diff --git a/lib/wplua/closure.c b/lib/wplua/closure.c
index 191d3e5a..efb69d41 100644
--- a/lib/wplua/closure.c
+++ b/lib/wplua/closure.c
@@ -117,7 +117,8 @@ wplua_function_to_closure (lua_State *L, int idx)
   WpLuaClosure *wlc = (WpLuaClosure *) c;
   GPtrArray *closures;
 
-  lua_getglobal (L, "__wplua_closures");
+  lua_pushliteral (L, "wplua_closures");
+  lua_gettable (L, LUA_REGISTRYINDEX);
   closures = wplua_toboxed (L, -1);
   lua_pop (L, 1);
 
@@ -149,6 +150,7 @@ _wplua_init_closure (lua_State *L)
 {
   GPtrArray *a = g_ptr_array_new_with_free_func (
       (GDestroyNotify) _wplua_closure_destroy);
+  lua_pushliteral (L, "wplua_closures");
   wplua_pushboxed (L, G_TYPE_PTR_ARRAY, a);
-  lua_setglobal (L, "__wplua_closures");
+  lua_settable (L, LUA_REGISTRYINDEX);
 }
diff --git a/lib/wplua/object.c b/lib/wplua/object.c
index b1c5e58a..40b43d40 100644
--- a/lib/wplua/object.c
+++ b/lib/wplua/object.c
@@ -100,7 +100,8 @@ _wplua_gobject___index (lua_State *L)
   lua_CFunction func = NULL;
   GHashTable *vtables;
 
-  lua_getglobal (L, "__wplua_vtables");
+  lua_pushliteral (L, "wplua_vtables");
+  lua_gettable (L, LUA_REGISTRYINDEX);
   vtables = wplua_toboxed (L, -1);
   lua_pop (L, 1);
 
diff --git a/lib/wplua/wplua.c b/lib/wplua/wplua.c
index d5a3126d..2b12aeee 100644
--- a/lib/wplua/wplua.c
+++ b/lib/wplua/wplua.c
@@ -62,8 +62,9 @@ wplua_new (void)
 
   {
     GHashTable *t = g_hash_table_new (g_direct_hash, g_direct_equal);
+    lua_pushliteral (L, "wplua_vtables");
     wplua_pushboxed (L, G_TYPE_HASH_TABLE, t);
-    lua_setglobal (L, "__wplua_vtables");
+    lua_settable (L, LUA_REGISTRYINDEX);
   }
 
   return L;
@@ -98,7 +99,8 @@ wplua_register_type_methods (lua_State * L, GType type,
   if (methods) {
     GHashTable *vtables;
 
-    lua_getglobal (L, "__wplua_vtables");
+    lua_pushliteral (L, "wplua_vtables");
+    lua_gettable (L, LUA_REGISTRYINDEX);
     vtables = wplua_toboxed (L, -1);
     lua_pop (L, 1);