diff --git a/platform/android/src/jni.cpp b/platform/android/src/jni.cpp
index e0d5bb65d..dfc355788 100755
--- a/platform/android/src/jni.cpp
+++ b/platform/android/src/jni.cpp
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 #include <mbgl/storage/network_status.hpp>
 #include <mbgl/util/exception.hpp>
 #include <mbgl/util/string.hpp>
+#include <mbgl/util/run_loop.hpp>
 
 #include <jni/jni.hpp>
 
@@ -1701,6 +1702,8 @@ extern "C" JNIEXPORT jint JNI_OnLoad(JavaVM *vm, void *reserved) {
 
     jni::JNIEnv& env = jni::GetEnv(*vm, jni::jni_version_1_6);
 
+    static mbgl::util::RunLoop mainRunLoop;
+
     mbgl::android::RegisterNativeHTTPRequest(env);
 
     latLngClass = &jni::FindClass(env, "com/mapbox/mapboxsdk/geometry/LatLng");