diff --git a/gui/src/main.cpp b/gui/src/main.cpp
index 36ca884..4e25dfc 100644
--- a/gui/src/main.cpp
+++ b/gui/src/main.cpp
@@ -24,6 +24,13 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 {
 	qRegisterMetaType<ChiakiQuitReason>();
 
+	ChiakiErrorCode err = chiaki_lib_init();
+	if(err != CHIAKI_ERR_SUCCESS)
+	{
+		fprintf(stderr, "Chiaki lib init failed: %s\n", chiaki_error_string(err));
+		return 1;
+	}
+
 	QApplication app(argc, argv);
 	QApplication::setApplicationName("Chiaki");
 
diff --git a/lib/include/chiaki/common.h b/lib/include/chiaki/common.h
index 44bd7b4..9ff5656 100644
--- a/lib/include/chiaki/common.h
+++ b/lib/include/chiaki/common.h
@@ -51,7 +51,12 @@ typedef enum
 
 CHIAKI_EXPORT const char *chiaki_error_string(ChiakiErrorCode code);
 
-void *chiaki_aligned_alloc(size_t alignment, size_t size);
+CHIAKI_EXPORT void *chiaki_aligned_alloc(size_t alignment, size_t size);
+
+/**
+ * Perform initialization of global state needed for using the Chiaki lib
+ */
+CHIAKI_EXPORT ChiakiErrorCode chiaki_lib_init();
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
diff --git a/lib/include/chiaki/random.h b/lib/include/chiaki/random.h
index ee35f20..33bb1f2 100644
--- a/lib/include/chiaki/random.h
+++ b/lib/include/chiaki/random.h
@@ -27,7 +27,12 @@
 extern "C" {
 #endif
 
-CHIAKI_EXPORT ChiakiErrorCode chiaki_random_bytes(uint8_t *buf, size_t buf_size);
+/**
+ * Random for cryptography
+ */
+CHIAKI_EXPORT ChiakiErrorCode chiaki_random_bytes_crypt(uint8_t *buf, size_t buf_size);
+
+CHIAKI_EXPORT uint32_t chiaki_random_32();
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
diff --git a/lib/src/common.c b/lib/src/common.c
index b7dfe5e..1c21a38 100644
--- a/lib/src/common.c
+++ b/lib/src/common.c
@@ -16,9 +16,14 @@
  */
 
 #include <chiaki/common.h>
+#include <chiaki/random.h>
+#include <chiaki/fec.h>
+
+#include <galois.h>
 
 #include <stdlib.h>
-
+#include <time.h>
+#include <errno.h>
 
 CHIAKI_EXPORT const char *chiaki_error_string(ChiakiErrorCode code)
 {
@@ -63,3 +68,16 @@ void *chiaki_aligned_alloc(size_t alignment, size_t size)
 {
 	return aligned_alloc(alignment, size);
 }
+
+CHIAKI_EXPORT ChiakiErrorCode chiaki_lib_init()
+{
+	unsigned int seed;
+	chiaki_random_bytes_crypt((uint8_t *)&seed, sizeof(seed));
+	srand(seed); // doesn't necessarily need to be secure for crypto
+
+	int galois_r = galois_init_default_field(CHIAKI_FEC_WORDSIZE);
+	if(galois_r != 0)
+		return galois_r == ENOMEM ? CHIAKI_ERR_MEMORY : CHIAKI_ERR_UNKNOWN;
+
+	return CHIAKI_ERR_SUCCESS;
+}
diff --git a/lib/src/random.c b/lib/src/random.c
index 18960c7..beaf373 100644
--- a/lib/src/random.c
+++ b/lib/src/random.c
@@ -19,10 +19,15 @@
 
 #include <openssl/rand.h>
 
-CHIAKI_EXPORT ChiakiErrorCode chiaki_random_bytes(uint8_t *buf, size_t buf_size)
+CHIAKI_EXPORT ChiakiErrorCode chiaki_random_bytes_crypt(uint8_t *buf, size_t buf_size)
 {
 	int r = RAND_bytes(buf, (int)buf_size);
 	if(!r)
 		return CHIAKI_ERR_UNKNOWN;
 	return CHIAKI_ERR_SUCCESS;
+}
+
+CHIAKI_EXPORT uint32_t chiaki_random_32()
+{
+	return rand() % UINT32_MAX;
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lib/src/session.c b/lib/src/session.c
index 4ca70cc..655382d 100644
--- a/lib/src/session.c
+++ b/lib/src/session.c
@@ -333,7 +333,7 @@ static void *session_thread_func(void *arg)
 	session->mtu = 1454;
 	session->rtt = 12;
 
-	err = chiaki_random_bytes(session->handshake_key, sizeof(session->handshake_key));
+	err = chiaki_random_bytes_crypt(session->handshake_key, sizeof(session->handshake_key));
 	if(err != CHIAKI_ERR_SUCCESS)
 	{
 		CHIAKI_LOGE(session->log, "Session failed to generate handshake key");
diff --git a/lib/src/takion.c b/lib/src/takion.c
index 2567bfb..93c9ce1 100644
--- a/lib/src/takion.c
+++ b/lib/src/takion.c
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 
 #include <chiaki/takion.h>
 #include <chiaki/congestioncontrol.h>
+#include <chiaki/random.h>
 
 #include <unistd.h>
 #include <fcntl.h>
@@ -186,7 +187,7 @@ CHIAKI_EXPORT ChiakiErrorCode chiaki_takion_connect(ChiakiTakion *takion, Chiaki
 	takion->cb_user = info->cb_user;
 	takion->a_rwnd = TAKION_A_RWND;
 
-	takion->tag_local = 0x4823; // "random" tag TODO: use actual random tag
+	takion->tag_local = chiaki_random_32(); // 0x4823
 	takion->seq_num_local = takion->tag_local;
 	ret = chiaki_mutex_init(&takion->seq_num_local_mutex, false);
 	if(ret != CHIAKI_ERR_SUCCESS)