diff --git a/src/kmscon_conf.c b/src/kmscon_conf.c
index 484e12d..5d521d1 100644
--- a/src/kmscon_conf.c
+++ b/src/kmscon_conf.c
@@ -37,8 +37,6 @@
 #include "log.h"
 #include "shl_misc.h"
 
-struct kmscon_conf_t kmscon_conf;
-
 static void print_help()
 {
 	/*
@@ -337,14 +335,20 @@ static struct conf_grab def_grab_session_close =
 static struct conf_grab def_grab_terminal_new =
 		CONF_SINGLE_GRAB(SHL_CONTROL_MASK | SHL_ALT_MASK, XKB_KEY_Return);
 
-int kmscon_conf_new(struct conf_ctx **out, struct kmscon_conf_t *conf)
+int kmscon_conf_new(struct conf_ctx **out)
 {
 	struct conf_ctx *ctx;
 	int ret;
+	struct kmscon_conf_t *conf;
 
-	if (!out || !conf)
+	if (!out)
 		return -EINVAL;
 
+	conf = malloc(sizeof(*conf));
+	if (!conf)
+		return -ENOMEM;
+	memset(conf, 0, sizeof(*conf));
+
 	struct conf_option options[] = {
 		/* Global Options */
 		CONF_OPTION_BOOL('h', "help", aftercheck_help, NULL, &conf->help, false),
@@ -399,8 +403,10 @@ int kmscon_conf_new(struct conf_ctx **out, struct kmscon_conf_t *conf)
 
 	ret = conf_ctx_new(&ctx, options, sizeof(options) / sizeof(*options),
 			   conf);
-	if (ret)
+	if (ret) {
+		free(conf);
 		return ret;
+	}
 
 	*out = ctx;
 	return 0;
@@ -408,25 +414,37 @@ int kmscon_conf_new(struct conf_ctx **out, struct kmscon_conf_t *conf)
 
 void kmscon_conf_free(struct conf_ctx *ctx)
 {
+	void *conf;
+	if (!ctx)
+		return;
+
+	conf = conf_ctx_get_mem(ctx);
 	conf_ctx_free(ctx);
+	free(conf);
 }
 
 int kmscon_conf_load_main(struct conf_ctx *ctx, int argc, char **argv)
 {
 	int ret;
+	struct kmscon_conf_t *conf;
+
+	if (!ctx)
+		return -EINVAL;
+
+	conf = conf_ctx_get_mem(ctx);
 
 	ret = conf_ctx_parse_argv(ctx, argc, argv);
 	if (ret)
 		return ret;
 
-	if (kmscon_conf.exit)
+	if (conf->exit)
 		return 0;
 
-	if (!kmscon_conf.debug && !kmscon_conf.verbose && kmscon_conf.silent)
+	if (!conf->debug && !conf->verbose && conf->silent)
 		log_set_config(&LOG_CONFIG_WARNING(0, 0, 0, 0));
 	else
-		log_set_config(&LOG_CONFIG_INFO(kmscon_conf.debug,
-						kmscon_conf.verbose));
+		log_set_config(&LOG_CONFIG_INFO(conf->debug,
+						conf->verbose));
 
 	log_print_init("kmscon");
 
diff --git a/src/kmscon_conf.h b/src/kmscon_conf.h
index ba0a68e..bd759e6 100644
--- a/src/kmscon_conf.h
+++ b/src/kmscon_conf.h
@@ -129,9 +129,7 @@ struct kmscon_conf_t {
 	unsigned int font_ppi;
 };
 
-extern struct kmscon_conf_t kmscon_conf;
-
-int kmscon_conf_new(struct conf_ctx **out, struct kmscon_conf_t *conf);
+int kmscon_conf_new(struct conf_ctx **out);
 void kmscon_conf_free(struct conf_ctx *ctx);
 int kmscon_conf_load_main(struct conf_ctx *ctx, int argc, char **argv);
 int kmscon_conf_load_seat(struct conf_ctx *ctx, const struct conf_ctx *main,
diff --git a/src/kmscon_main.c b/src/kmscon_main.c
index fe74465..4864b7e 100644
--- a/src/kmscon_main.c
+++ b/src/kmscon_main.c
@@ -62,7 +62,8 @@ struct app_seat {
 };
 
 struct kmscon_app {
-	struct conf_ctx *conf;
+	struct conf_ctx *conf_ctx;
+	struct kmscon_conf_t *conf;
 
 	struct ev_eloop *eloop;
 	struct ev_eloop *vt_eloop;
@@ -117,11 +118,11 @@ static int app_seat_new(struct kmscon_app *app, struct app_seat **out,
 	bool found;
 
 	found = false;
-	if (kmscon_conf.all_seats) {
+	if (app->conf->all_seats) {
 		found = true;
 	} else {
-		for (i = 0; kmscon_conf.seats[i]; ++i) {
-			if (!strcmp(kmscon_conf.seats[i], sname)) {
+		for (i = 0; app->conf->seats[i]; ++i) {
+			if (!strcmp(app->conf->seats[i], sname)) {
 				found = true;
 				break;
 			}
@@ -152,7 +153,7 @@ static int app_seat_new(struct kmscon_app *app, struct app_seat **out,
 		goto err_free;
 	}
 
