diff --git a/hw/xfree86/common/xf86AutoConfig.c b/hw/xfree86/common/xf86AutoConfig.c
index 940265144..c3e17beb7 100644
--- a/hw/xfree86/common/xf86AutoConfig.c
+++ b/hw/xfree86/common/xf86AutoConfig.c
@@ -149,6 +149,15 @@ xf86AutoConfig(void)
     char buf[1024];
     ConfigStatus ret;
 
+    /* Make sure config rec is there */
+    if (xf86allocateConfig() != NULL) {
+        ret = CONFIG_OK;    /* OK so far */
+    }
+    else {
+        xf86Msg(X_ERROR, "Couldn't allocate Config record.\n");
+        return FALSE;
+    }
+
     listPossibleVideoDrivers(deviceList, 20);
 
     for (p = deviceList; *p; p++) {
diff --git a/hw/xfree86/parser/read.c b/hw/xfree86/parser/read.c
index ec038aeb1..d7e731217 100644
--- a/hw/xfree86/parser/read.c
+++ b/hw/xfree86/parser/read.c
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@
 #include <xorg-config.h>
 #endif
 
+#include "xf86Config.h"
 #include "xf86Parser.h"
 #include "xf86tokens.h"
 #include "Configint.h"
@@ -91,7 +92,7 @@ xf86readConfigFile(void)
     int token;
     XF86ConfigPtr ptr = NULL;
 
-    if ((ptr = calloc(1, sizeof(XF86ConfigRec))) == NULL) {
+    if ((ptr = xf86allocateConfig()) == NULL) {
         return NULL;
     }
 
@@ -270,6 +271,19 @@ xf86itemNotSublist(GenericListPtr list_1, GenericListPtr list_2)
     return (!(last_1 == last_2));
 }
 
+/*
+ * Conditionally allocate config struct, but only allocate it
+ * if it's not already there.  In either event, return the pointer
+ * to the global config struct.
+ */
+XF86ConfigPtr xf86allocateConfig(void)
+{
+    if (!xf86configptr) {
+        xf86configptr = calloc(1, sizeof(XF86ConfigRec));
+    }
+    return xf86configptr;
+}
+
 void
 xf86freeConfig(XF86ConfigPtr p)
 {
diff --git a/hw/xfree86/parser/xf86Parser.h b/hw/xfree86/parser/xf86Parser.h
index ff35846e9..9c4b40370 100644
--- a/hw/xfree86/parser/xf86Parser.h
+++ b/hw/xfree86/parser/xf86Parser.h
@@ -449,6 +449,7 @@ extern char *xf86openConfigDirFiles(const char *path, const char *cmdline,
 extern void xf86setBuiltinConfig(const char *config[]);
 extern XF86ConfigPtr xf86readConfigFile(void);
 extern void xf86closeConfigFile(void);
+extern XF86ConfigPtr xf86allocateConfig(void);
 extern void xf86freeConfig(XF86ConfigPtr p);
 extern int xf86writeConfigFile(const char *, XF86ConfigPtr);
 extern _X_EXPORT XF86ConfDevicePtr xf86findDevice(const char *ident,