-- On FreeBSD, Python loads extension modules with RTLD_LOCAL, which prevents
-- plugin .so files (in BABEL_LIBDIR) from resolving symbols from libopenbabel.so.8
-- when they are dlopen'd by the plugin loader.  Pre-loading libopenbabel.so.8 with
-- RTLD_GLOBAL fixes symbol resolution for all subsequently loaded plugins.
--- scripts/python/openbabel/__init__.py.in.orig	2026-05-27 20:44:02 UTC
+++ scripts/python/openbabel/__init__.py.in
@@ -13,6 +13,12 @@ if "${BUILD_BY_PIP}" == "ON":
 if "${BUILD_BY_PIP}" == "ON":
     os.environ["BABEL_LIBDIR"] = os.path.join(base_dir, "lib", "openbabel", __version__)
     os.environ["BABEL_DATADIR"] = os.path.join(base_dir, "share", "openbabel", __version__)
+    # Load libopenbabel.so with RTLD_GLOBAL so that plugin .so files can resolve
+    # its symbols when they are dlopen'd by the plugin loader.
+    import ctypes as _ctypes
+    _libob = os.path.join(base_dir, "lib", "libopenbabel.so.8")
+    if os.path.exists(_libob):
+        _ctypes.CDLL(_libob, _ctypes.RTLD_GLOBAL)
 
 from . import openbabel