-	ret = kmscon_seat_new(&seat->seat, app->conf, app->eloop, app->vtm,
+	ret = kmscon_seat_new(&seat->seat, app->conf_ctx, app->eloop, app->vtm,
 			      sname, app_seat_event, seat);
 	if (ret) {
 		log_error("cannot create seat object on seat %s: %d",
@@ -404,11 +405,10 @@ static void destroy_app(struct kmscon_app *app)
 	ev_eloop_unref(app->eloop);
 }
 
-static int setup_app(struct kmscon_app *app, struct conf_ctx *conf)
+static int setup_app(struct kmscon_app *app)
 {
 	int ret;
 
-	app->conf = conf;
 	shl_dlist_init(&app->seats);
 
 	ret = ev_eloop_new(&app->eloop, log_llog);
@@ -462,23 +462,25 @@ err_app:
 int main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
 	int ret;
-	struct conf_ctx *conf;
+	struct conf_ctx *conf_ctx;
+	struct kmscon_conf_t *conf;
 	struct kmscon_app app;
 
-	ret = kmscon_conf_new(&conf, &kmscon_conf);
+	ret = kmscon_conf_new(&conf_ctx);
 	if (ret) {
 		log_error("cannot create configuration: %d", ret);
 		goto err_out;
 	}
+	conf = conf_ctx_get_mem(conf_ctx);
 
-	ret = kmscon_conf_load_main(conf, argc, argv);
+	ret = kmscon_conf_load_main(conf_ctx, argc, argv);
 	if (ret) {
 		log_error("cannot load configuration: %d", ret);
 		goto err_conf;
 	}
 
-	if (kmscon_conf.exit) {
-		kmscon_conf_free(conf);
+	if (conf->exit) {
+		kmscon_conf_free(conf_ctx);
 		return 0;
 	}
 
@@ -486,18 +488,21 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 	kmscon_text_load_all();
 
 	memset(&app, 0, sizeof(app));
-	ret = setup_app(&app, conf);
+	app.conf_ctx = conf_ctx;
+	app.conf = conf;
+
+	ret = setup_app(&app);
 	if (ret)
 		goto err_unload;
 
-	if (kmscon_conf.switchvt) {
+	if (app.conf->switchvt) {
 		log_debug("activating VTs during startup");
 		uterm_vt_master_activate_all(app.vtm);
 	}
 
 	ev_eloop_run(app.eloop, -1);
 
-	if (kmscon_conf.switchvt) {
+	if (app.conf->switchvt) {
 		/* The VT subsystem needs to acknowledge the VT-leave so if it
 		 * returns -EINPROGRESS we need to wait for the VT-leave SIGUSR2
 		 * signal to arrive. Therefore, we use a separate eloop object
@@ -524,7 +529,7 @@ err_unload:
 	kmscon_text_unload_all();
 	kmscon_font_unload_all();
 err_conf:
-	kmscon_conf_free(conf);
+	kmscon_conf_free(conf_ctx);
 err_out:
 	if (ret)
 		log_err("cannot initialize kmscon, errno %d: %s",
diff --git a/src/kmscon_seat.c b/src/kmscon_seat.c
index dee8083..5cc127e 100644
--- a/src/kmscon_seat.c
+++ b/src/kmscon_seat.c
@@ -67,8 +67,8 @@ struct kmscon_seat {
 	struct ev_eloop *eloop;
 	struct uterm_vt_master *vtm;
 
-	struct kmscon_conf_t conf;
 	struct conf_ctx *conf_ctx;
+	struct kmscon_conf_t *conf;
 
 	char *name;
 	bool awake;
@@ -323,25 +323,25 @@ static void seat_input_event(struct uterm_input *input,
 	if (ev->handled)
 		return;
 
