diff --git a/doc/src/manual/embedding.md b/doc/src/manual/embedding.md
index 64104771cd9cd..7fb40ba5bd649 100644
--- a/doc/src/manual/embedding.md
+++ b/doc/src/manual/embedding.md
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ linking against `libjulia`.
 The first thing that must be done before calling any other Julia C function is to
 initialize Julia. This is done by calling `jl_init`, which tries to automatically determine
 Julia's install location. If you need to specify a custom location, or specify which system
-image to load, use `jl_init_with_image` instead.
+image to load, use `jl_init_with_image_file` or `jl_init_with_image_handle` instead.
 
 The second statement in the test program evaluates a Julia statement using a call to `jl_eval_string`.
 
diff --git a/src/init.c b/src/init.c
index cf432a6bd6047..5a8a3eaf5ccf2 100644
--- a/src/init.c
+++ b/src/init.c
@@ -533,169 +533,6 @@ int jl_isabspath(const char *in) JL_NOTSAFEPOINT
     return 0; // relative path
 }
 
-static char *absrealpath(const char *in, int nprefix)
-{ // compute an absolute realpath location, so that chdir doesn't change the file reference
-  // ignores (copies directly over) nprefix characters at the start of abspath
-#ifndef _OS_WINDOWS_
-    char *out = realpath(in + nprefix, NULL);
-    if (out) {
-        if (nprefix > 0) {
-            size_t sz = strlen(out) + 1;
-            char *cpy = (char*)malloc_s(sz + nprefix);
-            memcpy(cpy, in, nprefix);
-            memcpy(cpy + nprefix, out, sz);
-            free(out);
-            out = cpy;
-        }
-    }
-    else {
-        size_t sz = strlen(in + nprefix) + 1;
-        if (in[nprefix] == PATHSEPSTRING[0]) {
-            out = (char*)malloc_s(sz + nprefix);
-            memcpy(out, in, sz + nprefix);
-        }
-        else {
-            size_t path_size = JL_PATH_MAX;
-            char *path = (char*)malloc_s(JL_PATH_MAX);
-            if (uv_cwd(path, &path_size)) {
-                jl_error("fatal error: unexpected error while retrieving current working directory");
-            }
-            out = (char*)malloc_s(path_size + 1 + sz + nprefix);
-            memcpy(out, in, nprefix);
-            memcpy(out + nprefix, path, path_size);
-            out[nprefix + path_size] = PATHSEPSTRING[0];
-            memcpy(out + nprefix + path_size + 1, in + nprefix, sz);
-            free(path);
-        }
-    }
-#else
-    // GetFullPathName intentionally errors if given an empty string so manually insert `.` to invoke cwd
-    char *in2 = (char*)malloc_s(JL_PATH_MAX);
-    if (strlen(in) - nprefix == 0) {
-        memcpy(in2, in, nprefix);
-        in2[nprefix] = '.';
-        in2[nprefix+1] = '\0';
-        in = in2;
-    }
-    DWORD n = GetFullPathName(in + nprefix, 0, NULL, NULL);
-    if (n <= 0) {
-        jl_error("fatal error: jl_options.image_file path too long or GetFullPathName failed");
-    }
-    char *out = (char*)malloc_s(n + nprefix);
-    DWORD m = GetFullPathName(in + nprefix, n, out + nprefix, NULL);
-    if (n != m + 1) {
-        jl_error("fatal error: jl_options.image_file path too long or GetFullPathName failed");
-    }
-    memcpy(out, in, nprefix);
-    free(in2);
-#endif
-    return out;
-}
-
-// create an absolute-path copy of the input path format string
-// formed as `joinpath(replace(pwd(), "%" => "%%"), in)`
-// unless `in` starts with `%`
-static const char *absformat(const char *in)
-{
-    if (in[0] == '%' || jl_isabspath(in))
-        return in;
-    // get an escaped copy of cwd
-    size_t path_size = JL_PATH_MAX;
-    char path[JL_PATH_MAX];
-    if (uv_cwd(path, &path_size)) {
-        jl_error("fatal error: unexpected error while retrieving current working directory");
-    }
-    size_t sz = strlen(in) + 1;
-    size_t i, fmt_size = 0;
-    for (i = 0; i < path_size; i++)
-        fmt_size += (path[i] == '%' ? 2 : 1);
-    char *out = (char*)malloc_s(fmt_size + 1 + sz);
-    fmt_size = 0;
-    for (i = 0; i < path_size; i++) { // copy-replace pwd portion
-        char c = path[i];
-        out[fmt_size++] = c;
-        if (c == '%')
-            out[fmt_size++] = '%';
-    }
-    out[fmt_size++] = PATHSEPSTRING[0]; // path sep
-    memcpy(out + fmt_size, in, sz); // copy over format, including nul
-    return out;
-}
-
-static void jl_resolve_sysimg_location(JL_IMAGE_SEARCH rel)
-{
-    // this function resolves the paths in jl_options to absolute file locations as needed
-    // and it replaces the pointers to `julia_bindir`, `julia_bin`, `image_file`, and output file paths
-    // it may fail, print an error, and exit(1) if any of these paths are longer than JL_PATH_MAX
-    //
-    // note: if you care about lost memory, you should call the appropriate `free()` function
-    // on the original pointer for each `char*` you've inserted into `jl_options`, after
-    // calling `julia_init()`
-    char *free_path = (char*)malloc_s(JL_PATH_MAX);
-    size_t path_size = JL_PATH_MAX;
-    if (uv_exepath(free_path, &path_size)) {
-        jl_error("fatal error: unexpected error while retrieving exepath");
-    }
-    if (path_size >= JL_PATH_MAX) {
-        jl_error("fatal error: jl_options.julia_bin path too long");
-    }
-    jl_options.julia_bin = (char*)malloc_s(path_size + 1);
