diff --git a/clutter/clutter/clutter-actor.c b/clutter/clutter/clutter-actor.c
index f5b81e2cd..eaafe562d 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter/clutter-actor.c
+++ b/clutter/clutter/clutter-actor.c
@@ -13034,7 +13034,7 @@ update_pango_context (ClutterBackend *backend,
   gchar *font_name;
   gdouble resolution;
 
-  settings = clutter_settings_get_default ();
+  settings = clutter_context_get_settings (backend->context);
 
   /* update the text direction */
   dir = clutter_get_default_text_direction ();
diff --git a/clutter/clutter/clutter-backend.c b/clutter/clutter/clutter-backend.c
index 954984f91..e49bf6527 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter/clutter-backend.c
+++ b/clutter/clutter/clutter-backend.c
@@ -139,12 +139,11 @@ clutter_backend_set_property (GObject      *object,
 static void
 clutter_backend_real_resolution_changed (ClutterBackend *backend)
 {
-  ClutterContext *context;
-  ClutterSettings *settings;
+  ClutterContext *context = backend->context;
+  ClutterSettings *settings = clutter_context_get_settings (context);
   gdouble resolution;
   gint dpi;
 
-  settings = clutter_settings_get_default ();
   g_object_get (settings, "font-dpi", &dpi, NULL);
 
   if (dpi < 0)
@@ -152,7 +151,6 @@ clutter_backend_real_resolution_changed (ClutterBackend *backend)
   else
     resolution = dpi / 1024.0;
 
-  context = _clutter_context_get_default ();
   if (context->font_map != NULL)
     cogl_pango_font_map_set_resolution (context->font_map, resolution);
 }
@@ -441,7 +439,7 @@ clutter_backend_get_resolution (ClutterBackend *backend)
 
   g_return_val_if_fail (CLUTTER_IS_BACKEND (backend), -1.0);
 
-  settings = clutter_settings_get_default ();
+  settings = clutter_context_get_settings (backend->context);
   g_object_get (settings, "font-dpi", &resolution, NULL);
 
   if (resolution < 0)
diff --git a/clutter/clutter/clutter-click-action.c b/clutter/clutter/clutter-click-action.c
index d30674988..2f582a5d4 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter/clutter-click-action.c
+++ b/clutter/clutter/clutter-click-action.c
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
 
 /**
  * ClutterClickAction:
- * 
+ *
  * Action for clickable actors
  *
  * #ClutterClickAction is a sub-class of [class@Action] that implements
@@ -204,13 +204,15 @@ click_action_query_long_press (ClutterClickAction *action)
 {
   ClutterClickActionPrivate *priv =
     clutter_click_action_get_instance_private (action);
-  ClutterActor *actor;
+  ClutterActor *actor =
+    clutter_actor_meta_get_actor (CLUTTER_ACTOR_META (action));
+  ClutterContext *context = clutter_actor_get_context (actor);
   gboolean result = FALSE;
   gint timeout;
 
   if (priv->long_press_duration < 0)
     {
-      ClutterSettings *settings = clutter_settings_get_default ();
+      ClutterSettings *settings = clutter_context_get_settings (context);
 
       g_object_get (settings,
                     "long-press-duration", &timeout,
@@ -219,7 +221,6 @@ click_action_query_long_press (ClutterClickAction *action)
   else
     timeout = priv->long_press_duration;
 
-  actor = clutter_actor_meta_get_actor (CLUTTER_ACTOR_META (action));
 
   g_signal_emit (action, click_signals[LONG_PRESS], 0,
                  actor,
@@ -284,6 +285,7 @@ clutter_click_action_handle_event (ClutterAction      *action,
     clutter_click_action_get_instance_private (click_action);
   ClutterActor *actor =
     clutter_actor_meta_get_actor (CLUTTER_ACTOR_META (action));
+  ClutterContext *context = clutter_actor_get_context (actor);
   gboolean has_button = TRUE;
   ClutterModifierType modifier_state;
   ClutterActor *target;
@@ -324,7 +326,7 @@ clutter_click_action_handle_event (ClutterAction      *action,
 