-	if (conf_grab_matches(kmscon_conf.grab_session_next,
+	if (conf_grab_matches(seat->conf->grab_session_next,
 			      ev->mods, ev->num_syms, ev->keysyms)) {
 		ev->handled = true;
 		seat_activate_next(seat);
 		return;
 	}
-	if (conf_grab_matches(kmscon_conf.grab_session_prev,
+	if (conf_grab_matches(seat->conf->grab_session_prev,
 			      ev->mods, ev->num_syms, ev->keysyms)) {
 		ev->handled = true;
 		seat_activate_prev(seat);
 		return;
 	}
-	if (conf_grab_matches(kmscon_conf.grab_session_close,
+	if (conf_grab_matches(seat->conf->grab_session_close,
 			      ev->mods, ev->num_syms, ev->keysyms)) {
 		ev->handled = true;
 		kmscon_session_unregister(seat->cur_sess);
 		return;
 	}
-	if (conf_grab_matches(kmscon_conf.grab_terminal_new,
+	if (conf_grab_matches(seat->conf->grab_terminal_new,
 			      ev->mods, ev->num_syms, ev->keysyms)) {
 		ev->handled = true;
 		ret = kmscon_terminal_register(&s, seat);
@@ -390,11 +390,12 @@ int kmscon_seat_new(struct kmscon_seat **out,
 		goto err_free;
 	}
 
-	ret = kmscon_conf_new(&seat->conf_ctx, &seat->conf);
+	ret = kmscon_conf_new(&seat->conf_ctx);
 	if (ret) {
 		log_error("cannot create seat configuration object: %d", ret);
 		goto err_name;
 	}
+	seat->conf = conf_ctx_get_mem(seat->conf_ctx);
 
 	ret = kmscon_conf_load_seat(seat->conf_ctx, main_conf, seat->name);
 	if (ret) {
@@ -404,11 +405,11 @@ int kmscon_seat_new(struct kmscon_seat **out,
 	}
 
 	ret = uterm_input_new(&seat->input, seat->eloop,
-			      kmscon_conf.xkb_layout,
-			      kmscon_conf.xkb_variant,
-			      kmscon_conf.xkb_options,
-			      kmscon_conf.xkb_repeat_delay,
-			      kmscon_conf.xkb_repeat_rate);
+			      seat->conf->xkb_layout,
+			      seat->conf->xkb_variant,
+			      seat->conf->xkb_options,
+			      seat->conf->xkb_repeat_delay,
+			      seat->conf->xkb_repeat_rate);
 	if (ret)
 		goto err_conf;
 
@@ -417,7 +418,7 @@ int kmscon_seat_new(struct kmscon_seat **out,
 		goto err_input;
 
 	ret = uterm_vt_allocate(seat->vtm, &seat->vt, seat->name,
-				seat->input, kmscon_conf.vt, seat_vt_event,
+				seat->input, seat->conf->vt, seat_vt_event,
 				seat);
 	if (ret)
 		goto err_input_cb;
@@ -589,10 +590,10 @@ int kmscon_seat_register_session(struct kmscon_seat *seat,
 	if (!seat || !out)
 		return -EINVAL;
 
-	if (kmscon_conf.session_max &&
-	    seat->session_count >= kmscon_conf.session_max) {
+	if (seat->conf->session_max &&
+	    seat->session_count >= seat->conf->session_max) {
 		log_warning("maximum number of sessions reached (%d), dropping new session",
-			    kmscon_conf.session_max);
+			    seat->conf->session_max);
 		return -EOVERFLOW;
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/kmscon_terminal.c b/src/kmscon_terminal.c
index a4a7a7d..74b6121 100644
--- a/src/kmscon_terminal.c
+++ b/src/kmscon_terminal.c
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@
 #include <inttypes.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <string.h>
+#include "conf.h"
 #include "eloop.h"
 #include "kmscon_conf.h"
 #include "kmscon_seat.h"
@@ -63,6 +64,8 @@ struct kmscon_terminal {
 	bool opened;
 	bool awake;
 
+	struct conf_ctx *conf_ctx;
+	struct kmscon_conf_t *conf;
 	struct kmscon_session *session;
 
 	struct shl_dlist screens;
@@ -192,9 +195,9 @@ static int add_display(struct kmscon_terminal *term, struct uterm_display *disp)
 	struct kmscon_font_attr attr = { "", 0, 20, false, false, 0, 0 };
 	const char *be;
 
