diff --git a/include/pybind11/embed.h b/include/pybind11/embed.h
index a456e80a6..b7bd3bec7 100644
--- a/include/pybind11/embed.h
+++ b/include/pybind11/embed.h
@@ -41,15 +41,18 @@
 #define PYBIND11_EMBEDDED_MODULE(name, variable)                                                  \
     static ::pybind11::module_::module_def PYBIND11_CONCAT(pybind11_module_def_, name);           \
     static void PYBIND11_CONCAT(pybind11_init_, name)(::pybind11::module_ &);                     \
-    static PyObject PYBIND11_CONCAT(*pybind11_init_wrapper_, name)() {                            \
-        auto m = ::pybind11::module_::create_extension_module(                                    \
-            PYBIND11_TOSTRING(name), nullptr, &PYBIND11_CONCAT(pybind11_module_def_, name));      \
-        try {                                                                                     \
-            PYBIND11_CONCAT(pybind11_init_, name)(m);                                             \
-            return m.ptr();                                                                       \
-        }                                                                                         \
-        PYBIND11_CATCH_INIT_EXCEPTIONS                                                            \
-        return nullptr;                                                                           \
+    static PyObject *PYBIND11_CONCAT(pybind11_init_wrapper_, name)() {                            \
+        static auto result = []() -> PyObject * {                                                 \
+            auto m = ::pybind11::module_::create_extension_module(                                \
+                PYBIND11_TOSTRING(name), nullptr, &PYBIND11_CONCAT(pybind11_module_def_, name));  \
+            try {                                                                                 \
+                PYBIND11_CONCAT(pybind11_init_, name)(m);                                         \
+                return m.ptr();                                                                   \
+            }                                                                                     \
+            PYBIND11_CATCH_INIT_EXCEPTIONS                                                        \
+            return nullptr;                                                                       \
+        }();                                                                                      \
+        return result;                                                                            \
     }                                                                                             \
     PYBIND11_EMBEDDED_MODULE_IMPL(name)                                                           \
     ::pybind11::detail::embedded_module PYBIND11_CONCAT(pybind11_module_, name)(                  \