diff --git a/src/client.cc b/src/client.cc
deleted file mode 100644
index bfa0099a..00000000
--- a/src/client.cc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,35 +0,0 @@
-#include "client.hh"
-
-#include "window.hh"
-
-namespace Kakoune
-{
-
-Client* current_client = nullptr;
-
-void draw_editor_ifn(Editor& editor)
-{
-    Window* window = dynamic_cast<Window*>(&editor);
-    if (current_client and window)
-        current_client->draw_window(*window);
-}
-
-String prompt(const String& text, const Context& context, Completer completer)
-{
-    assert(current_client);
-    return current_client->prompt(text, context, completer);
-}
-
-Key get_key()
-{
-    assert(current_client);
-    return current_client->get_key();
-}
-
-void print_status(const String& status)
-{
-    assert(current_client);
-    return current_client->print_status(status);
-}
-
-}
diff --git a/src/client.hh b/src/client.hh
index 3ec36620..84adab4f 100644
--- a/src/client.hh
+++ b/src/client.hh
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 
 #include "keys.hh"
 #include "completion.hh"
+#include "utils.hh"
 
 namespace Kakoune
 {
@@ -12,26 +13,20 @@ class Window;
 class String;
 class Context;
 
-class Client
+class Client : public SafeCountable
 {
 public:
     virtual ~Client() {}
 
     virtual void   draw_window(Window& window) = 0;
     virtual void   print_status(const String& status) = 0;
-    virtual String prompt(const String& prompt, const Context& context, Completer completer) = 0;
+    virtual String prompt(const String& prompt, const Context& context,
+                          Completer completer = complete_nothing) = 0;
     virtual Key    get_key() = 0;
 };
 
 struct prompt_aborted {};
 
-extern Client* current_client;
-
-void draw_editor_ifn(Editor& editor);
-String prompt(const String& text, const Context& context, Completer completer = complete_nothing);
-Key get_key();
-void print_status(const String& status);
-
 }
 
 #endif // client_hh_INCLUDED
diff --git a/src/commands.cc b/src/commands.cc
index faf399c9..596519ae 100644
--- a/src/commands.cc
+++ b/src/commands.cc
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ private:
     std::unordered_map<String, bool> m_options;
 };
 
-Buffer* open_or_create(const String& filename)
+Buffer* open_or_create(const String& filename, Context& context)
 {
     Buffer* buffer = NULL;
     try
@@ -223,7 +223,7 @@ Buffer* open_or_create(const String& filename)
     }
     catch (file_not_found& what)
     {
-        print_status("new file " + filename);
+        context.print_status("new file " + filename);
         buffer = new Buffer(filename, Buffer::Type::NewFile);
     }
     return buffer;
@@ -248,7 +248,7 @@ void edit(const CommandParameters& params, Context& context)
         if (parser.has_option("scratch"))
             buffer = new Buffer(filename, Buffer::Type::Scratch);
         else
-            buffer = open_or_create(filename);
+            buffer = open_or_create(filename, context);
     }
 
     Window& window = *buffer->get_or_create_window();
@@ -262,7 +262,7 @@ void edit(const CommandParameters& params, Context& context)
         window.select(window.buffer().iterator_at({line, column}));
     }
 
-    context = Context(window);
+    context.change_editor(window);
 }
 
 void write_buffer(const CommandParameters& params, Context& context)
@@ -344,7 +344,7 @@ void show_buffer(const CommandParameters& params, Context& context)
     if (not buffer)
         throw runtime_error("buffer " + buffer_name + " does not exists");
 
-    context = Context(*buffer->get_or_create_window());
+    context.change_editor(*buffer->get_or_create_window());
 }
 
 void delete_buffer(const CommandParameters& params, Context& context)
@@ -374,7 +374,7 @@ void delete_buffer(const CommandParameters& params, Context& context)
         {
             if (buf != buffer)
             {
-               context = Context(*buf->get_or_create_window());
+               context.change_editor(*buf->get_or_create_window());
                break;
             }
         }
@@ -554,7 +554,7 @@ void echo_message(const CommandParameters& params, Context& context)
     String message;
     for (auto& param : params)
         message += param + " ";
-    print_status(message);
+    context.print_status(message);
 }
 
 void exec_commands_in_file(const CommandParameters& params,
@@ -626,16 +626,10 @@ private:
 class BatchClient : public Client
 {
 public:
-    BatchClient(const KeyList& keys)
+    BatchClient(const KeyList& keys, Client* previous_client)
         : m_keys(keys), m_pos(0)
     {
-        m_previous_client = current_client;
-        current_client = this;
-    }
-
-    ~BatchClient()
-    {
-        current_client = m_previous_client;
+        m_previous_client = previous_client;
     }
 
