diff --git a/include/decl.h b/include/decl.h
index 2cc7f965c..5e211f053 100644
--- a/include/decl.h
+++ b/include/decl.h
@@ -439,20 +439,8 @@ struct early_opt {
     boolean valallowed;
 };
 
-/* instance_context holds per game instance data that does not need to be
- * persisted upon game exit.  This game instance data is one of the first
- * things initialized during the initialization of the game engine.
- * It is initialized with icontext_initial_state found in decl.c */
-
-#define PLAYAGAIN
-
-struct instance_context {
-    int oldcap; /* encumberance - pickup.c */
-};
-
-E struct instance_context icontext;
-
-E void icontext_init();
+/* encumbrance */
+E int oldcap;
 
 
 #undef E
diff --git a/src/decl.c b/src/decl.c
index edfeb3a60..10f67f7de 100644
--- a/src/decl.c
+++ b/src/decl.c
@@ -215,6 +215,9 @@ NEARDATA struct monst *migrating_mons = (struct monst *) 0;
 
 NEARDATA struct mvitals mvitals[NUMMONS];
 
+/* originally from pickup.c */
+int oldcap = 0; /* encumbrance */
+
 NEARDATA struct c_color_names c_color_names = {
     "black",  "amber", "golden", "light blue", "red",   "green",
     "silver", "blue",  "purple", "white",      "orange"
@@ -526,6 +529,8 @@ decl_early_init()
     ZERO(ubirthday);
     ZERO(urealtime);
 
+    ZERO(oldcap);
+
     ZEROARRAY(lastseentyp);
 
     ZEROPTR(invent);
@@ -607,18 +612,4 @@ decl_early_init()
 }
 #endif
 
-const struct instance_context icontext_initial_state = {
-    0, /* oldcap - last encumberance in pickup.c */
-};
-
-struct instance_context icontext;
-
-void 
-icontext_init() 
-{
-    icontext = icontext_initial_state;
-
-    decl_early_init();
-};
-
 /*decl.c*/
diff --git a/src/pickup.c b/src/pickup.c
index 83d5eb273..b32640dbd 100644
--- a/src/pickup.c
+++ b/src/pickup.c
@@ -1558,7 +1558,7 @@ encumber_msg()
 {
     int newcap = near_capacity();
 
-    if (icontext.oldcap < newcap) {
+    if (oldcap < newcap) {
         switch (newcap) {
         case 1:
             Your("movements are slowed slightly because of your load.");
@@ -1576,7 +1576,7 @@ encumber_msg()
             break;
         }
         context.botl = 1;
-    } else if (icontext.oldcap > newcap) {
+    } else if (oldcap > newcap) {
         switch (newcap) {
         case 0:
             Your("movements are now unencumbered.");
@@ -1595,7 +1595,7 @@ encumber_msg()
         context.botl = 1;
     }
 
-    icontext.oldcap = newcap;
+    oldcap = newcap;
     return newcap;
 }
 
diff --git a/sys/share/pcmain.c b/sys/share/pcmain.c
index 932ec971e..9ffbeca51 100644
--- a/sys/share/pcmain.c
+++ b/sys/share/pcmain.c
@@ -97,7 +97,9 @@ char *argv[];
 
     nethack_enter(argc, argv);
 
-    icontext_init();
+#ifdef PLAYAGAIN
+    decl_early_init();
+#endif
     sys_early_init();
 
 #if defined(WIN32) && defined(TTY_GRAPHICS)
diff --git a/sys/winnt/stubs.c b/sys/winnt/stubs.c
index 9e16c6dce..ff3cf5919 100644
--- a/sys/winnt/stubs.c
+++ b/sys/winnt/stubs.c
@@ -37,7 +37,9 @@ char *argv[];
 {
     boolean resuming;
 
-    icontext_init();
+#ifdef PLAYAGAIN
+    decl_early_init();
+#endif
     sys_early_init();
     Strcpy(default_window_sys, "tty");
     resuming = pcmain(argc, argv);
diff --git a/win/win32/winhack.c b/win/win32/winhack.c
index ef48d6b63..6db66261e 100644
--- a/win/win32/winhack.c
+++ b/win/win32/winhack.c
@@ -97,7 +97,9 @@ WinMain(HINSTANCE hInstance, HINSTANCE hPrevInstance, LPSTR lpCmdLine,
 
     win10_init();
 
-    icontext_init();
+#ifdef PLAYAGAIN
+    decl_early_init();
+#endif
     sys_early_init();
 
     /* init applicatio structure */