diff --git a/src/lib/lifecycle.cpp b/src/lib/lifecycle.cpp
index e643505e2..1ac3f07ca 100644
--- a/src/lib/lifecycle.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/lifecycle.cpp
@@ -37,6 +37,19 @@ using util::cStr;
 
 namespace lumiera {
   
+  // ==== implementation Lifecycle Registry =======
+  
+  /** @remark since the LifecycleRegistry is used to implement
+   * the most basic initialisation, we need to ensure it is fully
+   * initialised and gets up on demand as early as possible. */
+  LifecycleRegistry&
+  LifecycleRegistry::instance()
+  {
+    static LifecycleRegistry theRegistry;
+    return theRegistry;   // Meyer's singleton
+  }
+
+  
   
   // ==== implementation LifecycleHook class =======
   
diff --git a/src/lib/lifecycleregistry.hpp b/src/lib/lifecycleregistry.hpp
index eb3865af9..50f8947c3 100644
--- a/src/lib/lifecycleregistry.hpp
+++ b/src/lib/lifecycleregistry.hpp
@@ -43,7 +43,6 @@
 
 #include <boost/noncopyable.hpp>
 #include <functional>
-#include <memory>
 #include <string>
 #include <set>
 #include <map>
@@ -53,7 +52,6 @@ namespace lumiera {
   
   using boost::noncopyable;
   using util::contains;
-  using std::unique_ptr;
   using std::function;
   using std::string;
 
@@ -94,12 +92,7 @@ namespace lumiera {
       
       /** get the (single) LifecycleRegistry instance. 
        *  @warning don't use it after the end of main()! */
-      static LifecycleRegistry& instance()   // Meyer's singleton
-        {
-          static unique_ptr<LifecycleRegistry> theRegistry_;
-          if (!theRegistry_) theRegistry_.reset (new LifecycleRegistry ());
-          return *theRegistry_;
-        }
+      static LifecycleRegistry& instance();
       
       
     private:
@@ -110,7 +103,6 @@ namespace lumiera {
       }
       
      ~LifecycleRegistry () { }
-      friend class std::default_delete<LifecycleRegistry>;
       
     };
 
diff --git a/src/lib/symbol-impl.cpp b/src/lib/symbol-impl.cpp
index b5d2797a5..c616ce7c2 100644
--- a/src/lib/symbol-impl.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/symbol-impl.cpp
@@ -60,7 +60,12 @@ namespace lib {
   
   namespace { // global symbol table
     
-    SymbolTable symbolTable;
+    SymbolTable&
+    symbolTable()
+    {
+      static SymbolTable theSymbolTable;
+      return theSymbolTable;  // Meyer's Singleton
+    }
   }
   
   
@@ -68,9 +73,11 @@ namespace lib {
    * create Symbol by symbol table lookup.
    * @note identical strings will be mapped to the same Symbol (embedded pointer)
    * @warning potential lock contention, since each ctor call needs to do a lookup
+   * @remark since lumiera::LifecycleHook entries use a Symbol, the symbol table is
+   *         implemented as Meyer's singleton and pulled up early, way before main()
    */
   Symbol::Symbol (string&& definition)
-    : Literal{symbolTable.internedString (forward<string> (definition))}
+    : Literal{symbolTable().internedString (forward<string> (definition))}
     { }
   
   
diff --git a/src/proc/control/command-setup.cpp b/src/proc/control/command-setup.cpp
index dc8645bc5..4ad3e4d06 100644
--- a/src/proc/control/command-setup.cpp
+++ b/src/proc/control/command-setup.cpp
@@ -69,7 +69,12 @@ namespace control {
     
     using CmdDefEntry = std::tuple<Symbol, DefinitionClosure>;
     
-    std::deque<CmdDefEntry> pendingCmdDefinitions;
+    std::deque<CmdDefEntry>&
+    pendingCmdDefinitions()
+    {
+      static std::deque<CmdDefEntry> definitionQueue;
+      return definitionQueue;
+    }
     
   }//(End) implementation details
   
@@ -119,7 +124,7 @@ namespace control {
       throw error::Invalid ("unbound function/closure provided for CommandSetup"
                            , error::LUMIERA_ERROR_BOTTOM_VALUE);
     
-    pendingCmdDefinitions.emplace_front (cmdID_, move(definitionBlock));
+    pendingCmdDefinitions().emplace_front (cmdID_, move(definitionBlock));
     return *this;
   }
   
@@ -127,22 +132,22 @@ namespace control {
   size_t
   CommandSetup::pendingCnt()
   {
-    return pendingCmdDefinitions.size();
+    return pendingCmdDefinitions().size();
   }
   
   void
   CommandSetup::invokeDefinitionClosures()
   {
-    while (not pendingCmdDefinitions.empty())
+    while (not pendingCmdDefinitions().empty())
       {
-        CmdDefEntry& entry = pendingCmdDefinitions.back();
+        CmdDefEntry& entry = pendingCmdDefinitions().back();
         Symbol& cmdID{get<Symbol>(entry)};
         DefinitionClosure& buildDefinition{get<DefinitionClosure> (entry)};
         
         TRACE (command, "defining Command(%s)...", cmdID.c());
         CommandDef def(cmdID);
         buildDefinition(def);
-        pendingCmdDefinitions.pop_back();
+        pendingCmdDefinitions().pop_back();
       }
   }