-    memcpy((char*)jl_options.julia_bin, free_path, path_size);
-    ((char*)jl_options.julia_bin)[path_size] = '\0';
-    if (!jl_options.julia_bindir) {
-        jl_options.julia_bindir = getenv("JULIA_BINDIR");
-        if (!jl_options.julia_bindir) {
-            jl_options.julia_bindir = dirname(free_path);
-        }
-    }
-    if (jl_options.julia_bindir)
-        jl_options.julia_bindir = absrealpath(jl_options.julia_bindir, 0);
-    free(free_path);
-    free_path = NULL;
-    if (jl_options.image_file) {
-        if (rel == JL_IMAGE_JULIA_HOME && !jl_isabspath(jl_options.image_file)) {
-            // build time path, relative to JULIA_BINDIR
-            free_path = (char*)malloc_s(JL_PATH_MAX);
-            int n = snprintf(free_path, JL_PATH_MAX, "%s" PATHSEPSTRING "%s",
-                             jl_options.julia_bindir, jl_options.image_file);
-            if (n >= JL_PATH_MAX || n < 0) {
-                jl_error("fatal error: jl_options.image_file path too long");
-            }
-            jl_options.image_file = free_path;
-        }
-        if (jl_options.image_file)
-            jl_options.image_file = absrealpath(jl_options.image_file, 0);
-        if (free_path) {
-            free(free_path);
-            free_path = NULL;
-        }
-    }
-    if (jl_options.outputo)
-        jl_options.outputo = absrealpath(jl_options.outputo, 0);
-    if (jl_options.outputji)
-        jl_options.outputji = absrealpath(jl_options.outputji, 0);
-    if (jl_options.outputbc)
-        jl_options.outputbc = absrealpath(jl_options.outputbc, 0);
-    if (jl_options.outputasm)
-        jl_options.outputasm = absrealpath(jl_options.outputasm, 0);
-    if (jl_options.machine_file)
-        jl_options.machine_file = absrealpath(jl_options.machine_file, 0);
-    if (jl_options.output_code_coverage)
-        jl_options.output_code_coverage = absformat(jl_options.output_code_coverage);
-    if (jl_options.tracked_path)
-        jl_options.tracked_path = absrealpath(jl_options.tracked_path, 0);
-
-    const char **cmdp = jl_options.cmds;
-    if (cmdp) {
-        for (; *cmdp; cmdp++) {
-            const char *cmd = *cmdp;
-            if (cmd[0] == 'L') {
-                *cmdp = absrealpath(cmd, 1);
-            }
-        }
-    }
-}
-
 JL_DLLEXPORT int jl_is_file_tracked(jl_sym_t *path)
 {
     const char* path_ = jl_symbol_name(path);
@@ -721,8 +558,85 @@ static void restore_fp_env(void)
         jl_error("Failed to configure floating point environment");
     }
 }
+static NOINLINE void _finish_jl_init_(jl_image_buf_t sysimage, jl_ptls_t ptls, jl_task_t *ct)
+{
+    JL_TIMING(JULIA_INIT, JULIA_INIT);
+
+    if (sysimage.kind == JL_IMAGE_KIND_SO)
+        jl_gc_notify_image_load(sysimage.data, sysimage.size);
+
+    if (jl_options.cpu_target == NULL)
+        jl_options.cpu_target = "native";
+
+    // Parse image, perform relocations, and init JIT targets, etc.
+    jl_image_t parsed_image = jl_init_processor_sysimg(sysimage, jl_options.cpu_target);
+
+    jl_init_codegen();
+    jl_init_common_symbols();
+
+    if (sysimage.kind != JL_IMAGE_KIND_NONE) {
+        // Load the .ji or .so sysimage
+        jl_restore_system_image(&parsed_image, sysimage);
+    } else {
+        // No sysimage provided, init a minimal environment
+        jl_init_types();
+        jl_global_roots_list = (jl_genericmemory_t*)jl_an_empty_memory_any;
+        jl_global_roots_keyset = (jl_genericmemory_t*)jl_an_empty_memory_any;
+    }
+
+    jl_init_flisp();
+    jl_init_serializer();
+
+    if (sysimage.kind == JL_IMAGE_KIND_NONE) {
+        jl_top_module = jl_core_module;
+        jl_init_intrinsic_functions();
+        jl_init_primitives();
+        jl_init_main_module();
+        jl_load(jl_core_module, "boot.jl");
+        jl_current_task->world_age = jl_atomic_load_acquire(&jl_world_counter);
+        post_boot_hooks();
+    }
+
+    if (jl_base_module == NULL) {
+        // nthreads > 1 requires code in Base
+        jl_atomic_store_relaxed(&jl_n_threads, 1);
+        jl_n_markthreads = 0;
+        jl_n_sweepthreads = 0;
+        jl_n_gcthreads = 0;
+        jl_n_threads_per_pool[JL_THREADPOOL_ID_INTERACTIVE] = 0;
+        jl_n_threads_per_pool[JL_THREADPOOL_ID_DEFAULT] = 1;
+    } else {
+        jl_current_task->world_age = jl_atomic_load_acquire(&jl_world_counter);
+        post_image_load_hooks();
+    }
+    jl_start_threads();
+    jl_start_gc_threads();
+    uv_barrier_wait(&thread_init_done);
+
+    jl_gc_enable(1);
+
+    if ((sysimage.kind != JL_IMAGE_KIND_NONE) &&
+            (!jl_generating_output() || jl_options.incremental) && jl_module_init_order) {
+        jl_array_t *init_order = jl_module_init_order;
+        JL_GC_PUSH1(&init_order);
+        jl_module_init_order = NULL;
+        int i, l = jl_array_nrows(init_order);
+        for (i = 0; i < l; i++) {
+            jl_value_t *mod = jl_array_ptr_ref(init_order, i);
+            jl_module_run_initializer((jl_module_t*)mod);
+        }
+        JL_GC_POP();
+    }
+
+    if (jl_options.trim) {
+        jl_entrypoint_mis = (arraylist_t *)malloc_s(sizeof(arraylist_t));
+        arraylist_new(jl_entrypoint_mis, 0);
+    }
+
+    if (jl_options.handle_signals == JL_OPTIONS_HANDLE_SIGNALS_ON)
+        jl_install_sigint_handler();
+}
 
