diff -urp john-1.7.9.6/src/formats.c john-1.7.9.6-newform/src/formats.c
--- john-1.7.9.6/src/formats.c	2012-07-17 12:44:49 +0000
+++ john-1.7.9.6-newform/src/formats.c	2012-07-17 16:27:05 +0000
@@ -49,6 +49,14 @@ static char *fmt_self_test_body(struct f
 	void *binary, *salt;
 	int binary_align_warned = 0, salt_align_warned = 0;
 
+/*
+ * Test each format just once unless we're debugging.
+ */
+#ifndef DEBUG
+	if (format->private.initialized == 2)
+		return NULL;
+#endif
+
 	if (format->params.plaintext_length < 1 ||
 	    format->params.plaintext_length > PLAINTEXT_BUFFER_SIZE - 3)
 		return "plaintext_length";
@@ -166,6 +174,8 @@ static char *fmt_self_test_body(struct f
 		}
 	} while (done != 3);
 
+	format->private.initialized = 2;
+
 	return NULL;
 }
 
diff -urp john-1.7.9.6/src/john.c john-1.7.9.6-newform/src/john.c
--- john-1.7.9.6/src/john.c	2011-11-23 02:46:59 +0000
+++ john-1.7.9.6-newform/src/john.c	2012-07-17 15:54:32 +0000
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 /*
  * This file is part of John the Ripper password cracker,
- * Copyright (c) 1996-2004,2006,2009-2011 by Solar Designer
+ * Copyright (c) 1996-2004,2006,2009-2012 by Solar Designer
  */
 
 #include <stdio.h>
@@ -316,8 +316,14 @@ static void john_run(void)
 		int remaining = database.password_count;
 
 		if (!(options.flags & FLG_STDOUT)) {
-			status_init(NULL, 1);
+			char *where = fmt_self_test(database.format);
+			if (where) {
+				fprintf(stderr, "Self test failed (%s)\n",
+				    where);
+				error();
+			}
 			log_init(LOG_NAME, POT_NAME, options.session);
+			status_init(NULL, 1);
 			john_log_format();
 			if (idle_requested(database.format))
 				log_event("- Configured to use otherwise idle "