diff --git a/src/squirrel/script_engine.cpp b/src/squirrel/script_engine.cpp
index 0e3b7b1801b..b3f67c9abdd 100644
--- a/src/squirrel/script_engine.cpp
+++ b/src/squirrel/script_engine.cpp
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
 #include "util/log.hpp"
 
 ScriptEngine::ScriptEngine() :
-  m_vm(scripting::global_vm),
+  m_vm(Scripting::current()->get_vm()),
   m_table(),
   m_scripts()
 {
diff --git a/src/squirrel/script_engine.hpp b/src/squirrel/script_engine.hpp
index 84b7a8f2dab..61ee34083b3 100644
--- a/src/squirrel/script_engine.hpp
+++ b/src/squirrel/script_engine.hpp
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ class ScriptEngine
   virtual ~ScriptEngine();
 
 protected:
-  /** Expose this engine in the global_vm under 'name' */
+  /** Expose this engine under 'name' */
   void expose_self(const std::string& name);
   void unexpose_self(const std::string& name);
 
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ class ScriptEngine
   template<typename T>
   void expose(const std::string& name, std::unique_ptr<T> script_object)
   {
-    HSQUIRRELVM vm = scripting::global_vm;
+    HSQUIRRELVM vm = Scripting::current()->get_vm();
     sq_pushobject(vm, m_table);
     expose_object(vm, -1, std::move(script_object), name.c_str());
     sq_pop(vm, 1);
diff --git a/src/squirrel/scripting.cpp b/src/squirrel/scripting.cpp
index 0d113db5527..35a5a29af46 100644
--- a/src/squirrel/scripting.cpp
+++ b/src/squirrel/scripting.cpp
@@ -61,60 +61,55 @@ void printfunc(HSQUIRRELVM, const char* fmt, ...)
 
 } // namespace
 
-namespace scripting {
-
-HSQUIRRELVM global_vm = nullptr;
-
-} // namespace scripting
-
-Scripting::Scripting(bool enable_debugger)
+Scripting::Scripting(bool enable_debugger) :
+  m_vm()
 {
-  scripting::global_vm = sq_open(64);
-  if(scripting::global_vm == nullptr)
+  m_vm = sq_open(64);
+  if(m_vm == nullptr)
     throw std::runtime_error("Couldn't initialize squirrel vm");
 
   if(enable_debugger) {
 #ifdef ENABLE_SQDBG
-    sq_enabledebuginfo(scripting::global_vm, SQTrue);
-    debugger = sq_rdbg_init(scripting::global_vm, 1234, SQFalse);
+    sq_enabledebuginfo(m_vm, SQTrue);
+    debugger = sq_rdbg_init(m_vm, 1234, SQFalse);
     if(debugger == nullptr)
-      throw SquirrelError(scripting::global_vm, "Couldn't initialize squirrel debugger");
+      throw SquirrelError(m_vm, "Couldn't initialize squirrel debugger");
 
-    sq_enabledebuginfo(scripting::global_vm, SQTrue);
+    sq_enabledebuginfo(m_vm, SQTrue);
     log_info << "Waiting for debug client..." << std::endl;
     if(SQ_FAILED(sq_rdbg_waitforconnections(debugger)))
-      throw SquirrelError(scripting::global_vm, "Waiting for debug clients failed");
+      throw SquirrelError(m_vm, "Waiting for debug clients failed");
     log_info << "debug client connected." << std::endl;
 #endif
   }
 