-static NOINLINE void _finish_julia_init(JL_IMAGE_SEARCH rel, jl_ptls_t ptls, jl_task_t *ct);
 
 JL_DLLEXPORT int jl_default_debug_info_kind;
 JL_DLLEXPORT jl_cgparams_t jl_default_cgparams = {
@@ -750,12 +664,12 @@ static void init_global_mutexes(void) {
     JL_MUTEX_INIT(&profile_show_peek_cond_lock, "profile_show_peek_cond_lock");
 }
 
-JL_DLLEXPORT void julia_init(JL_IMAGE_SEARCH rel)
+JL_DLLEXPORT void jl_init_(jl_image_buf_t sysimage)
 {
     // initialize many things, in no particular order
     // but generally running from simple platform things to optional
     // configuration features
-    jl_init_timing();
+
     // Make sure we finalize the tls callback before starting any threads.
     (void)jl_get_pgcstack();
 
@@ -860,96 +774,7 @@ JL_DLLEXPORT void julia_init(JL_IMAGE_SEARCH rel)
     jl_task_t *ct = jl_init_root_task(ptls, stack_lo, stack_hi);
 #pragma GCC diagnostic pop
     JL_GC_PROMISE_ROOTED(ct);
-    _finish_julia_init(rel, ptls, ct);
-}
-
-static NOINLINE void _finish_julia_init(JL_IMAGE_SEARCH rel, jl_ptls_t ptls, jl_task_t *ct)
-{
-    JL_TIMING(JULIA_INIT, JULIA_INIT);
-    jl_resolve_sysimg_location(rel);
-
-    // loads sysimg if available, and conditionally sets jl_options.cpu_target
-    jl_image_buf_t sysimage = { JL_IMAGE_KIND_NONE };
-    if (rel == JL_IMAGE_IN_MEMORY) {
-        sysimage = jl_set_sysimg_so(jl_exe_handle);
-        jl_options.image_file = jl_options.julia_bin;
-    }
-    else if (jl_options.image_file)
-        sysimage = jl_preload_sysimg(jl_options.image_file);
-
-    if (sysimage.kind == JL_IMAGE_KIND_SO)
-        jl_gc_notify_image_load(sysimage.data, sysimage.size);
-
-    if (jl_options.cpu_target == NULL)
-        jl_options.cpu_target = "native";
-
-    // Parse image, perform relocations, and init JIT targets, etc.
-    jl_image_t parsed_image = jl_init_processor_sysimg(sysimage, jl_options.cpu_target);
-
-    jl_init_codegen();
-    jl_init_common_symbols();
-
-    if (sysimage.kind != JL_IMAGE_KIND_NONE) {
-        // Load the .ji or .so sysimage
-        jl_restore_system_image(&parsed_image, sysimage);
-    } else {
-        // No sysimage provided, init a minimal environment
-        jl_init_types();
-        jl_global_roots_list = (jl_genericmemory_t*)jl_an_empty_memory_any;
-        jl_global_roots_keyset = (jl_genericmemory_t*)jl_an_empty_memory_any;
-    }
-
-    jl_init_flisp();
-    jl_init_serializer();
-
-    if (sysimage.kind == JL_IMAGE_KIND_NONE) {
-        jl_top_module = jl_core_module;
-        jl_init_intrinsic_functions();
-        jl_init_primitives();
-        jl_init_main_module();
-        jl_load(jl_core_module, "boot.jl");
-        jl_current_task->world_age = jl_atomic_load_acquire(&jl_world_counter);
-        post_boot_hooks();
-    }
-
-    if (jl_base_module == NULL) {
-        // nthreads > 1 requires code in Base
-        jl_atomic_store_relaxed(&jl_n_threads, 1);
-        jl_n_markthreads = 0;
-        jl_n_sweepthreads = 0;
-        jl_n_gcthreads = 0;
-        jl_n_threads_per_pool[JL_THREADPOOL_ID_INTERACTIVE] = 0;
-        jl_n_threads_per_pool[JL_THREADPOOL_ID_DEFAULT] = 1;
-    } else {
-        jl_current_task->world_age = jl_atomic_load_acquire(&jl_world_counter);
-        post_image_load_hooks();
-    }
-    jl_start_threads();
-    jl_start_gc_threads();
-    uv_barrier_wait(&thread_init_done);
-
-    jl_gc_enable(1);
-
-    if ((sysimage.kind != JL_IMAGE_KIND_NONE) &&
-            (!jl_generating_output() || jl_options.incremental) && jl_module_init_order) {
-        jl_array_t *init_order = jl_module_init_order;
-        JL_GC_PUSH1(&init_order);
-        jl_module_init_order = NULL;
-        int i, l = jl_array_nrows(init_order);
-        for (i = 0; i < l; i++) {
-            jl_value_t *mod = jl_array_ptr_ref(init_order, i);
-            jl_module_run_initializer((jl_module_t*)mod);
-        }
-        JL_GC_POP();
-    }
-
-    if (jl_options.trim) {
-        jl_entrypoint_mis = (arraylist_t *)malloc_s(sizeof(arraylist_t));
-        arraylist_new(jl_entrypoint_mis, 0);
-    }
-
-    if (jl_options.handle_signals == JL_OPTIONS_HANDLE_SIGNALS_ON)
-        jl_install_sigint_handler();
+    _finish_jl_init_(sysimage, ptls, ct);
 }
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
diff --git a/src/jl_exported_funcs.inc b/src/jl_exported_funcs.inc
index 64dcb2278d240..cdf280c97db6d 100644
--- a/src/jl_exported_funcs.inc
+++ b/src/jl_exported_funcs.inc
@@ -235,9 +235,11 @@
     XX(jl_hrtime) \
     XX(jl_idtable_rehash) \
     XX(jl_init) \
+    XX(jl_init_) \
     XX(jl_init_options) \
     XX(jl_init_restored_module) \
-    XX(jl_init_with_image) \
+    XX(jl_init_with_image_file) \
+    XX(jl_init_with_image_handle) \
     XX(jl_install_sigint_handler) \
     XX(jl_instantiate_type_in_env) \
     XX(jl_instantiate_unionall) \
diff --git a/src/jlapi.c b/src/jlapi.c
index 6ef0dd17befed..47d5b84fa5606 100644
--- a/src/jlapi.c
+++ b/src/jlapi.c
@@ -26,11 +26,13 @@ extern "C" {
 #include <fenv.h>
 #endif
 
