diff --git a/js/dbusServices/extensions/extensionsService.js b/js/dbusServices/extensions/extensionsService.js
index f0c93f6cb..b8e571bf9 100644
--- a/js/dbusServices/extensions/extensionsService.js
+++ b/js/dbusServices/extensions/extensionsService.js
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ import Shew from 'gi://Shew';
 
 import {ExtensionPrefsDialog} from './extensionPrefsDialog.js';
 import {ServiceImplementation} from './dbusService.js';
-import {setExtensionManager} from './extensions/sharedInternals.js';
 
 const {deserializeExtension} = imports.misc.extensionUtils;
 const {loadInterfaceXML} = imports.misc.dbusUtils;
@@ -27,8 +26,7 @@ class ExtensionManager {
     }
 }
 
-const extensionManager = new ExtensionManager();
-setExtensionManager(extensionManager);
+export const extensionManager = new ExtensionManager();
 
 export const ExtensionsService = class extends ServiceImplementation {
     constructor() {
diff --git a/js/extensions/extension.js b/js/extensions/extension.js
index b9e72584a..a2c383e00 100644
--- a/js/extensions/extension.js
+++ b/js/extensions/extension.js
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import {getCurrentExtension} from './sharedInternals.js';
+import {getCurrentExtension, setExtensionManager} from './sharedInternals.js';
 
 export {
     getSettings,
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ export {
 } from './sharedInternals.js';
 
 const {extensionManager} = imports.ui.main;
+setExtensionManager(extensionManager);
 
 /**
  * Open the preference dialog of the current extension
diff --git a/js/extensions/prefs.js b/js/extensions/prefs.js
index 405b8614e..61488e09d 100644
--- a/js/extensions/prefs.js
+++ b/js/extensions/prefs.js
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+import {setExtensionManager} from './sharedInternals.js';
+import {extensionManager} from '../extensionsService.js';
+
+setExtensionManager(extensionManager);
+
 export {
     getSettings,
     initTranslations,
diff --git a/js/extensions/sharedInternals.js b/js/extensions/sharedInternals.js
index c2133936c..c8a02471d 100644
--- a/js/extensions/sharedInternals.js
+++ b/js/extensions/sharedInternals.js
@@ -35,11 +35,6 @@ export function getCurrentExtension() {
     if (!extensionLine)
         return null;
 
-    // local import, as the module is used from outside the gnome-shell process
-    // as well
-    if (!_extensionManager)
-        setExtensionManager(imports.ui.main.extensionManager);
-
     // The exact stack line differs depending on where the function
     // was called (function or module scope), and whether it's called
     // from a module or legacy import (file:// URI vs. plain path).