-  sq_pushroottable(scripting::global_vm);
-  if(SQ_FAILED(sqstd_register_bloblib(scripting::global_vm)))
-    throw SquirrelError(scripting::global_vm, "Couldn't register blob lib");
-  if(SQ_FAILED(sqstd_register_mathlib(scripting::global_vm)))
-    throw SquirrelError(scripting::global_vm, "Couldn't register math lib");
-  if(SQ_FAILED(sqstd_register_stringlib(scripting::global_vm)))
-    throw SquirrelError(scripting::global_vm, "Couldn't register string lib");
+  sq_pushroottable(m_vm);
+  if(SQ_FAILED(sqstd_register_bloblib(m_vm)))
+    throw SquirrelError(m_vm, "Couldn't register blob lib");
+  if(SQ_FAILED(sqstd_register_mathlib(m_vm)))
+    throw SquirrelError(m_vm, "Couldn't register math lib");
+  if(SQ_FAILED(sqstd_register_stringlib(m_vm)))
+    throw SquirrelError(m_vm, "Couldn't register string lib");
 
   // remove rand and srand calls from sqstdmath, we'll provide our own
-  delete_table_entry(scripting::global_vm, "srand");
-  delete_table_entry(scripting::global_vm, "rand");
+  delete_table_entry(m_vm, "srand");
+  delete_table_entry(m_vm, "rand");
 
   // register supertux API
-  scripting::register_supertux_wrapper(scripting::global_vm);
+  scripting::register_supertux_wrapper(m_vm);
 
-  sq_pop(scripting::global_vm, 1);
+  sq_pop(m_vm, 1);
 
   // register print function
-  sq_setprintfunc(scripting::global_vm, printfunc, printfunc);
+  sq_setprintfunc(m_vm, printfunc, printfunc);
   // register default error handlers
-  sqstd_seterrorhandlers(scripting::global_vm);
+  sqstd_seterrorhandlers(m_vm);
 
   // try to load default script
   try {
     std::string filename = "scripts/default.nut";
     IFileStream stream(filename);
-    compile_and_run(scripting::global_vm, stream, filename);
+    compile_and_run(m_vm, stream, filename);
   } catch(std::exception& e) {
     log_warning << "Couldn't load default.nut: " << e.what() << std::endl;
   }
@@ -129,10 +124,7 @@ Scripting::~Scripting()
   }
 #endif
 
-  if (scripting::global_vm)
-    sq_close(scripting::global_vm);
-
-  scripting::global_vm = nullptr;
+  sq_close(m_vm);
 }
 
 void
diff --git a/src/squirrel/scripting.hpp b/src/squirrel/scripting.hpp
index bd889fb89d2..89b1e1e0ef2 100644
--- a/src/squirrel/scripting.hpp
+++ b/src/squirrel/scripting.hpp
@@ -21,12 +21,6 @@
 
 #include "util/currenton.hpp"
 
-namespace scripting {
-
-extern HSQUIRRELVM global_vm;
-
-} // namespace scripting
-
 class Scripting final : public Currenton<Scripting>
 {
 public:
@@ -35,6 +29,11 @@ class Scripting final : public Currenton<Scripting>
 
   void update_debugger();
 
+  HSQUIRRELVM get_vm() const { return m_vm; }
+
+private:
+  HSQUIRRELVM m_vm;
+
 private:
   Scripting(const Scripting&) = delete;
   Scripting& operator=(const Scripting&) = delete;
diff --git a/src/squirrel/thread_queue.cpp b/src/squirrel/thread_queue.cpp
index 92a2ba2b1ea..78fe9178fdb 100644
--- a/src/squirrel/thread_queue.cpp
+++ b/src/squirrel/thread_queue.cpp
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 #include "util/log.hpp"
 
 ThreadQueue::ThreadQueue() :
+  m_vm(Scripting::current()->get_vm()),
   threads()
 {
 }
@@ -30,18 +31,18 @@ ThreadQueue::add(HSQUIRRELVM vm)
 {
   // create a weakref to the VM
   HSQOBJECT vm_obj = vm_to_object(vm);
-  sq_pushobject(scripting::global_vm, vm_obj);
-  sq_weakref(scripting::global_vm, -1);
+  sq_pushobject(m_vm, vm_obj);
+  sq_weakref(m_vm, -1);
 
