diff --git a/wasmtime-environ/src/cache/config.rs b/wasmtime-environ/src/cache/config.rs
index 51e2c15d50..14611149df 100644
--- a/wasmtime-environ/src/cache/config.rs
+++ b/wasmtime-environ/src/cache/config.rs
@@ -150,7 +150,9 @@ pub fn init<P: AsRef<Path> + Debug>(
     let conf_file_str = format!("{:?}", config_file);
     let conf = CONFIG.call_once(|| CacheConfig::from_file(enabled, config_file, create_new_config));
     if conf.errors.is_empty() {
-        worker::init(init_file_per_thread_logger);
+        if conf.enabled {
+            worker::init(init_file_per_thread_logger);
+        }
         debug!("Cache init(\"{}\"): {:#?}", conf_file_str, conf)
     } else {
         error!(