     String prompt(const String&, const Context&, Completer)
@@ -679,7 +673,8 @@ private:
 
 void exec_keys(const KeyList& keys, Context& context)
 {
-    BatchClient batch_client(keys);
+    BatchClient batch_client(keys, context.has_client() ? &context.client()
+                                                       : nullptr);
 
     RegisterRestorer quote('"', context);
     RegisterRestorer slash('/', context);
@@ -687,7 +682,8 @@ void exec_keys(const KeyList& keys, Context& context)
     scoped_edition edition(context.editor());
 
     int count = 0;
-    Context new_context(context);
+    Context new_context(batch_client);
+    new_context.change_editor(context.window());
     while (batch_client.has_key_left())
     {
         Key key = batch_client.get_key();
@@ -738,7 +734,8 @@ void menu(const CommandParameters& params, Context& context)
     }
     oss << "(empty cancels): ";
 
-    String choice = prompt(oss.str(), context, complete_nothing);
+    String choice = context.client().prompt(oss.str(), context,
+                                            complete_nothing);
     int i = str_to_int(choice);
 
     if (i > 0 and i < (count / 2) + 1)
diff --git a/src/context.hh b/src/context.hh
index cc4e4fe6..f7bb5282 100644
--- a/src/context.hh
+++ b/src/context.hh
@@ -2,22 +2,26 @@
 #define context_hh_INCLUDED
 
 #include "window.hh"
+#include "client.hh"
 
 namespace Kakoune
 {
 
-class Buffer;
-
 struct Context
 {
     Context() {}
     Context(Editor& editor)
         : m_editor(&editor) {}
 
+    Context(Client& client)
+        : m_client(&client) {}
+
     // to allow func(Context(Editor(...)))
     Context(Editor&& editor)
         : m_editor(&editor) {}
 
+    Context& operator=(const Context&) = delete;
+
     Buffer& buffer() const
     {
         if (not has_buffer())
@@ -42,6 +46,21 @@ struct Context
     }
     bool has_window() const { return m_editor and dynamic_cast<Window*>(m_editor.get()); }
 
+    Client& client() const
+    {
+        if (not has_client())
+            throw runtime_error("no client in context");
+        return *m_client;
+    }
+    bool has_client() const { return m_client; }
+
+    void change_editor(Editor& editor)
+    {
+        if (has_client() and not dynamic_cast<Window*>(&editor))
+            throw logic_error();
+        m_editor.reset(&editor);
+    }
+
     OptionManager& option_manager() const
     {
         if (has_window())
@@ -51,11 +70,24 @@ struct Context
         return GlobalOptionManager::instance();
     }
 
+    void draw_ifn() const
+    {
+        if (has_client())
+            client().draw_window(window());
+    }
+
+    void print_status(const String& status) const
+    {
+        if (has_client())
+            client().print_status(status);
+    }
+
     int numeric_param() const { return m_numeric_param; }
     void numeric_param(int param) { m_numeric_param = param; }
 
 public:
     safe_ptr<Editor> m_editor;
+    safe_ptr<Client> m_client;
     int m_numeric_param = 0;
 };
 
diff --git a/src/main.cc b/src/main.cc
index 68e32262..b9fbecdb 100644
--- a/src/main.cc
+++ b/src/main.cc
@@ -97,12 +97,12 @@ void do_insert(Context& context)
     last_insert_sequence.mode = mode;
     last_insert_sequence.keys.clear();
     IncrementalInserter inserter(context.editor(), mode);
-    draw_editor_ifn(context.editor());
+    context.draw_ifn();
     insert_sequence(inserter, context,
-                    [&]() { Key key = get_key();
+                    [&]() { Key key = context.client().get_key();
                             last_insert_sequence.keys.push_back(key);
                             return key; },
-                    [&]() { draw_editor_ifn(context.editor()); });
+                    [&]() { context.draw_ifn(); });
 }
 
 void do_repeat_insert(Context& context)
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ void do_go(Context& context)
     }
     else
     {
-        Key key = get_key();
+        Key key = context.client().get_key();
         if (key.modifiers != Key::Modifiers::None)
             return;
 
