diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 68e8d23..34c5966 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 - refactor test `expect` scripts, make them simpler and ensure they properly
   assert expectations
 - refactor code that sets 'TMUX_PLUGIN_MANAGER_PATH' global env var
+- stop using global variable for 'tpm path'
 
 ### v2.0.0, 2015-07-07
 - enable overriding default key bindings
diff --git a/bindings/update_plugins b/bindings/update_plugins
index 9a3a86c..3ee16ec 100755
--- a/bindings/update_plugins
+++ b/bindings/update_plugins
@@ -43,7 +43,6 @@ update_plugin_prompt() {
 
 main() {
 	reload_tmux_environment
-	shared_set_tpm_path_constant
 	display_plugin_update_list
 	update_plugin_prompt
 }
diff --git a/scripts/clean_plugins.sh b/scripts/clean_plugins.sh
index 4ff59f6..6716271 100755
--- a/scripts/clean_plugins.sh
+++ b/scripts/clean_plugins.sh
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ clean_plugins() {
 	local plugins plugin plugin_directory
 	plugins="$(shared_get_tpm_plugins_list)"
 
-	for plugin_directory in "$SHARED_TPM_PATH"/*; do
+	for plugin_directory in "$(tpm_path)"/*; do
 		[ -d "${plugin_directory}" ] || continue
 		plugin="$(shared_plugin_name "${plugin_directory}")"
 		case "${plugins}" in
@@ -33,7 +33,6 @@ clean_plugins() {
 }
 
 main() {
-	shared_set_tpm_path_constant
 	ensure_tpm_path_exists
 	clean_plugins
 	exit_value_helper
diff --git a/scripts/install_plugins.sh b/scripts/install_plugins.sh
index be7cd5b..f143940 100755
--- a/scripts/install_plugins.sh
+++ b/scripts/install_plugins.sh
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ fi
 
 clone() {
 	local plugin="$1"
-	cd "$SHARED_TPM_PATH" &&
+	cd "$(tpm_path)" &&
 		GIT_TERMINAL_PROMPT=0 git clone --recursive "$plugin" >/dev/null 2>&1
 }
 
@@ -49,14 +49,14 @@ install_plugins() {
 }
 
 verify_tpm_path_permissions() {
+	local path="$(tpm_path)"
 	# check the write permission flag for all users to ensure
 	# that we have proper access
-	[ -w "$SHARED_TPM_PATH" ] ||
-		echo_err "$SHARED_TPM_PATH is not writable!"
+	[ -w "$path" ] ||
+		echo_err "$path is not writable!"
 }
 
 main() {
-	shared_set_tpm_path_constant
 	ensure_tpm_path_exists
 	verify_tpm_path_permissions
 	install_plugins
diff --git a/scripts/shared_functions.sh b/scripts/shared_functions.sh
index 878e73a..4e429b1 100644
--- a/scripts/shared_functions.sh
+++ b/scripts/shared_functions.sh
@@ -2,14 +2,18 @@
 
 # using @tpm_plugins is now deprecated in favor of using @plugin syntax
 tpm_plugins_variable_name="@tpm_plugins"
-SHARED_TPM_PATH=""
 
-# sets a "global variable" for the current file
-shared_set_tpm_path_constant() {
+_tpm_path() {
 	local string_path="$(tmux start-server\; show-environment -g TMUX_PLUGIN_MANAGER_PATH | cut -f2 -d=)/"
 	# manually expanding tilde or `$HOME` variable.
 	string_path="${string_path/#\~/$HOME}"
-	SHARED_TPM_PATH="${string_path/#\$HOME/$HOME}"
+	echo "${string_path/#\$HOME/$HOME}"
+}
+
+_CACHED_TPM_PATH="$(_tpm_path)"
+
+tpm_path() {
+	echo "$_CACHED_TPM_PATH"
 }
 
 _tmux_conf_contents() {
@@ -40,7 +44,7 @@ shared_plugin_name() {
 shared_plugin_path() {
 	local plugin="$1"
 	local plugin_name="$(shared_plugin_name "$plugin")"
-	echo "${SHARED_TPM_PATH}${plugin_name}/"
+	echo "$(tpm_path)${plugin_name}/"
 }
 
 plugin_already_installed() {
@@ -52,7 +56,7 @@ plugin_already_installed() {
 }
 
 ensure_tpm_path_exists() {
-	mkdir -p "$SHARED_TPM_PATH"
+	mkdir -p "$(tpm_path)"
 }
 
 fail_helper() {
diff --git a/scripts/source_plugins.sh b/scripts/source_plugins.sh
index 4d79b18..8a6715b 100755
--- a/scripts/source_plugins.sh
+++ b/scripts/source_plugins.sh
@@ -35,7 +35,6 @@ source_plugins() {
 }
 
 main() {
-	shared_set_tpm_path_constant
 	source_plugins
 }
 main
diff --git a/scripts/update_plugin.sh b/scripts/update_plugin.sh
index 4407102..ec47614 100755
--- a/scripts/update_plugin.sh
+++ b/scripts/update_plugin.sh
@@ -58,7 +58,6 @@ update_plugins() {
 }
 
 main() {
-	shared_set_tpm_path_constant
 	if [ "$1" == "all" ]; then
 		update_all
 	else