diff --git a/src/statement-list/parser.y b/src/statement-list/parser.y
index 70b2ccce9696..e7dcfb6d1e90 100644
--- a/src/statement-list/parser.y
+++ b/src/statement-list/parser.y
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 #ifdef STATEMENT_LIST_DEBUG
 #define YYDEBUG 1
 #endif
-#define PARSER statement_list_parser
+#define PARSER (*statement_list_parser)
 
 #include "statement_list_parser.h"
 #include "converters/convert_string_value.h"
@@ -26,6 +26,20 @@
 int yystatement_listlex();
 extern char *yystatement_listtext;
 
+static statement_list_parsert *statement_list_parser;
+int yystatement_listparse(void);
+int yystatement_listparse(statement_list_parsert &_statement_list_parser)
+{
+  statement_list_parser = &_statement_list_parser;
+  return yystatement_listparse();
+}
+
+int yystatement_listerror(const std::string &error)
+{
+  statement_list_parser->parse_error(error, yystatement_listtext);
+  return 0;
+}
+
 #define YYSTYPE unsigned
 #define YYSTYPE_IS_TRIVIAL 1
 
diff --git a/src/statement-list/scanner.l b/src/statement-list/scanner.l
index a06e11cf1f68..e5b28692b75e 100644
--- a/src/statement-list/scanner.l
+++ b/src/statement-list/scanner.l
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ static int isatty(int) { return 0; }
 #endif
 
 // Value inside of statement_list_parser.h.
-#define PARSER statement_list_parser
+#define PARSER (*statement_list_parser)
 
 // Sets the type of yystatement_listlval so that it can be used as the stack 
 // index.
@@ -62,11 +62,13 @@ static int isatty(int) { return 0; }
 #ifdef STATEMENT_LIST_DEBUG
 extern int yystatement_listdebug;
 #endif
-void statement_list_scanner_init()
+static statement_list_parsert *statement_list_parser;
+void statement_list_scanner_init(statement_list_parsert &_statement_list_parser)
 {
 #ifdef STATEMENT_LIST_DEBUG
   yystatement_listdebug=1;
 #endif
+  statement_list_parser = &_statement_list_parser;
   YY_FLUSH_BUFFER;
   BEGIN(0);
 }
diff --git a/src/statement-list/statement_list_language.cpp b/src/statement-list/statement_list_language.cpp
index bd5e28d185c6..d1cc36b7b5bb 100644
--- a/src/statement-list/statement_list_language.cpp
+++ b/src/statement-list/statement_list_language.cpp
@@ -60,12 +60,11 @@ bool statement_list_languaget::parse(
   const std::string &path,
   message_handlert &message_handler)
 {
-  statement_list_parser.clear();
+  statement_list_parsert statement_list_parser{message_handler};
   parse_path = path;
   statement_list_parser.set_line_no(0);
   statement_list_parser.set_file(path);
   statement_list_parser.in = &instream;
-  statement_list_scanner_init();
   bool result = statement_list_parser.parse();
 
   // store result
diff --git a/src/statement-list/statement_list_parser.cpp b/src/statement-list/statement_list_parser.cpp
index a5f10b1ff1e6..6c5653cd6c63 100644
--- a/src/statement-list/statement_list_parser.cpp
+++ b/src/statement-list/statement_list_parser.cpp
@@ -21,10 +21,6 @@ Author: Matthias Weiss, matthias.weiss@diffblue.com
 #include <iostream>
 #include <iterator>
 
-statement_list_parsert statement_list_parser;
-
-extern char *yystatement_listtext;
-
 /// Searches for the name of the TIA module inside of its root
 /// expression.
 /// \param root: Expression that includes the element's name as a
@@ -337,13 +333,8 @@ void statement_list_parsert::add_function(const exprt &function)
 
 bool statement_list_parsert::parse()
 {
-  return yystatement_listparse() != 0;
-}
-
-int yystatement_listerror(const std::string &error)
-{
-  statement_list_parser.parse_error(error, yystatement_listtext);
-  return 0;
+  statement_list_scanner_init(*this);
+  return yystatement_listparse(*this) != 0;
 }
 
 void statement_list_parsert::clear()
diff --git a/src/statement-list/statement_list_parser.h b/src/statement-list/statement_list_parser.h
index 468e35ce05b8..2031e132d82b 100644
--- a/src/statement-list/statement_list_parser.h
+++ b/src/statement-list/statement_list_parser.h
@@ -16,9 +16,10 @@ Author: Matthias Weiss, matthias.weiss@diffblue.com
 
 #include "statement_list_parse_tree.h"
 
+class statement_list_parsert;
 /// Defined in statement_list_y.tab.cpp. Main function for the parse process
 /// generated by bison, performs all necessary steps to fill the parse tree.
-int yystatement_listparse();
+int yystatement_listparse(statement_list_parsert &);
 
 /// Responsible for starting the parse process and to translate the result into
 /// a statement_list_parse_treet. This parser works by using the expression
@@ -34,6 +35,12 @@ int yystatement_listparse();
 class statement_list_parsert : public parsert
 {
 public:
+  /// Constructor
+  explicit statement_list_parsert(message_handlert &message_handler)
+    : parsert(message_handler)
+  {
+  }
+
   /// Starts the parsing process and saves the result inside of this instance's
   /// parse tree.
   /// \return False if successful.
@@ -71,9 +78,6 @@ class statement_list_parsert : public parsert
   statement_list_parse_treet parse_tree;
 };
 
-/// Instance of the parser, used by other modules.
-extern statement_list_parsert statement_list_parser;
-
 /// Forwards any errors that are encountered during the parse process. This
 /// function gets called by the generated files of flex and bison.
 /// \param error: Error message.
@@ -82,6 +86,6 @@ int yystatement_listerror(const std::string &error);
 
 /// Defined in scanner.l. This function initialises the scanner by setting
 /// debug flags (if present) and its initial state.
-void statement_list_scanner_init();
+void statement_list_scanner_init(statement_list_parsert &);
 
 #endif // CPROVER_STATEMENT_LIST_STATEMENT_LIST_PARSER_H