@@ -168,10 +168,10 @@ void do_command(Context& context)
 {
     try
     {
-        auto cmdline = prompt(":", context,
-                              std::bind(&CommandManager::complete,
-                                        &CommandManager::instance(),
-                                        _1, _2, _3));
+        auto cmdline = context.client().prompt(
+            ":", context, std::bind(&CommandManager::complete,
+                                    &CommandManager::instance(),
+                                    _1, _2, _3));
 
         CommandManager::instance().execute(cmdline, context);
     }
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ void do_pipe(Context& context)
 {
     try
     {
-        auto cmdline = prompt("|", context, complete_nothing);
+        auto cmdline = context.client().prompt("|", context, complete_nothing);
 
         Editor& editor = context.editor();
         std::vector<String> strings;
@@ -199,7 +199,7 @@ void do_search(Context& context)
 {
     try
     {
-        String ex = prompt("/", context);
+        String ex = context.client().prompt("/", context);
         if (ex.empty())
             ex = RegisterManager::instance()['/'].values(context)[0];
         else
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@ void do_search_next(Context& context)
     if (not ex.empty())
         context.editor().select(std::bind(select_next_match, _1, ex), append);
     else
-        print_status("no search pattern");
+        context.print_status("no search pattern");
 }
 
 void do_yank(Context& context)
@@ -274,7 +274,7 @@ void do_select_regex(Context& context)
 {
     try
     {
-        String ex = prompt("select: ", context);
+        String ex = context.client().prompt("select: ", context);
         context.editor().multi_select(std::bind(select_all_matches, _1, ex));
     }
     catch (prompt_aborted&) {}
@@ -284,7 +284,7 @@ void do_split_regex(Context& context)
 {
     try
     {
-        String ex = prompt("split: ", context);
+        String ex = context.client().prompt("split: ", context);
         context.editor().multi_select(std::bind(split_selection, _1, ex));
     }
     catch (prompt_aborted&) {}
@@ -321,7 +321,7 @@ void do_select_object(Context& context)
         { { Key::Modifiers::None, 'W' }, std::bind(select_whole_word<true>, _1, inner) },
     };
 
-    Key key = get_key();
+    Key key = context.client().get_key();
     auto it = key_to_selector.find(key);
     if (it != key_to_selector.end())
         context.editor().select(it->second);
@@ -357,10 +357,10 @@ std::unordered_map<Key, std::function<void (Context& context)>> keymap =
     { { Key::Modifiers::None, 'K' }, [](Context& context) { context.editor().move_selections(BufferCoord(-std::max(context.numeric_param(),1), 0), true); } },
     { { Key::Modifiers::None, 'L' }, [](Context& context) { context.editor().move_selections(BufferCoord(0,  std::max(context.numeric_param(),1)), true); } },
 
-    { { Key::Modifiers::None, 't' }, [](Context& context) { context.editor().select(std::bind(select_to, _1, get_key().key, context.numeric_param(), false)); } },
-    { { Key::Modifiers::None, 'f' }, [](Context& context) { context.editor().select(std::bind(select_to, _1, get_key().key, context.numeric_param(), true)); } },
-    { { Key::Modifiers::None, 'T' }, [](Context& context) { context.editor().select(std::bind(select_to, _1, get_key().key, context.numeric_param(), false), true); } },
-    { { Key::Modifiers::None, 'F' }, [](Context& context) { context.editor().select(std::bind(select_to, _1, get_key().key, context.numeric_param(), true), true); } },
+    { { Key::Modifiers::None, 't' }, [](Context& context) { context.editor().select(std::bind(select_to, _1, context.client().get_key().key, context.numeric_param(), false)); } },
+    { { Key::Modifiers::None, 'f' }, [](Context& context) { context.editor().select(std::bind(select_to, _1, context.client().get_key().key, context.numeric_param(), true)); } },
+    { { Key::Modifiers::None, 'T' }, [](Context& context) { context.editor().select(std::bind(select_to, _1, context.client().get_key().key, context.numeric_param(), false), true); } },
+    { { Key::Modifiers::None, 'F' }, [](Context& context) { context.editor().select(std::bind(select_to, _1, context.client().get_key().key, context.numeric_param(), true), true); } },
 
