3 files changed, 16 insertions, 12 deletions
diff --git a/src/nvim/main.c b/src/nvim/main.c
index ddb3fbdd65..673b177463 100644
--- a/src/nvim/main.c
+++ b/src/nvim/main.c
@@ -185,11 +185,11 @@ void early_init(mparm_T *paramp)
   init_locale();
 #endif
 
-  // Allocate the first window and buffer.
-  // Can't do anything without it, exit when it fails.
-  if (!win_alloc_first()) {
-    os_exit(0);
-  }
+  // tabpage local options (p_ch) must be set before allocating first tabpage.
+  set_init_tablocal();
+
+  // Allocate the first tabpage, window and buffer.
+  win_alloc_first();
   TIME_MSG("init first window");
 
   alist_init(&global_alist);    // Init the argument list to empty.
diff --git a/src/nvim/option.c b/src/nvim/option.c
index 9d0ba6a478..4a93fddc1b 100644
--- a/src/nvim/option.c
+++ b/src/nvim/option.c
@@ -147,6 +147,13 @@ typedef enum {
 # include "option.c.generated.h"
 #endif
 
+void set_init_tablocal(void)
+{
+  // susy baka: cmdheight calls itself OPT_GLOBAL but is really tablocal!
+  int ch_idx = findoption("cmdheight");
+  p_ch = (long)options[ch_idx].def_val;
+}
+
 /// Initialize the options, first part.
 ///
 /// Called only once from main(), just after creating the first buffer.
diff --git a/src/nvim/window.c b/src/nvim/window.c
index c3806e10ff..c0edef7abc 100644
--- a/src/nvim/window.c
+++ b/src/nvim/window.c
@@ -3865,13 +3865,12 @@ void close_others(int message, int forceit)
 }
 
 // Allocate the first window and put an empty buffer in it.
-// Called from main().
-//
-// Return FAIL when something goes wrong.
-int win_alloc_first(void)
+// Only called from main().
+void win_alloc_first(void)
 {
   if (win_alloc_firstwin(NULL) == FAIL) {
-    return FAIL;
+    // allocating first buffer before any autocmds should not fail.
+    abort();
   }
 
   first_tabpage = alloc_tabpage();
@@ -3880,8 +3879,6 @@ int win_alloc_first(void)
   curtab->tp_firstwin = firstwin;
   curtab->tp_lastwin = lastwin;
   curtab->tp_curwin = curwin;
-
-  return OK;
 }
 
 // Init `aucmd_win`. This can only be done after the first window