+static void jl_resolve_sysimg_location(JL_IMAGE_SEARCH rel, const char* julia_bindir);
+
 /**
  * @brief Check if Julia is already initialized.
  *
- * Determine if Julia has been previously initialized
- * via `jl_init` or `jl_init_with_image`.
+ * Determine if Julia has been previously initialized via `jl_init` or
+ * `jl_init_with_image_file` or `jl_init_with_image_handle`.
  *
  * @return Returns 1 if Julia is initialized, 0 otherwise.
  */
@@ -68,6 +70,20 @@ JL_DLLEXPORT void jl_set_ARGS(int argc, char **argv)
     }
 }
 
+JL_DLLEXPORT void jl_init_with_image_handle(void *handle) {
+    if (jl_is_initialized())
+        return;
+
+    const char *image_path = jl_pathname_for_handle(handle);
+    jl_options.image_file = image_path;
+
+    jl_resolve_sysimg_location(JL_IMAGE_JULIA_HOME, NULL);
+    jl_image_buf_t sysimage = jl_set_sysimg_so(handle);
+
+    jl_init_(sysimage);
+
+    jl_exception_clear();
+}
 /**
  * @brief Initialize Julia with a specified system image file.
  *
@@ -82,28 +98,21 @@ JL_DLLEXPORT void jl_set_ARGS(int argc, char **argv)
  * @param image_path The path of a system image file (*.so). Interpreted as relative to julia_bindir
  *                   or the default Julia home directory if not an absolute path.
  */
-JL_DLLEXPORT void jl_init_with_image(const char *julia_bindir,
-                                     const char *image_path)
+JL_DLLEXPORT void jl_init_with_image_file(const char *julia_bindir,
+                                          const char *image_path)
 {
     if (jl_is_initialized())
         return;
-    libsupport_init();
-    if (julia_bindir) {
-        jl_options.julia_bindir = julia_bindir;
-    } else {
-#ifdef _OS_WINDOWS_
-        jl_options.julia_bindir = strdup(jl_get_libdir());
-#else
-        int written = asprintf((char**)&jl_options.julia_bindir, "%s" PATHSEPSTRING ".." PATHSEPSTRING "%s", jl_get_libdir(), "bin");
-        if (written < 0)
-            abort(); // unexpected: memory allocation failed
-#endif
-    }
     if (image_path != NULL)
         jl_options.image_file = image_path;
     else
         jl_options.image_file = jl_get_default_sysimg_path();
-    julia_init(JL_IMAGE_JULIA_HOME);
+
+    jl_resolve_sysimg_location(JL_IMAGE_JULIA_HOME, julia_bindir);
+    jl_image_buf_t sysimage = jl_preload_sysimg(jl_options.image_file);
+
+    jl_init_(sysimage);
+
     jl_exception_clear();
 }
 
