diff --git a/src/context.c b/src/context.c
index e93db25..7ed97c7 100644
--- a/src/context.c
+++ b/src/context.c
@@ -269,6 +269,11 @@
     }
     ctx->change_count = 1;
 
+    if (!(options & LY_CTX_EXPLICIT_COMPILE)) {
+        /* use it for creating the initial context */
+        ctx->flags |= LY_CTX_EXPLICIT_COMPILE;
+    }
+
     /* create dummy in */
     rc = ly_in_new_memory(internal_modules[0].data, &in);
     LY_CHECK_GOTO(rc, error);
@@ -283,6 +288,12 @@
     /* resolve global unres */
     LY_CHECK_GOTO(rc = lys_compile_unres_glob(ctx, &unres), error);
 
+    if (!(options & LY_CTX_EXPLICIT_COMPILE)) {
+        /* compile now */
+        LY_CHECK_GOTO(rc = ly_ctx_compile(ctx), error);
+        ctx->flags &= ~LY_CTX_EXPLICIT_COMPILE;
+    }
+
     ly_in_free(in, 0);
     lys_compile_unres_glob_erase(ctx, &unres);
     *new_ctx = ctx;