diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index de7f076c..e3c24be1 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/).
 
 - Fixed a bug when cloning an overlay to site when parent is missing
 - Fixed `wwctl upgrade nodes` to properly handle kernel argument lists. #1938
-- Improved netplan support. #1873
+- Fixed a panic during `wwctl overlay edit` due to missing `reexec.Init()`. #1879
 
 ## v4.6.2, 2025-07-09
 
diff --git a/cmd/wwctl/main.go b/cmd/wwctl/main.go
index 8e4dabba..a0696367 100644
--- a/cmd/wwctl/main.go
+++ b/cmd/wwctl/main.go
@@ -4,10 +4,15 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
 
+	"github.com/containers/storage/pkg/reexec"
 	"github.com/warewulf/warewulf/internal/app/wwctl"
 )
 
 func main() {
+	if reexec.Init() {
+		return
+	}
+
 	root := wwctl.GetRootCommand()
 
 	err := root.Execute()
diff --git a/internal/pkg/image/imprt.go b/internal/pkg/image/imprt.go
index c49f2b1c..8e8f37bd 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/image/imprt.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/image/imprt.go
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/containers/image/v5/types"
 	"github.com/containers/storage/drivers/copy"
-	"github.com/containers/storage/pkg/reexec"
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 
 	warewulfconf "github.com/warewulf/warewulf/internal/pkg/config"
@@ -68,9 +67,6 @@ func ImportDirectory(uri string, name string) error {
 	if !util.IsFile(path.Join(uri, "/bin/sh")) {
 		return errors.New("Source directory has no /bin/sh: " + uri)
 	}
-	if reexec.Init() {
-		return errors.New("couldn't init reexec")
-	}
 	err = copy.DirCopy(uri, fullPath, copy.Content, true)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err