diff --git a/res/modules/internal/gui_util.lua b/res/modules/internal/gui_util.lua
index 0f53faaba..0ec47291e 100644
--- a/res/modules/internal/gui_util.lua
+++ b/res/modules/internal/gui_util.lua
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ function gui_util.parse_query(query)
 end
 
 --- @param query string page query string
-function gui_util.load_page(query)
+function gui_util.load_page(app, query)
     local name, args = gui_util.parse_query(query)
     for i = #gui_util.local_dispatchers, 1, -1 do
         local newname, newargs = gui_util.local_dispatchers[i](name, args)
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ function gui_util.load_page(query)
     local filename = file.find(string.format("layouts/pages/%s.xml", name))
     if filename then
         name = file.prefix(filename)..":pages/"..name
-        gui.load_document(filename, name, args, { app = __vc_app })
+        gui.load_document(filename, name, args, { app = app })
         return name
     end
 end
diff --git a/res/scripts/hud.lua b/res/scripts/hud.lua
index 322f03db5..562fe19d1 100644
--- a/res/scripts/hud.lua
+++ b/res/scripts/hud.lua
@@ -1,37 +1,3 @@
-local function configure_SSAO()
-    -- Temporary using slot to configure built-in SSAO effect
-    local slot = gfx.posteffects.index("core:ssao")
-    gfx.posteffects.set_effect(slot, "ssao")
-
-    -- Generating random SSAO samples
-    local buffer = Bytearray(0)
-    for i = 0, 63 do
-        local x = math.random() * 2.0 - 1.0
-        local y = math.random() * 2.0 - 1.0
-        local z = math.random() * 2.0
-        local len = math.sqrt(x * x + y * y + z * z)
-        if len > 0 then
-            x = x / len
-            y = y / len
-            z = z / len
-        end
-        Bytearray.append(buffer, byteutil.pack("fff", x, y, z))
-    end
-    gfx.posteffects.set_array(slot, "u_ssaoSamples", Bytearray_as_string(buffer))
-
-    local function update_ssao_quality(value)
-        value = math.min(value, 3)
-        gfx.posteffects.set_params(slot, {
-            u_kernelSize = value * 16,
-            u_radius = 0.4 / value,
-            u_bias = 0.006 / value / value,
-        })
-    end
-    events.on("core:setting.graphics.ssao.set", update_ssao_quality)
-
-    update_ssao_quality(__vc_app.get_setting("graphics.ssao"))
-end
-
 local function update_hand()
     local skeleton = gfx.skeletons
     local pid = hud.get_player()
@@ -123,8 +89,6 @@ function on_hud_open()
         end
     end)
 
-    configure_SSAO()
-
     hud.default_hand_controller = update_hand
 end
 
diff --git a/res/scripts/stdlib.lua b/res/scripts/stdlib.lua
index 900b71b2e..3a7ecf02d 100644
--- a/res/scripts/stdlib.lua
+++ b/res/scripts/stdlib.lua
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
-local enable_experimental = __vc_app.get_setting("debug.enable-experimental")
+local __app = __vc_app
+local enable_experimental = __app.get_setting("debug.enable-experimental")
 
 ------------------------------------------------
 ------ Extended kit of standard functions ------
@@ -119,12 +120,7 @@ local function complete_app_lib(app)
     end
 end
 
-if app then
-    complete_app_lib(app)
-elseif __vc_app then
-    complete_app_lib(__vc_app)
-end
-
+complete_app_lib(__app)
 require "core:internal/maths_inline"
 require "core:internal/debugging"
 require "core:internal/audio_input"
@@ -175,18 +171,18 @@ function start_coroutine(chunk, name)
     local co = coroutine.create(function()
         local status, error = xpcall(chunk, function(err)
             local fullmsg = "error: "..string.match(err, ": (.+)").."\n"..debug.traceback()
-            
-            if hud then
-                gui.alert(fullmsg, function()
-                    if world.is_open() then
-                        __vc_app.close_world()
-                    else
-                        __vc_app.reset_content()
-                        menu:reset()
-                        menu.page = "main"
-                    end
-                end)
+            if vc.is_headless() then
+                return fullmsg
             end
+            gui.alert(fullmsg, function()
+                if world.is_open() then
+                    __app.close_world()
+                else
+                    __app.reset_content()
+                    menu:reset()
+                    menu.page = "main"
+                end
+            end)
             return fullmsg
         end)
         if not status then
@@ -204,7 +200,7 @@ function __vc_start_app_script(path, name)
     if chunk == nil then
         error(err)
     end
-    local script_env = setmetatable({app = app or __vc_app}, {__index=_G})
+    local script_env = setmetatable({app = __app}, {__index=_G})
     chunk = setfenv(chunk, script_env)
     if name then
         start_coroutine(chunk, name)
@@ -222,7 +218,7 @@ gui_util = require "core:internal/gui_util"
 Document = gui_util.Document
 Element = gui_util.Element
 RadioGroup = gui_util.RadioGroup
-__vc_page_loader = gui_util.load_page
+__vc_page_loader = function(...) return gui_util.load_page(__app, ...) end
 