   HSQOBJECT object;
-  if(SQ_FAILED(sq_getstackobj(scripting::global_vm, -1, &object))) {
-    sq_pop(scripting::global_vm, 2);
-    throw SquirrelError(scripting::global_vm, "Couldn't get thread weakref from vm");
+  if(SQ_FAILED(sq_getstackobj(m_vm, -1, &object))) {
+    sq_pop(m_vm, 2);
+    throw SquirrelError(m_vm, "Couldn't get thread weakref from vm");
   }
-  sq_addref(scripting::global_vm, &object);
+  sq_addref(m_vm, &object);
   threads.push_back(object);
 
-  sq_pop(scripting::global_vm, 2);
+  sq_pop(m_vm, 2);
 }
 
 void
@@ -56,19 +57,19 @@ ThreadQueue::wakeup()
   while(i != end) {
     HSQOBJECT object = threads[i];
 
-    sq_pushobject(scripting::global_vm, object);
-    sq_getweakrefval(scripting::global_vm, -1);
+    sq_pushobject(m_vm, object);
+    sq_getweakrefval(m_vm, -1);
 
     HSQUIRRELVM scheduled_vm;
-    if(sq_gettype(scripting::global_vm, -1) == OT_THREAD &&
-       SQ_SUCCEEDED(sq_getthread(scripting::global_vm, -1, &scheduled_vm))) {
+    if(sq_gettype(m_vm, -1) == OT_THREAD &&
+       SQ_SUCCEEDED(sq_getthread(m_vm, -1, &scheduled_vm))) {
       if(SQ_FAILED(sq_wakeupvm(scheduled_vm, SQFalse, SQFalse, SQTrue, SQFalse))) {
         log_warning << "Couldn't wakeup scheduled squirrel VM" << std::endl;
       }
     }
 
-    sq_release(scripting::global_vm, &object);
-    sq_pop(scripting::global_vm, 1);
+    sq_release(m_vm, &object);
+    sq_pop(m_vm, 1);
     i--;
   }
 
diff --git a/src/squirrel/thread_queue.hpp b/src/squirrel/thread_queue.hpp
index 6b717af2ae8..96026c46cd2 100644
--- a/src/squirrel/thread_queue.hpp
+++ b/src/squirrel/thread_queue.hpp
@@ -34,8 +34,14 @@ class ThreadQueue final
   void wakeup();
 
 private:
+  HSQUIRRELVM m_vm;
+
   typedef std::vector<HSQOBJECT> ThreadList;
   ThreadList threads;
+
+private:
+  ThreadQueue(const ThreadQueue&) = delete;
+  ThreadQueue& operator=(const ThreadQueue&) = delete;
 };
 
 #endif
diff --git a/src/squirrel/time_scheduler.cpp b/src/squirrel/time_scheduler.cpp
index 53a75f96f2a..c48d2aecf74 100644
--- a/src/squirrel/time_scheduler.cpp
+++ b/src/squirrel/time_scheduler.cpp
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 TimeScheduler* TimeScheduler::instance = nullptr;
 
 TimeScheduler::TimeScheduler() :
+  m_vm(Scripting::current()->get_vm()),
   schedule()
 {
 }
@@ -34,12 +35,12 @@ TimeScheduler::update(float time)
   while(!schedule.empty() && schedule.front().wakeup_time < time) {
     HSQOBJECT thread_ref = schedule.front().thread_ref;
 
-    sq_pushobject(scripting::global_vm, thread_ref);
-    sq_getweakrefval(scripting::global_vm, -1);
+    sq_pushobject(m_vm, thread_ref);
+    sq_getweakrefval(m_vm, -1);
 
