diff --git a/setup/resources.py b/setup/resources.py
index ee72a98cb6..bfb0572229 100644
--- a/setup/resources.py
+++ b/setup/resources.py
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@ class Resources(Command):
         function_dict = {}
         import inspect
         from calibre.utils.formatter_functions import formatter_functions
-        for obj in formatter_functions.get_builtins().values():
+        for obj in formatter_functions().get_builtins().values():
             eval_func = inspect.getmembers(obj,
                     lambda x: inspect.ismethod(x) and x.__name__ == 'evaluate')
             try:
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/template_dialog.py b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/template_dialog.py
index f02678363b..a395ecf6b9 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/template_dialog.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/template_dialog.py
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ class TemplateHighlighter(QSyntaxHighlighter):
                 "keyword"))
         TemplateHighlighter.Rules.append((QRegExp(
                 "|".join([r"\b%s\b" % builtin for builtin in
-                          formatter_functions.get_builtins()])),
+                          formatter_functions().get_builtins()])),
                 "builtin"))
 
         TemplateHighlighter.Rules.append((QRegExp(
@@ -248,8 +248,8 @@ class TemplateDialog(QDialog, Ui_TemplateDialog):
         except:
             self.builtin_source_dict = {}
 
-        self.funcs = formatter_functions.get_functions()
-        self.builtins = formatter_functions.get_builtins()
+        self.funcs = formatter_functions().get_functions()
+        self.builtins = formatter_functions().get_builtins()
 
         func_names = sorted(self.funcs)
         self.function.clear()
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/preferences/template_functions.py b/src/calibre/gui2/preferences/template_functions.py
index b23cc43bd6..f5203e9cdd 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/preferences/template_functions.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/preferences/template_functions.py
@@ -82,8 +82,8 @@ class ConfigWidget(ConfigWidgetBase, Ui_Form):
             traceback.print_exc()
             self.builtin_source_dict = {}
 
-        self.funcs = formatter_functions.get_functions()
-        self.builtins = formatter_functions.get_builtins_and_aliases()
+        self.funcs = formatter_functions().get_functions()
+        self.builtins = formatter_functions().get_builtins_and_aliases()
 
         self.build_function_names_box()
         self.function_name.currentIndexChanged[str].connect(self.function_index_changed)
@@ -217,13 +217,13 @@ class ConfigWidget(ConfigWidgetBase, Ui_Form):
         pass
 
     def commit(self):
-        formatter_functions.reset_to_builtins()
+        formatter_functions().reset_to_builtins()
         pref_value = []
         for f in self.funcs:
             if f in self.builtins:
                 continue
             func = self.funcs[f]
-            formatter_functions.register_function(func)
+            formatter_functions().register_function(func)
             pref_value.append((func.name, func.doc, func.arg_count, func.program_text))
         self.db.prefs.set('user_template_functions', pref_value)
 
diff --git a/src/calibre/manual/template_ref_generate.py b/src/calibre/manual/template_ref_generate.py
index 05cb57c7b4..24f9bba9dc 100644
--- a/src/calibre/manual/template_ref_generate.py
+++ b/src/calibre/manual/template_ref_generate.py
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ def generate_template_language_help():
 
     funcs = defaultdict(dict)
 
-    for func in formatter_functions.get_builtins().values():
+    for func in formatter_functions().get_builtins().values():
         class_name = func.__class__.__name__
         func_sig = getattr(func, 'doc')
         x = func_sig.find(' -- ')
diff --git a/src/calibre/utils/formatter.py b/src/calibre/utils/formatter.py
index bc25f25043..2d1a536d10 100644
--- a/src/calibre/utils/formatter.py
+++ b/src/calibre/utils/formatter.py
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ class _Parser(object):
 
     def expr(self):
         if self.token_is_id():
-            funcs = formatter_functions.get_functions()
+            funcs = formatter_functions().get_functions()
             # We have an identifier. Determine if it is a function
             id = self.token()
             if not self.token_op_is_a('('):
@@ -276,7 +276,7 @@ class TemplateFormatter(string.Formatter):
                     dispfmt = fmt[0:colon]
                     colon += 1
 
-                funcs = formatter_functions.get_functions()
+                funcs = formatter_functions().get_functions()
                 fname = fmt[colon:p]
                 if fname in funcs:
                     func = funcs[fname]
diff --git a/src/calibre/utils/formatter_functions.py b/src/calibre/utils/formatter_functions.py
index 38fcbe8a1e..090c7c0298 100644
--- a/src/calibre/utils/formatter_functions.py
+++ b/src/calibre/utils/formatter_functions.py
@@ -64,8 +64,11 @@ class FormatterFunctions(object):
             for a in c.aliases:
                 self._functions[a] = c
 
-formatter_functions = FormatterFunctions()
+_ff = FormatterFunctions()
 
+def formatter_functions():
+    global _ff
+    return _ff
 
 class FormatterFunction(object):
 
@@ -89,7 +92,7 @@ class FormatterFunction(object):
 
 class BuiltinFormatterFunction(FormatterFunction):
     def __init__(self):
-        formatter_functions.register_builtin(self)
+        formatter_functions().register_builtin(self)
         eval_func = inspect.getmembers(self.__class__,
                         lambda x: inspect.ismethod(x) and x.__name__ == 'evaluate')
         try:
@@ -1133,10 +1136,10 @@ class UserFunction(FormatterUserFunction):
     return cls
 
 def load_user_template_functions(funcs):
-    formatter_functions.reset_to_builtins()
+    formatter_functions().reset_to_builtins()
     for func in funcs:
         try:
             cls = compile_user_function(*func)
-            formatter_functions.register_function(cls)
+            formatter_functions().register_function(cls)
         except:
             traceback.print_exc()