 function __vc_get_document_node(docname, nodeid)
     return Element.new(docname, nodeid)
@@ -384,6 +380,40 @@ math.randomseed(time.uptime() * 1536227939)
 rules = require "core:internal/rules"
 local _rules = rules
 
+local function configure_SSAO()
+    -- Temporary using slot to configure built-in SSAO effect
+    local slot = gfx.posteffects.index("core:ssao")
+    gfx.posteffects.set_effect(slot, "ssao")
+
+    -- Generating random SSAO samples
+    local buffer = Bytearray(0)
+    for i = 0, 63 do
+        local x = math.random() * 2.0 - 1.0
+        local y = math.random() * 2.0 - 1.0
+        local z = math.random() * 2.0
+        local len = math.sqrt(x * x + y * y + z * z)
+        if len > 0 then
+            x = x / len
+            y = y / len
+            z = z / len
+        end
+        Bytearray.append(buffer, byteutil.pack("fff", x, y, z))
+    end
+    gfx.posteffects.set_array(slot, "u_ssaoSamples", Bytearray_as_string(buffer))
+
+    local function update_ssao_quality(value)
+        value = math.min(value, 3)
+        gfx.posteffects.set_params(slot, {
+            u_kernelSize = value * 16,
+            u_radius = 0.4 / value,
+            u_bias = 0.006 / value / value,
+        })
+    end
+    events.on("core:setting.graphics.ssao.set", update_ssao_quality)
+
+    update_ssao_quality(__app.get_setting("graphics.ssao"))
+end
+
 function __vc_on_hud_open()
     local _hud_is_content_access = hud._is_content_access
     local _hud_set_content_access = hud._set_content_access
@@ -446,6 +476,8 @@ function __vc_on_hud_open()
         end
     end)
     hud.open_permanent("core:ingame_chat")
+
+    configure_SSAO()
 end
 
 local Schedule = require "core:schedule"
@@ -590,4 +622,5 @@ end
 require "core:internal/deprecated"
 
 ffi = nil
+__vc_app = nil
 __vc_lock_internal_modules()
diff --git a/res/scripts/stdmin.lua b/res/scripts/stdmin.lua
index be437513e..fa1ec0422 100644
--- a/res/scripts/stdmin.lua
+++ b/res/scripts/stdmin.lua
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ vc = {
 }
 
 local _ffi = ffi
-local _debug_getinfo = debug.getinfo
 local _crc32 = crc32
 
 function crc32(bytes, chksum)
@@ -116,6 +115,8 @@ end
 
 ----------------------------------------------
 
+local _debug_getinfo = debug.getinfo
+
 function debug.count_frames()
     local frames = 1
     while true do
diff --git a/src/logic/scripting/lua/lua_engine.cpp b/src/logic/scripting/lua/lua_engine.cpp
index 07fdfe8d2..5dfc8ebd1 100644
--- a/src/logic/scripting/lua/lua_engine.cpp
+++ b/src/logic/scripting/lua/lua_engine.cpp
@@ -64,12 +64,13 @@ static void create_libs(State* L, StateType stateType) {
     openlib(L, "vec4", vec4lib);
     openlib(L, "yaml", yamllib);
 
+    openlib(L, "__vc_app", applib);
+    lua::getglobal(L, "__vc_app");
+    lua::setregistry(L, "app");
+
     if (stateType == StateType::SCRIPT) {
-        openlib(L, "app", applib);
-        lua::getglobal(L, "app");
-        lua::setglobal(L, "__vc_app");
-    } else if (stateType == StateType::BASE) {
-        openlib(L, "__vc_app", applib);
+        lua::getregistry(L, "app");
+        lua::setglobal(L, "app");
     }
     if (stateType == StateType::BASE || stateType == StateType::SCRIPT) {
         openlib(L, "assets", assetslib);