diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 753ccd03..34c75092 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 # Changelog
 
+## 4.4.0.1
+* Fixed a crash on startup on Windows XP/2003
+
 ## 4.4
 * Implemented a `mods_order.txt` to improve and simplify mod ordering and add support for mod managers. This replaces previous **.dat** file autoloading. Please refer to `ddraw.ini` for details
 * Implemented a **custom config file parser**, which greatly improves the performance of sfall initialization and reading files from scripts
diff --git a/sfall/ddraw.vcxproj b/sfall/ddraw.vcxproj
index e0093a32..2a8f76df 100644
--- a/sfall/ddraw.vcxproj
+++ b/sfall/ddraw.vcxproj
@@ -111,6 +111,7 @@
       <ObjectFileName>$(IntDir)/%(RelativeDir)/</ObjectFileName>
       <ForcedIncludeFiles>stdafx.h;%(ForcedIncludeFiles)</ForcedIncludeFiles>
       <AdditionalIncludeDirectories>$(DXSDK_DIR)Include\</AdditionalIncludeDirectories>
+      <AdditionalOptions>/Zc:threadSafeInit- %(AdditionalOptions)</AdditionalOptions>
     </ClCompile>
     <Link>
       <AdditionalDependencies>d3d9.lib;d3dx9.lib;dinput.lib;Strmiids.lib;ws2_32.lib;%(AdditionalDependencies)</AdditionalDependencies>
@@ -174,6 +175,7 @@
       <ForcedIncludeFiles>stdafx.h;%(ForcedIncludeFiles)</ForcedIncludeFiles>
       <FunctionLevelLinking>true</FunctionLevelLinking>
       <AdditionalIncludeDirectories>$(DXSDK_DIR)Include\</AdditionalIncludeDirectories>
+      <AdditionalOptions>/Zc:threadSafeInit- %(AdditionalOptions)</AdditionalOptions>
     </ClCompile>
     <Link>
       <AdditionalDependencies>d3d9.lib;d3dx9.lib;dinput.lib;Strmiids.lib;ws2_32.lib;%(AdditionalDependencies)</AdditionalDependencies>
@@ -239,6 +241,7 @@
       <ForcedIncludeFiles>stdafx.h;%(ForcedIncludeFiles)</ForcedIncludeFiles>
       <FunctionLevelLinking>true</FunctionLevelLinking>
       <AdditionalIncludeDirectories>$(DXSDK_DIR)Include\</AdditionalIncludeDirectories>
+      <AdditionalOptions>/Zc:threadSafeInit- %(AdditionalOptions)</AdditionalOptions>
     </ClCompile>
     <Link>
       <AdditionalDependencies>d3d9.lib;d3dx9.lib;dinput.lib;Strmiids.lib;ws2_32.lib;%(AdditionalDependencies)</AdditionalDependencies>
@@ -305,6 +308,7 @@
       <FunctionLevelLinking>false</FunctionLevelLinking>
       <MultiProcessorCompilation>true</MultiProcessorCompilation>
       <AdditionalIncludeDirectories>$(DXSDK_DIR)Include\</AdditionalIncludeDirectories>
+      <AdditionalOptions>/Zc:threadSafeInit- %(AdditionalOptions)</AdditionalOptions>
     </ClCompile>
     <Link>
       <AdditionalDependencies>d3d9.lib;d3dx9.lib;dinput.lib;Strmiids.lib;ws2_32.lib;%(AdditionalDependencies)</AdditionalDependencies>
diff --git a/sfall/main.cpp b/sfall/main.cpp
index f07f5cec..4cb66b99 100644
--- a/sfall/main.cpp
+++ b/sfall/main.cpp
@@ -90,6 +90,7 @@
 #include <chrono>
 
 ddrawDll ddraw;
+static void LoadOriginalDll(DWORD fdwReason);
 
 namespace sfall
 {
@@ -205,6 +206,9 @@ static int CheckEXE() {
 
 static HMODULE SfallInit() {
 	char filepath[MAX_PATH];
+
+	LoadOriginalDll(DLL_PROCESS_ATTACH);
+
 	GetModuleFileName(0, filepath, MAX_PATH);
 
 	auto initStart = std::chrono::high_resolution_clock::now();
@@ -304,7 +308,7 @@ defaultIni:
 
 }
 
-static bool LoadOriginalDll(DWORD fdwReason) {
+static void LoadOriginalDll(DWORD fdwReason) {
 	switch (fdwReason) {
 		case DLL_PROCESS_ATTACH:
 			char path[MAX_PATH];
@@ -335,20 +339,21 @@ static bool LoadOriginalDll(DWORD fdwReason) {
 				ddraw.ReleaseDDThreadLock          = GetProcAddress(ddraw.dll, "ReleaseDDThreadLock");
 				ddraw.SetAppCompatData             = GetProcAddress(ddraw.dll, "SetAppCompatData");
 			}
-			return true;
+			break;
 		case DLL_PROCESS_DETACH:
 			if (ddraw.dll) FreeLibrary(ddraw.dll);
 			break;
 	}
-	return false;
 }
 
 bool __stdcall DllMain(HINSTANCE hinstDLL, DWORD fdwReason, LPVOID lpReserved) {
-	if (LoadOriginalDll(fdwReason)) {
+	if (fdwReason == DLL_PROCESS_ATTACH) {
 		if (sfall::CheckEXE()) {
 			ddraw.sfall = hinstDLL;
 			sfall::MakeCall(0x4DE8DE, sfall::SfallInit); // LoadDirectX_
 		}
+	} else {
+		LoadOriginalDll(fdwReason);
 	}
 	return true;
 }
diff --git a/sfall/version.h b/sfall/version.h
index 1b98980e..0e497835 100644
--- a/sfall/version.h
+++ b/sfall/version.h
@@ -25,6 +25,6 @@
 #define VERSION_MAJOR 4
 #define VERSION_MINOR 4
 #define VERSION_BUILD 0
-#define VERSION_REV 0
+#define VERSION_REV 1
 
-#define VERSION_STRING "4.4"
+#define VERSION_STRING "4.4.0.1"