     { { Key::Modifiers::None, 'd' }, do_erase },
     { { Key::Modifiers::None, 'c' }, do_change },
@@ -410,16 +410,16 @@ std::unordered_map<Key, std::function<void (Context& context)>> keymap =
     { { Key::Modifiers::None, 'n' }, do_search_next<false> },
     { { Key::Modifiers::None, 'N' }, do_search_next<true> },
 
-    { { Key::Modifiers::None, 'u' }, repeated([](Context& context) { if (not context.editor().undo()) { print_status("nothing left to undo"); } }) },
-    { { Key::Modifiers::None, 'U' }, repeated([](Context& context) { if (not context.editor().redo()) { print_status("nothing left to redo"); } }) },
+    { { Key::Modifiers::None, 'u' }, repeated([](Context& context) { if (not context.editor().undo()) { context.print_status("nothing left to undo"); } }) },
+    { { Key::Modifiers::None, 'U' }, repeated([](Context& context) { if (not context.editor().redo()) { context.print_status("nothing left to redo"); } }) },
 
     { { Key::Modifiers::Alt,  'i' }, do_select_object<true> },
     { { Key::Modifiers::Alt,  'a' }, do_select_object<false> },
 
-    { { Key::Modifiers::Alt, 't' }, [](Context& context) { context.editor().select(std::bind(select_to_reverse, _1, get_key().key, context.numeric_param(), false)); } },
-    { { Key::Modifiers::Alt, 'f' }, [](Context& context) { context.editor().select(std::bind(select_to_reverse, _1, get_key().key, context.numeric_param(), true)); } },
-    { { Key::Modifiers::Alt, 'T' }, [](Context& context) { context.editor().select(std::bind(select_to_reverse, _1, get_key().key, context.numeric_param(), false), true); } },
-    { { Key::Modifiers::Alt, 'F' }, [](Context& context) { context.editor().select(std::bind(select_to_reverse, _1, get_key().key, context.numeric_param(), true), true); } },
+    { { Key::Modifiers::Alt, 't' }, [](Context& context) { context.editor().select(std::bind(select_to_reverse, _1, context.client().get_key().key, context.numeric_param(), false)); } },
+    { { Key::Modifiers::Alt, 'f' }, [](Context& context) { context.editor().select(std::bind(select_to_reverse, _1, context.client().get_key().key, context.numeric_param(), true)); } },
+    { { Key::Modifiers::Alt, 'T' }, [](Context& context) { context.editor().select(std::bind(select_to_reverse, _1, context.client().get_key().key, context.numeric_param(), false), true); } },
+    { { Key::Modifiers::Alt, 'F' }, [](Context& context) { context.editor().select(std::bind(select_to_reverse, _1, context.client().get_key().key, context.numeric_param(), true), true); } },
 
     { { Key::Modifiers::Alt, 'w' }, repeated([](Context& context) { context.editor().select(select_to_next_word<true>); }) },
     { { Key::Modifiers::Alt, 'e' }, repeated([](Context& context) { context.editor().select(select_to_next_word_end<true>); }) },
@@ -480,8 +480,7 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
     try
     {
         NCursesClient client;
-        current_client = &client;
-        Context context;
+        Context context(client);
 
         try
         {
@@ -489,7 +488,7 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
         }
         catch (Kakoune::runtime_error& error)
         {
-            print_status(error.description());
+            context.print_status(error.description());
         }
 
 
@@ -506,16 +505,16 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
         else
         {
             auto buffer = new Buffer("*scratch*", Buffer::Type::Scratch);
-            context = Context(*buffer->get_or_create_window());
+            context.change_editor(*buffer->get_or_create_window());
         }
 
-        current_client->draw_window(context.window());
+        context.draw_ifn();
         int count = 0;
         while(not quit_requested)
         {
             try
             {
-                Key key = get_key();
+                Key key = context.client().get_key();
                 if (key.modifiers == Key::Modifiers::None and isdigit(key.key))
                     count = count * 10 + key.key - '0';
                 else
@@ -525,14 +524,14 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
                     {
                         context.numeric_param(count);
                         it->second(context);
-                        current_client->draw_window(context.window());
+                        context.draw_ifn();
                     }
                     count = 0;
                 }
             }
             catch (Kakoune::runtime_error& error)
             {
-                print_status(error.description());
+                context.print_status(error.description());
             }
         }
     }