     HSQUIRRELVM scheduled_vm;
-    if(sq_gettype(scripting::global_vm, -1) == OT_THREAD &&
-       SQ_SUCCEEDED(sq_getthread(scripting::global_vm, -1, &scheduled_vm))) {
+    if(sq_gettype(m_vm, -1) == OT_THREAD &&
+       SQ_SUCCEEDED(sq_getthread(m_vm, -1, &scheduled_vm))) {
       if(SQ_FAILED(sq_wakeupvm(scheduled_vm, SQFalse, SQFalse, SQTrue, SQFalse))) {
         std::ostringstream msg;
         msg << "Error waking VM: ";
@@ -56,8 +57,8 @@ TimeScheduler::update(float time)
       }
     }
 
-    sq_release(scripting::global_vm, &thread_ref);
-    sq_pop(scripting::global_vm, 2);
+    sq_release(m_vm, &thread_ref);
+    sq_pop(m_vm, 2);
 
     std::pop_heap(schedule.begin(), schedule.end());
     schedule.pop_back();
@@ -69,18 +70,18 @@ TimeScheduler::schedule_thread(HSQUIRRELVM scheduled_vm, float time)
 {
   // create a weakref to the VM
   SQObject vm_obj = vm_to_object(scheduled_vm);
-  sq_pushobject(scripting::global_vm, vm_obj);
-  sq_weakref(scripting::global_vm, -1);
+  sq_pushobject(m_vm, vm_obj);
+  sq_weakref(m_vm, -1);
 
   ScheduleEntry entry;
-  if(SQ_FAILED(sq_getstackobj(scripting::global_vm, -1, & entry.thread_ref))) {
-    sq_pop(scripting::global_vm, 2);
-    throw SquirrelError(scripting::global_vm, "Couldn't get thread weakref from vm");
+  if(SQ_FAILED(sq_getstackobj(m_vm, -1, & entry.thread_ref))) {
+    sq_pop(m_vm, 2);
+    throw SquirrelError(m_vm, "Couldn't get thread weakref from vm");
   }
   entry.wakeup_time = time;
 
-  sq_addref(scripting::global_vm, & entry.thread_ref);
-  sq_pop(scripting::global_vm, 2);
+  sq_addref(m_vm, & entry.thread_ref);
+  sq_pop(m_vm, 2);
 
   schedule.push_back(entry);
   std::push_heap(schedule.begin(), schedule.end());
diff --git a/src/squirrel/time_scheduler.hpp b/src/squirrel/time_scheduler.hpp
index 54150a73f4a..d545db32599 100644
--- a/src/squirrel/time_scheduler.hpp
+++ b/src/squirrel/time_scheduler.hpp
@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@ class TimeScheduler final
   static TimeScheduler* instance;
 
 private:
+  HSQUIRRELVM m_vm;
+
   struct ScheduleEntry {
     /// weak reference to the squirrel vm object
     HSQOBJECT thread_ref;
@@ -49,6 +51,10 @@ class TimeScheduler final
 
   typedef std::vector<ScheduleEntry> ScheduleHeap;
   ScheduleHeap schedule;
+
+private:
+  TimeScheduler(const TimeScheduler&) = delete;
+  TimeScheduler& operator=(const TimeScheduler&) = delete;
 };
 
 #endif
diff --git a/src/supertux/console.cpp b/src/supertux/console.cpp
index 867ae5a6080..b53a95edd7f 100644
--- a/src/supertux/console.cpp
+++ b/src/supertux/console.cpp
@@ -126,9 +126,9 @@ Console::Console(ConsoleBuffer& buffer) :
 
 Console::~Console()
 {
-  if (m_vm != nullptr && scripting::global_vm != nullptr)
+  if (m_vm != nullptr && Scripting::current() != nullptr)
   {
-    sq_release(scripting::global_vm, &m_vm_object);
+    sq_release(Scripting::current()->get_vm(), &m_vm_object);
   }
 }
 