@@ -115,7 +124,7 @@ JL_DLLEXPORT void jl_init_with_image(const char *julia_bindir,
  */
 JL_DLLEXPORT void jl_init(void)
 {
-    jl_init_with_image(NULL, jl_get_default_sysimg_path());
+    jl_init_with_image_file(NULL, jl_get_default_sysimg_path());
 }
 
 static void _jl_exception_clear(jl_task_t *ct) JL_NOTSAFEPOINT
@@ -1101,7 +1110,14 @@ JL_DLLEXPORT int jl_repl_entrypoint(int argc, char *argv[])
         jl_error("Failed to self-execute");
     }
 
-    julia_init(jl_options.image_file_specified ? JL_IMAGE_CWD : JL_IMAGE_JULIA_HOME);
+    JL_IMAGE_SEARCH rel = jl_options.image_file_specified ? JL_IMAGE_CWD : JL_IMAGE_JULIA_HOME;
+    jl_resolve_sysimg_location(rel, NULL);
+    jl_image_buf_t sysimage = { JL_IMAGE_KIND_NONE };
+    if (jl_options.image_file)
+        sysimage = jl_preload_sysimg(jl_options.image_file);
+
+    jl_init_(sysimage);
+
     if (lisp_prompt) {
         jl_current_task->world_age = jl_get_world_counter();
         jl_lisp_prompt();
@@ -1112,6 +1128,180 @@ JL_DLLEXPORT int jl_repl_entrypoint(int argc, char *argv[])
     return ret;
 }
 
