.cxx
@@ -122,7 +122,6 @@ matches_magic_number(const string &magic_number) const {
  */
 PNMReader *PNMFileTypePNG::
 make_reader(istream *file, bool owns_file, const string &magic_number) {
-  init_pnm();
   return new Reader(this, file, owns_file, magic_number);
 }
 
@@ -133,7 +132,6 @@ make_reader(istream *file, bool owns_file, const string &magic_number) {
  */
 PNMWriter *PNMFileTypePNG::
 make_writer(ostream *file, bool owns_file) {
-  init_pnm();
   return new Writer(this, file, owns_file);
 }
 
diff --git a/panda/src/pnmimagetypes/pnmFileTypePNM.cxx b/panda/src/pnmimagetypes/pnmFileTypePNM.cxx
index 02411c0933..6995c70ca6 100644
--- a/panda/src/pnmimagetypes/pnmFileTypePNM.cxx
+++ b/panda/src/pnmimagetypes/pnmFileTypePNM.cxx
@@ -1027,7 +1027,6 @@ matches_magic_number(const string &magic_number) const {
  */
 PNMReader *PNMFileTypePNM::
 make_reader(istream *file, bool owns_file, const string &magic_number) {
-  init_pnm();
   return new Reader(this, file, owns_file, magic_number);
 }
 
@@ -1038,7 +1037,6 @@ make_reader(istream *file, bool owns_file, const string &magic_number) {
  */
 PNMWriter *PNMFileTypePNM::
 make_writer(ostream *file, bool owns_file) {
-  init_pnm();
   return new Writer(this, file, owns_file);
 }
 
diff --git a/panda/src/pnmimagetypes/pnmFileTypeSGI.cxx b/panda/src/pnmimagetypes/pnmFileTypeSGI.cxx
index e2a99eb378..a1332d3714 100644
--- a/panda/src/pnmimagetypes/pnmFileTypeSGI.cxx
+++ b/panda/src/pnmimagetypes/pnmFileTypeSGI.cxx
@@ -103,7 +103,6 @@ matches_magic_number(const string &magic_number) const {
  */
 PNMReader *PNMFileTypeSGI::
 make_reader(std::istream *file, bool owns_file, const string &magic_number) {
-  init_pnm();
   return new Reader(this, file, owns_file, magic_number);
 }
 
@@ -114,7 +113,6 @@ make_reader(std::istream *file, bool owns_file, const string &magic_number) {
  */
 PNMWriter *PNMFileTypeSGI::
 make_writer(std::ostream *file, bool owns_file) {
-  init_pnm();
   return new Writer(this, file, owns_file);
 }
 
diff --git a/panda/src/pnmimagetypes/pnmFileTypeSoftImage.cxx b/panda/src/pnmimagetypes/pnmFileTypeSoftImage.cxx
index d67a22fa53..9003dc8ad6 100644
--- a/panda/src/pnmimagetypes/pnmFileTypeSoftImage.cxx
+++ b/panda/src/pnmimagetypes/pnmFileTypeSoftImage.cxx
@@ -277,7 +277,6 @@ matches_magic_number(const string &magic_number) const {
  */
 PNMReader *PNMFileTypeSoftImage::
 make_reader(istream *file, bool owns_file, const string &magic_number) {
-  init_pnm();
   return new Reader(this, file, owns_file, magic_number);
 }
 
@@ -288,7 +287,6 @@ make_reader(istream *file, bool owns_file, const string &magic_number) {
  */
 PNMWriter *PNMFileTypeSoftImage::
 make_writer(ostream *file, bool owns_file) {
-  init_pnm();
   return new Writer(this, file, owns_file);
 }
 
diff --git a/panda/src/pnmimagetypes/pnmFileTypeStbImage.cxx b/panda/src/pnmimagetypes/pnmFileTypeStbImage.cxx
index 96610157a4..29f1d70315 100644
--- a/panda/src/pnmimagetypes/pnmFileTypeStbImage.cxx
+++ b/panda/src/pnmimagetypes/pnmFileTypeStbImage.cxx
@@ -208,7 +208,6 @@ matches_magic_number(const string &magic_number) const {
  */
 PNMReader *PNMFileTypeStbImage::
 make_reader(istream *file, bool owns_file, const string &magic_number) {
-  init_pnm();
   return new StbImageReader(this, file, owns_file, magic_number);
 }
 
diff --git a/panda/src/pnmimagetypes/pnmFileTypeTGA.cxx b/panda/src/pnmimagetypes/pnmFileTypeTGA.cxx
index a50ae370ae..c1322d4087 100644
--- a/panda/src/pnmimagetypes/pnmFileTypeTGA.cxx
+++ b/panda/src/pnmimagetypes/pnmFileTypeTGA.cxx
@@ -154,7 +154,6 @@ get_suggested_extension() const {
  */
 PNMReader *PNMFileTypeTGA::
 make_reader(istream *file, bool owns_file, const string &magic_number) {
-  init_pnm();
   return new Reader(this, file, owns_file, magic_number);
 }
 
@@ -165,7 +164,6 @@ make_reader(istream *file, bool owns_file, const string &magic_number) {
  */
 PNMWriter *PNMFileTypeTGA::
 make_writer(ostream *file, bool owns_file) {
-  init_pnm();
   return new Writer(this, file, owns_file);
 }
 
diff --git a/panda/src/pnmimagetypes/pnmFileTypeTIFF.cxx b/panda/src/pnmimagetypes/pnmFileTypeTIFF.cxx
index b90f416f9a..87dc82e3a0 100644
--- a/panda/src/pnmimagetypes/pnmFileTypeTIFF.cxx
+++ b/panda/src/pnmimagetypes/pnmFileTypeTIFF.cxx
@@ -292,7 +292,6 @@ matches_magic_number(const string &magic_number) const {
  */
 PNMReader *PNMFileTypeTIFF::
 make_reader(istream *file, bool owns_file, const string &magic_number) {
-  init_pnm();
   install_error_handlers();
   return new Reader(this, file, owns_file, magic_number);
 }
@@ -304,7 +303,6 @@ make_reader(istream *file, bool owns_file, const string &magic_number) {
  */
 PNMWriter *PNMFileTypeTIFF::
 make_writer(ostream *file, bool owns_file) {
-  init_pnm();
   install_error_handlers();
   return new Writer(this, file, owns_file);
 }