       if (priv->long_press_threshold < 0)
         {
-          ClutterSettings *settings = clutter_settings_get_default ();
+          ClutterSettings *settings = clutter_context_get_settings (context);
 
           g_object_get (settings,
                         "dnd-drag-threshold", &priv->drag_threshold,
diff --git a/clutter/clutter/clutter-gesture-action.c b/clutter/clutter/clutter-gesture-action.c
index 8d291de16..84f539865 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter/clutter-gesture-action.c
+++ b/clutter/clutter/clutter-gesture-action.c
@@ -271,7 +271,8 @@ static gint
 gesture_get_default_threshold (void)
 {
   gint threshold;
-  ClutterSettings *settings = clutter_settings_get_default ();
+  ClutterContext *context = _clutter_context_get_default ();
+  ClutterSettings *settings = clutter_context_get_settings (context);
   g_object_get (settings, "dnd-drag-threshold", &threshold, NULL);
   return threshold;
 }
diff --git a/clutter/clutter/clutter-seat.c b/clutter/clutter/clutter-seat.c
index 6cd9874c5..dde39cf53 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter/clutter-seat.c
+++ b/clutter/clutter/clutter-seat.c
@@ -119,7 +119,8 @@ clutter_seat_get_property (GObject    *object,
 static void
 clutter_seat_constructed (GObject *object)
 {
-  ClutterSettings *settings = clutter_settings_get_default ();
+  ClutterContext *context = _clutter_context_get_default ();
+  ClutterSettings *settings = clutter_context_get_settings (context);
 
   G_OBJECT_CLASS (clutter_seat_parent_class)->constructed (object);
   clutter_settings_ensure_pointer_a11y_settings (settings,
@@ -280,7 +281,7 @@ clutter_seat_class_init (ClutterSeatClass *klass)
    *
    * The signal is emitted when the property to inhibit the unsetting
    * of the focus-surface of the #ClutterSeat changed.
-   *  
+   *
    * To get the current state of this property, use [method@Seat.is_unfocus_inhibited].
    */
   signals[IS_UNFOCUS_INHIBITED_CHANGED] =
diff --git a/clutter/clutter/clutter-text.c b/clutter/clutter/clutter-text.c
index 77c8f3510..6c3915a08 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter/clutter-text.c
+++ b/clutter/clutter/clutter-text.c
@@ -859,9 +859,8 @@ clutter_text_settings_changed_cb (ClutterText *text)
 {
   ClutterTextPrivate *priv = clutter_text_get_instance_private (text);
   guint password_hint_time = 0;
-  ClutterSettings *settings;
-
-  settings = clutter_settings_get_default ();
+  ClutterContext *context = clutter_actor_get_context (CLUTTER_ACTOR (text));
+  ClutterSettings *settings = clutter_context_get_settings (context);
 
   g_object_get (settings, "password-hint-time", &password_hint_time, NULL);
 
@@ -1738,6 +1737,33 @@ clutter_text_get_property (GObject    *gobject,
     }
 }
 
+static void
+clutter_text_constructed (GObject *gobject)
+{
+  ClutterText *self = CLUTTER_TEXT (gobject);
+  ClutterTextPrivate *priv = clutter_text_get_instance_private (self);
+  ClutterContext *context = clutter_actor_get_context (CLUTTER_ACTOR (self));
+  ClutterSettings *settings = clutter_context_get_settings (context);
+  gchar *font_name;
+  int password_hint_time;
+
+  /* get the default font name from the context; we don't use
+   * set_font_description() here because we are initializing
+   * the Text and we don't need notifications and sanity checks
+   */
+  g_object_get (settings,
+                "font-name", &font_name,
+                "password-hint-time", &password_hint_time,
+                NULL);
+
+  priv->font_name = font_name; /* font_name is allocated */
+  priv->font_desc = pango_font_description_from_string (font_name);
+  priv->show_password_hint = password_hint_time > 0;
+  priv->password_hint_timeout = password_hint_time;
+
+  G_OBJECT_CLASS (clutter_text_parent_class)->constructed (gobject);
+}
+
 static void
 clutter_text_dispose (GObject *gobject)
 {
@@ -2220,12 +2246,12 @@ clutter_text_update_click_count (ClutterText        *self,
                                  const ClutterEvent *event)
 {
   ClutterTextPrivate *priv = clutter_text_get_instance_private (self);
-  ClutterSettings *settings;
+  ClutterContext *context = clutter_actor_get_context (CLUTTER_ACTOR (self));
+  ClutterSettings *settings = clutter_context_get_settings (context);
   int double_click_time, double_click_distance;
   uint32_t evtime;
   float x, y;
 