+// create an absolute-path copy of the input path format string
+// formed as `joinpath(replace(pwd(), "%" => "%%"), in)`
+// unless `in` starts with `%`
+static const char *absformat(const char *in)
+{
+    if (in[0] == '%' || jl_isabspath(in))
+        return in;
+    // get an escaped copy of cwd
+    size_t path_size = JL_PATH_MAX;
+    char path[JL_PATH_MAX];
+    if (uv_cwd(path, &path_size)) {
+        jl_error("fatal error: unexpected error while retrieving current working directory");
+    }
+    size_t sz = strlen(in) + 1;
+    size_t i, fmt_size = 0;
+    for (i = 0; i < path_size; i++)
+        fmt_size += (path[i] == '%' ? 2 : 1);
+    char *out = (char*)malloc_s(fmt_size + 1 + sz);
+    fmt_size = 0;
+    for (i = 0; i < path_size; i++) { // copy-replace pwd portion
+        char c = path[i];
+        out[fmt_size++] = c;
+        if (c == '%')
+            out[fmt_size++] = '%';
+    }
+    out[fmt_size++] = PATHSEPSTRING[0]; // path sep
+    memcpy(out + fmt_size, in, sz); // copy over format, including nul
+    return out;
+}
+
+static char *absrealpath(const char *in, int nprefix)
+{ // compute an absolute realpath location, so that chdir doesn't change the file reference
+  // ignores (copies directly over) nprefix characters at the start of abspath
+#ifndef _OS_WINDOWS_
+    char *out = realpath(in + nprefix, NULL);
+    if (out) {
+        if (nprefix > 0) {
+            size_t sz = strlen(out) + 1;
+            char *cpy = (char*)malloc_s(sz + nprefix);
+            memcpy(cpy, in, nprefix);
+            memcpy(cpy + nprefix, out, sz);
+            free(out);
+            out = cpy;
+        }
+    }
+    else {
+        size_t sz = strlen(in + nprefix) + 1;
+        if (in[nprefix] == PATHSEPSTRING[0]) {
+            out = (char*)malloc_s(sz + nprefix);
+            memcpy(out, in, sz + nprefix);
+        }
+        else {
+            size_t path_size = JL_PATH_MAX;
+            char *path = (char*)malloc_s(JL_PATH_MAX);
+            if (uv_cwd(path, &path_size)) {
+                jl_error("fatal error: unexpected error while retrieving current working directory");
+            }
+            out = (char*)malloc_s(path_size + 1 + sz + nprefix);
+            memcpy(out, in, nprefix);
+            memcpy(out + nprefix, path, path_size);
+            out[nprefix + path_size] = PATHSEPSTRING[0];
+            memcpy(out + nprefix + path_size + 1, in + nprefix, sz);
+            free(path);
+        }
+    }
+#else
+    // GetFullPathName intentionally errors if given an empty string so manually insert `.` to invoke cwd
+    char *in2 = (char*)malloc_s(JL_PATH_MAX);
+    if (strlen(in) - nprefix == 0) {
+        memcpy(in2, in, nprefix);
+        in2[nprefix] = '.';
+        in2[nprefix+1] = '\0';
+        in = in2;
+    }
+    DWORD n = GetFullPathName(in + nprefix, 0, NULL, NULL);
+    if (n <= 0) {
+        jl_error("fatal error: jl_options.image_file path too long or GetFullPathName failed");
+    }
+    char *out = (char*)malloc_s(n + nprefix);
+    DWORD m = GetFullPathName(in + nprefix, n, out + nprefix, NULL);
+    if (n != m + 1) {
+        jl_error("fatal error: jl_options.image_file path too long or GetFullPathName failed");
+    }
+    memcpy(out, in, nprefix);
+    free(in2);
+#endif
+    return out;
+}
+
+static void jl_resolve_sysimg_location(JL_IMAGE_SEARCH rel, const char* julia_bindir)
+{
+    libsupport_init();
+    jl_init_timing();
+
+    // this function resolves the paths in jl_options to absolute file locations as needed
+    // and it replaces the pointers to `julia_bindir`, `julia_bin`, `image_file`, and output file paths