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ void
 Console::ready_vm()
 {
   if(m_vm == nullptr) {
-    m_vm = scripting::global_vm;
+    m_vm = Scripting::current()->get_vm();
     HSQUIRRELVM new_vm = sq_newthread(m_vm, 16);
     if(new_vm == nullptr)
       throw SquirrelError(m_vm, "Couldn't create new VM thread for console");
diff --git a/src/supertux/savegame.cpp b/src/supertux/savegame.cpp
index 741f9076e75..96420f94d6b 100644
--- a/src/supertux/savegame.cpp
+++ b/src/supertux/savegame.cpp
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ Savegame::load()
 
     try
     {
-      HSQUIRRELVM vm = scripting::global_vm;
+      HSQUIRRELVM vm = Scripting::current()->get_vm();
 
       auto doc = ReaderDocument::from_file(m_filename);
       auto root = doc.get_root();
@@ -194,7 +194,7 @@ Savegame::load()
 void
 Savegame::clear_state_table()
 {
-  HSQUIRRELVM vm = scripting::global_vm;
+  HSQUIRRELVM vm = Scripting::current()->get_vm();
 
   // delete existing state table, if it exists
   sq_pushroottable(vm);
@@ -237,7 +237,7 @@ Savegame::save()
     }
   }
 
-  HSQUIRRELVM vm = scripting::global_vm;
+  HSQUIRRELVM vm = Scripting::current()->get_vm();
 
   Writer writer(m_filename);
 
@@ -281,7 +281,7 @@ Savegame::get_worldmaps()
 {
   std::vector<std::string> worlds;
 
-  HSQUIRRELVM vm = scripting::global_vm;
+  HSQUIRRELVM vm = Scripting::current()->get_vm();
   SQInteger oldtop = sq_gettop(vm);
 
   try
@@ -306,7 +306,7 @@ Savegame::get_worldmap_state(const std::string& name)
 {
   WorldmapState result;
 
-  HSQUIRRELVM vm = scripting::global_vm;
+  HSQUIRRELVM vm = Scripting::current()->get_vm();
   SQInteger oldtop = sq_gettop(vm);
 
   try
@@ -334,7 +334,7 @@ Savegame::get_levelsets()
 {
   std::vector<std::string> results;
 
-  HSQUIRRELVM vm = scripting::global_vm;
+  HSQUIRRELVM vm = Scripting::current()->get_vm();
   SQInteger oldtop = sq_gettop(vm);
 
   try
@@ -359,7 +359,7 @@ Savegame::get_levelset_state(const std::string& basedir)
 {
   LevelsetState result;
 
-  HSQUIRRELVM vm = scripting::global_vm;
+  HSQUIRRELVM vm = Scripting::current()->get_vm();
   SQInteger oldtop = sq_gettop(vm);
 
   try
@@ -389,7 +389,7 @@ Savegame::set_levelset_state(const std::string& basedir,
 {
   LevelsetState state = get_levelset_state(basedir);
 
-  HSQUIRRELVM vm = scripting::global_vm;
+  HSQUIRRELVM vm = Scripting::current()->get_vm();
   SQInteger oldtop = sq_gettop(vm);
 
   try
diff --git a/src/worldmap/worldmap_state.cpp b/src/worldmap/worldmap_state.cpp
index 97e1de89822..f4d9b5c004d 100644
--- a/src/worldmap/worldmap_state.cpp
+++ b/src/worldmap/worldmap_state.cpp
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ WorldMapState::load_state()
 {
   log_debug << "loading worldmap state" << std::endl;
 
-  HSQUIRRELVM vm = scripting::global_vm;
+  HSQUIRRELVM vm = Scripting::current()->get_vm();
   SQInteger oldtop = sq_gettop(vm);
 
   try {
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ WorldMapState::load_state()
 void
 WorldMapState::save_state() const
 {
-  HSQUIRRELVM vm = scripting::global_vm;
+  HSQUIRRELVM vm = Scripting::current()->get_vm();
   SQInteger oldtop = sq_gettop(vm);
 
   try {