-  settings = clutter_settings_get_default ();
   clutter_event_get_coords (event, &x, &y);
   evtime = clutter_event_get_time (event);
 
@@ -3843,6 +3869,7 @@ clutter_text_class_init (ClutterTextClass *klass)
 
   gobject_class->set_property = clutter_text_set_property;
   gobject_class->get_property = clutter_text_get_property;
+  gobject_class->constructed = clutter_text_constructed;
   gobject_class->dispose = clutter_text_dispose;
   gobject_class->finalize = clutter_text_finalize;
 
@@ -4455,10 +4482,8 @@ clutter_text_class_init (ClutterTextClass *klass)
 static void
 clutter_text_init (ClutterText *self)
 {
-  ClutterSettings *settings;
   ClutterTextPrivate *priv;
-  gchar *font_name;
-  int i, password_hint_time;
+  int i;
 
   priv = clutter_text_get_instance_private (self);
 
@@ -4484,18 +4509,6 @@ clutter_text_init (ClutterText *self)
   priv->selection_color = default_selection_color;
   priv->selected_text_color = default_selected_text_color;
 
-  /* get the default font name from the context; we don't use
-   * set_font_description() here because we are initializing
-   * the Text and we don't need notifications and sanity checks
-   */
-  settings = clutter_settings_get_default ();
-  g_object_get (settings,
-                "font-name", &font_name,
-                "password-hint-time", &password_hint_time,
-                NULL);
-
-  priv->font_name = font_name; /* font_name is allocated */
-  priv->font_desc = pango_font_description_from_string (font_name);
   priv->is_default_font = TRUE;
 
   priv->position = -1;
@@ -4512,8 +4525,6 @@ clutter_text_init (ClutterText *self)
   priv->preedit_set = FALSE;
 
   priv->password_char = 0;
-  priv->show_password_hint = password_hint_time > 0;
-  priv->password_hint_timeout = password_hint_time;
 
   priv->text_y = 0;
 
@@ -5428,7 +5439,10 @@ clutter_text_set_font_name (ClutterText *self,
   /* get the default font name from the backend */
   if (font_name == NULL || font_name[0] == '\0')
     {
-      ClutterSettings *settings = clutter_settings_get_default ();
+      ClutterContext *context =
+        clutter_actor_get_context (CLUTTER_ACTOR (self));
+      ClutterSettings *settings =
+        clutter_context_get_settings (context);
       gchar *default_font_name = NULL;
 
       g_object_get (settings, "font-name", &default_font_name, NULL);
diff --git a/src/backends/meta-settings.c b/src/backends/meta-settings.c
index 3703b23b0..18de38be1 100644
--- a/src/backends/meta-settings.c
+++ b/src/backends/meta-settings.c
@@ -164,6 +164,8 @@ meta_settings_get_global_scaling_factor (MetaSettings *settings,
 static gboolean
 update_font_dpi (MetaSettings *settings)
 {
+  ClutterContext *clutter_context;
+  ClutterSettings *clutter_settings;
   double text_scaling_factor;
   /* Number of logical pixels on an inch when unscaled */
   const double dots_per_inch = 96;
@@ -181,8 +183,10 @@ update_font_dpi (MetaSettings *settings)
   if (font_dpi != settings->font_dpi)
     {
       settings->font_dpi = font_dpi;
+      clutter_context = meta_backend_get_clutter_context (settings->backend);
+      clutter_settings = clutter_context_get_settings (clutter_context);
 
-      g_object_set (clutter_settings_get_default (),
+      g_object_set (clutter_settings,
                     "font-dpi", font_dpi,
                     NULL);