Index: source/main.cpp
===================================================================
--- source/main.cpp
+++ source/main.cpp
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-/* Copyright (C) 2022 Wildfire Games.
+/* Copyright (C) 2023 Wildfire Games.
  * This file is part of 0 A.D.
  *
  * 0 A.D. is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
@@ -353,7 +353,7 @@
 	while (more && timer_Time() - startTime < maxTime);
 }
 
-static void Frame()
+static void Frame(std::optional<RL::Interface>& rlInterface)
 {
 	g_Profiler2.RecordFrameStart();
 	PROFILE2("frame");
@@ -419,12 +419,12 @@
 
 	g_GUI->TickObjects();
 
-	if (g_RLInterface)
-		g_RLInterface->TryApplyMessage();
+	if (rlInterface)
+		rlInterface->TryApplyMessage();
 
 	if (g_Game && g_Game->IsGameStarted() && need_update)
 	{
-		if (!g_RLInterface)
+		if (!rlInterface)
 			g_Game->Update(realTimeSinceLastFrame);
 
 		g_Game->GetView()->Update(float(realTimeSinceLastFrame));
@@ -482,16 +482,19 @@
 	in_reset_handlers();
 }
 
-static void StartRLInterface(CmdLineArgs args)
+static std::optional<RL::Interface> StartRLInterface(CmdLineArgs args)
 {
+	if (!args.Has("rl-interface"))
+		return std::nullopt;
+
 	std::string server_address;
 	CFG_GET_VAL("rlinterface.address", server_address);
 
 	if (!args.Get("rl-interface").empty())
 		server_address = args.Get("rl-interface");
 
-	g_RLInterface = std::make_unique<RL::Interface>(server_address.c_str());
 	debug_printf("RL interface listening on %s\n", server_address.c_str());
+	return std::make_optional<RL::Interface>(server_address.c_str());
 }
 
 // moved into a helper function to ensure args is destroyed before
@@ -520,7 +523,6 @@
 	const bool isVisualReplay = args.Has("replay-visual");
 	const bool isNonVisualReplay = args.Has("replay");
 	const bool isNonVisual = args.Has("autostart-nonvisual");
-	const bool isUsingRLInterface = args.Has("rl-interface");
 
 	const OsPath replayFile(
 		isVisualReplay ? args.Get("replay-visual") :
@@ -666,25 +668,26 @@
 		{
 			if (!InitNonVisual(args))
 				g_Shutdown = ShutdownType::Quit;
-			else if (isUsingRLInterface)
-				StartRLInterface(args);
-
-			while (g_Shutdown == ShutdownType::None)
+			else
 			{
-				if (isUsingRLInterface)
-					g_RLInterface->TryApplyMessage();
-				else
-					NonVisualFrame();
+				std::optional<RL::Interface> rlInterface{StartRLInterface(args)};
+				while (g_Shutdown == ShutdownType::None)
+				{
+					if (rlInterface)
+						rlInterface->TryApplyMessage();
+					else
+						NonVisualFrame();
+				}
 			}
 		}
 		else
 		{
 			InitGraphics(args, 0, installedMods);
 			MainControllerInit();
-			if (isUsingRLInterface)
-				StartRLInterface(args);
+
+			std::optional<RL::Interface> rlInterface{StartRLInterface(args)};
 			while (g_Shutdown == ShutdownType::None)
-				Frame();
+				Frame(rlInterface);
 		}
 
 		// Do not install mods again in case of restart (typically from the mod selector)
Index: source/rlinterface/RLInterface.h
===================================================================
--- source/rlinterface/RLInterface.h
+++ source/rlinterface/RLInterface.h
@@ -162,6 +162,4 @@
 
 }
 
-extern std::unique_ptr<RL::Interface> g_RLInterface;
-
 #endif // INCLUDED_RLINTERFACE
Index: source/rlinterface/RLInterface.cpp
===================================================================
--- source/rlinterface/RLInterface.cpp
+++ source/rlinterface/RLInterface.cpp
@@ -38,9 +38,6 @@
 #include <sstream>
 #include <tuple>
 
-// Globally accessible pointer to the RL Interface.
-std::unique_ptr<RL::Interface> g_RLInterface;
-
 namespace RL
 {
 Interface::Interface(const char* server_address) : m_GameMessage({GameMessageType::None})