+    // it may fail, print an error, and exit(1) if any of these paths are longer than JL_PATH_MAX
+    //
+    // note: if you care about lost memory, you should call the appropriate `free()` function
+    // on the original pointer for each `char*` you've inserted into `jl_options`, after
+    // calling `jl_init_()`
+    char *free_path = (char*)malloc_s(JL_PATH_MAX);
+    size_t path_size = JL_PATH_MAX;
+    if (uv_exepath(free_path, &path_size)) {
+        jl_error("fatal error: unexpected error while retrieving exepath");
+    }
+    if (path_size >= JL_PATH_MAX) {
+        jl_error("fatal error: jl_options.julia_bin path too long");
+    }
+    jl_options.julia_bin = (char*)malloc_s(path_size + 1);
+    memcpy((char*)jl_options.julia_bin, free_path, path_size);
+    ((char*)jl_options.julia_bin)[path_size] = '\0';
+    if (julia_bindir == NULL) {
+        jl_options.julia_bindir = getenv("JULIA_BINDIR");
+        if (!jl_options.julia_bindir) {
+#ifdef _OS_WINDOWS_
+            jl_options.julia_bindir = strdup(jl_get_libdir());
+#else
+            int written = asprintf((char**)&jl_options.julia_bindir, "%s" PATHSEPSTRING ".." PATHSEPSTRING "%s", jl_get_libdir(), "bin");
+            if (written < 0)
+                abort(); // unexpected: memory allocation failed
+#endif
+        }
+    } else {
+        jl_options.julia_bindir = julia_bindir;
+    }
+    if (jl_options.julia_bindir)
+        jl_options.julia_bindir = absrealpath(jl_options.julia_bindir, 0);
+    free(free_path);
+    free_path = NULL;
+    if (jl_options.image_file) {
+        if (rel == JL_IMAGE_JULIA_HOME && !jl_isabspath(jl_options.image_file)) {
+            // build time path, relative to JULIA_BINDIR
+            free_path = (char*)malloc_s(JL_PATH_MAX);
+            int n = snprintf(free_path, JL_PATH_MAX, "%s" PATHSEPSTRING "%s",
+                             jl_options.julia_bindir, jl_options.image_file);
+            if (n >= JL_PATH_MAX || n < 0) {
+                jl_error("fatal error: jl_options.image_file path too long");
+            }
+            jl_options.image_file = free_path;
+        }
+        if (jl_options.image_file)
+            jl_options.image_file = absrealpath(jl_options.image_file, 0);
+        if (free_path) {
+            free(free_path);
+            free_path = NULL;
+        }
+    }
+    if (jl_options.outputo)
+        jl_options.outputo = absrealpath(jl_options.outputo, 0);
+    if (jl_options.outputji)
+        jl_options.outputji = absrealpath(jl_options.outputji, 0);
+    if (jl_options.outputbc)
+        jl_options.outputbc = absrealpath(jl_options.outputbc, 0);
+    if (jl_options.outputasm)
+        jl_options.outputasm = absrealpath(jl_options.outputasm, 0);
+    if (jl_options.machine_file)
+        jl_options.machine_file = absrealpath(jl_options.machine_file, 0);
+    if (jl_options.output_code_coverage)
+        jl_options.output_code_coverage = absformat(jl_options.output_code_coverage);
+    if (jl_options.tracked_path)
+        jl_options.tracked_path = absrealpath(jl_options.tracked_path, 0);
+
+    const char **cmdp = jl_options.cmds;
+    if (cmdp) {
+        for (; *cmdp; cmdp++) {
+            const char *cmd = *cmdp;
+            if (cmd[0] == 'L') {
+                *cmdp = absrealpath(cmd, 1);
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
 #endif
diff --git a/src/julia.h b/src/julia.h
index faad02c0aa50c..7f7362b9d4a9a 100644
--- a/src/julia.h
+++ b/src/julia.h
@@ -2223,10 +2223,10 @@ struct _jl_image_t;
 typedef struct _jl_image_t jl_image_t;
 