-	attr.ppi = kmscon_conf.font_ppi;
-	attr.points = kmscon_conf.font_size;
-	strncpy(attr.name, kmscon_conf.font_name, KMSCON_FONT_MAX_NAME - 1);
+	attr.ppi = term->conf->font_ppi;
+	attr.points = term->conf->font_size;
+	strncpy(attr.name, term->conf->font_name, KMSCON_FONT_MAX_NAME - 1);
 	attr.name[KMSCON_FONT_MAX_NAME - 1] = 0;
 
 	shl_dlist_for_each(iter, &term->screens) {
@@ -217,15 +220,15 @@ static int add_display(struct kmscon_terminal *term, struct uterm_display *disp)
 		goto err_free;
 	}
 
-	ret = kmscon_font_find(&scr->font, &attr, kmscon_conf.font_engine);
+	ret = kmscon_font_find(&scr->font, &attr, term->conf->font_engine);
 	if (ret) {
 		log_error("cannot create font");
 		goto err_screen;
 	}
 
 	ret = uterm_screen_use(scr->screen);
-	if (kmscon_conf.render_engine)
-		be = kmscon_conf.render_engine;
+	if (term->conf->render_engine)
+		be = term->conf->render_engine;
 	else if (!ret)
 		be = "gltex";
 	else
@@ -322,28 +325,28 @@ static void input_event(struct uterm_input *input,
 	if (!term->opened || !term->awake || ev->handled)
 		return;
 
-	if (conf_grab_matches(kmscon_conf.grab_scroll_up,
+	if (conf_grab_matches(term->conf->grab_scroll_up,
 			      ev->mods, ev->num_syms, ev->keysyms)) {
 		tsm_screen_sb_up(term->console, 1);
 		schedule_redraw(term);
 		ev->handled = true;
 		return;
 	}
-	if (conf_grab_matches(kmscon_conf.grab_scroll_down,
+	if (conf_grab_matches(term->conf->grab_scroll_down,
 			      ev->mods, ev->num_syms, ev->keysyms)) {
 		tsm_screen_sb_down(term->console, 1);
 		schedule_redraw(term);
 		ev->handled = true;
 		return;
 	}
-	if (conf_grab_matches(kmscon_conf.grab_page_up,
+	if (conf_grab_matches(term->conf->grab_page_up,
 			      ev->mods, ev->num_syms, ev->keysyms)) {
 		tsm_screen_sb_page_up(term->console, 1);
 		schedule_redraw(term);
 		ev->handled = true;
 		return;
 	}
-	if (conf_grab_matches(kmscon_conf.grab_page_down,
+	if (conf_grab_matches(term->conf->grab_page_down,
 			      ev->mods, ev->num_syms, ev->keysyms)) {
 		tsm_screen_sb_page_down(term->console, 1);
 		schedule_redraw(term);
@@ -499,8 +502,11 @@ int kmscon_terminal_register(struct kmscon_session **out,
 	term->input = kmscon_seat_get_input(seat);
 	shl_dlist_init(&term->screens);
 
-	if (kmscon_conf.fps) {
-		fps = 1000000000ULL / kmscon_conf.fps;
+	term->conf_ctx = kmscon_seat_get_conf(seat);
+	term->conf = conf_ctx_get_mem(term->conf_ctx);
+
+	if (term->conf->fps) {
+		fps = 1000000000ULL / term->conf->fps;
 		if (fps == 0)
 			fps = 1000000000ULL / 100;
 		else if (fps > 200000000ULL)
@@ -515,8 +521,8 @@ int kmscon_terminal_register(struct kmscon_session **out,
 	ret = tsm_screen_new(&term->console, log_llog);
 	if (ret)
 		goto err_free;
-	tsm_screen_set_max_sb(term->console, kmscon_conf.sb_size);
-	if (kmscon_conf.render_timing)
+	tsm_screen_set_max_sb(term->console, term->conf->sb_size);
+	if (term->conf->render_timing)
 		tsm_screen_set_opts(term->console,
 				    TSM_SCREEN_OPT_RENDER_TIMING);
 
@@ -524,17 +530,17 @@ int kmscon_terminal_register(struct kmscon_session **out,
 			  log_llog);
 	if (ret)
 		goto err_con;
-	tsm_vte_set_palette(term->vte, kmscon_conf.palette);
+	tsm_vte_set_palette(term->vte, term->conf->palette);
 
 	ret = kmscon_pty_new(&term->pty, pty_input, term);
 	if (ret)
 		goto err_vte;
 
-	ret = kmscon_pty_set_term(term->pty, kmscon_conf.term);
+	ret = kmscon_pty_set_term(term->pty, term->conf->term);
 	if (ret)
 		goto err_pty;
 
-	ret = kmscon_pty_set_argv(term->pty, kmscon_conf.argv);
+	ret = kmscon_pty_set_argv(term->pty, term->conf->argv);
 	if (ret)
 		goto err_pty;