--- a/src/colvarproxy_namd.C	2020-10-02 15:11:37.205197956 -0700
+++ b/src/colvarproxy_namd.C	2020-10-02 15:11:47.865071117 -0700
@@ -94,12 +94,11 @@
           "the output restart file could be defined, exiting.\n");
   }
 
+  init_tcl_pointers();
 
 #ifdef NAMD_TCL
   have_scripts = true;
 
-  init_tcl_pointers();
-
   // See is user-scripted forces are defined
   if (Tcl_FindCommand(reinterpret_cast<Tcl_Interp *>(tcl_interp_),
                       "calc_colvar_forces", NULL, 0) == NULL) {