 JL_DLLIMPORT const char *jl_get_libdir(void);
-JL_DLLEXPORT void julia_init(JL_IMAGE_SEARCH rel);
 JL_DLLEXPORT void jl_init(void);
-JL_DLLEXPORT void jl_init_with_image(const char *julia_bindir,
-                                     const char *image_path);
+JL_DLLEXPORT void jl_init_with_image_file(const char *julia_bindir,
+                                          const char *image_path);
+JL_DLLEXPORT void jl_init_with_image_handle(void *handle);
 JL_DLLEXPORT const char *jl_get_default_sysimg_path(void);
 JL_DLLEXPORT int jl_is_initialized(void);
 JL_DLLEXPORT void jl_atexit_hook(int status);
diff --git a/src/julia_internal.h b/src/julia_internal.h
index b588f84d05319..573ccb3306bd0 100644
--- a/src/julia_internal.h
+++ b/src/julia_internal.h
@@ -196,6 +196,7 @@ void JL_UV_LOCK(void);
 extern _Atomic(unsigned) _threadedregion;
 extern _Atomic(uint16_t) io_loop_tid;
 
+JL_DLLEXPORT void jl_init_(jl_image_buf_t sysimage);
 JL_DLLEXPORT void jl_enter_threaded_region(void);
 JL_DLLEXPORT void jl_exit_threaded_region(void);
 int jl_running_under_rr(int recheck) JL_NOTSAFEPOINT;
diff --git a/src/threading.c b/src/threading.c
index f01db388f4cc3..4256115214fc2 100644
--- a/src/threading.c
+++ b/src/threading.c
@@ -461,9 +461,7 @@ JL_DLLEXPORT jl_gcframe_t **jl_autoinit_and_adopt_thread(void)
                             "       (this should not happen, please file a bug report)\n");
             exit(1);
         }
-        const char *image_path = jl_pathname_for_handle(handle);
-        jl_enter_threaded_region(); // This should maybe be behind a lock, but it's harmless if done twice
-        jl_init_with_image(NULL, image_path);
+        jl_init_with_image_handle(handle);
         return &jl_get_current_task()->gcstack;
     }
 
diff --git a/test/trimming/init.c b/test/trimming/init.c
index ea1b02f8e5c8f..889d71d47d540 100644
--- a/test/trimming/init.c
+++ b/test/trimming/init.c
@@ -1,9 +1,11 @@
+#define _GNU_SOURCE
+#include <dlfcn.h>
 #include <julia.h>
 
 __attribute__((constructor)) void static_init(void)
 {
     if (jl_is_initialized())
         return;
-    julia_init(JL_IMAGE_IN_MEMORY);
+    jl_init_with_image_handle((void *)RTLD_DEFAULT);
     jl_exception_clear();
 }