diff --git a/girepository/girepository.c b/girepository/girepository.c
index 16118f341..f216f6cc4 100644
--- a/girepository/girepository.c
+++ b/girepository/girepository.c
@@ -59,10 +59,10 @@
  * standard Linux system this will end up being `/usr/lib/girepository-1.0`.
  *
  * It is possible to control the search paths programmatically, using
- * [func@GIRepository.Repository.prepend_search_path]. It is also possible to
+ * [method@GIRepository.Repository.prepend_search_path]. It is also possible to
  * modify the search paths by using the `GI_TYPELIB_PATH` environment variable.
  * The environment variable takes precedence over the default search path
- * and the [func@GIRepository.Repository.prepend_search_path] calls.
+ * and the [method@GIRepository.Repository.prepend_search_path] calls.
  *
  * Since: 2.80
  */
@@ -76,8 +76,6 @@
   GIREPOSITORY_TYPELIB_NAME "-" GIREPOSITORY_TYPELIB_VERSION ".typelib"
 
 static GIRepository *default_repository = NULL;
-static GPtrArray *typelib_search_path = NULL;
-static GPtrArray *library_paths = NULL;  /* (element-type filename) (owned) */
 
 typedef struct {
   size_t n_interfaces;
@@ -98,6 +96,9 @@ struct _GIRepository
 {
   GObject parent;
 
+  GPtrArray *typelib_search_path;  /* (element-type filename) (owned) */
+  GPtrArray *library_paths;  /* (element-type filename) (owned) */
+
   GHashTable *typelibs; /* (string) namespace -> GITypelib */
   GHashTable *lazy_typelibs; /* (string) namespace-version -> GITypelib */
   GHashTable *info_by_gtype; /* GType -> GIBaseInfo */
@@ -149,6 +150,40 @@ DllMain (HINSTANCE hinstDLL,
 static void
 gi_repository_init (GIRepository *repository)
 {
+  /* typelib search path */
+    {
+      const char *libdir;
+      char *typelib_dir;
+      const char *type_lib_path_env;
+
+      /* This variable is intended to take precedence over both:
+       *   - the default search path;
+       *   - all gi_repository_prepend_search_path() calls.
+       */
+      type_lib_path_env = g_getenv ("GI_TYPELIB_PATH");
+
+      if (type_lib_path_env)
+        {
+          char **custom_dirs;
+
+          custom_dirs = g_strsplit (type_lib_path_env, G_SEARCHPATH_SEPARATOR_S, 0);
+          repository->typelib_search_path =
+            g_ptr_array_new_take_null_terminated ((gpointer) g_steal_pointer (&custom_dirs), g_free);
+        }
+      else
+        {
+          repository->typelib_search_path = g_ptr_array_new_null_terminated (1, g_free, TRUE);
+        }
+
+      libdir = GOBJECT_INTROSPECTION_LIBDIR;
+
+      typelib_dir = g_build_filename (libdir, "girepository-1.0", NULL);
+
+      g_ptr_array_add (repository->typelib_search_path, g_steal_pointer (&typelib_dir));
+    }
+
+  repository->library_paths = g_ptr_array_new_null_terminated (1, g_free, TRUE);
+
   repository->typelibs
     = g_hash_table_new_full (g_str_hash, g_str_equal,
                              (GDestroyNotify) g_free,
@@ -186,6 +221,9 @@ gi_repository_finalize (GObject *object)
 
   g_clear_pointer (&repository->cached_shared_libraries, g_strfreev);
 
+  g_clear_pointer (&repository->library_paths, g_ptr_array_unref);
+  g_clear_pointer (&repository->typelib_search_path, g_ptr_array_unref);
+
   (* G_OBJECT_CLASS (gi_repository_parent_class)->finalize) (G_OBJECT (repository));
 }
 
@@ -210,41 +248,6 @@ init_globals (void)
   if (default_repository == NULL)
     default_repository = gi_repository_new ();
 
-  if (typelib_search_path == NULL)
-    {
-      const char *libdir;
-      char *typelib_dir;
-      const char *type_lib_path_env;
-
-      /* This variable is intended to take precedence over both:
-       *   - the default search path;
-       *   - all gi_repository_prepend_search_path() calls.
-       */
-      type_lib_path_env = g_getenv ("GI_TYPELIB_PATH");
-
-      if (type_lib_path_env)
-        {
-          char **custom_dirs;
-
-          custom_dirs = g_strsplit (type_lib_path_env, G_SEARCHPATH_SEPARATOR_S, 0);
-          typelib_search_path =
-            g_ptr_array_new_take_null_terminated ((gpointer) g_steal_pointer (&custom_dirs), g_free);
-        }
-      else
-        {
-          typelib_search_path = g_ptr_array_new_null_terminated (1, g_free, TRUE);
-        }
-
-      libdir = GOBJECT_INTROSPECTION_LIBDIR;
-
-      typelib_dir = g_build_filename (libdir, "girepository-1.0", NULL);
-
-      g_ptr_array_add (typelib_search_path, g_steal_pointer (&typelib_dir));
-    }
-
-  if (library_paths == NULL)
-    library_paths = g_ptr_array_new_null_terminated (1, g_free, TRUE);
-
   g_once_init_leave (&initialized, 1);
 }
 
@@ -261,6 +264,8 @@ get_repository (GIRepository *repository)
 
 /**
  * gi_repository_prepend_search_path:
+ * @repository: (nullable): A #GIRepository, or `NULL` for the singleton
+ *   process-global default #GIRepository
  * @directory: (type filename): directory name to prepend to the typelib
  *   search path
  *
@@ -271,14 +276,18 @@ get_repository (GIRepository *repository)
  * Since: 2.80
  */
 void
-gi_repository_prepend_search_path (const char *directory)
+gi_repository_prepend_search_path (GIRepository *repository,
+                                   const char   *directory)
 {
   init_globals ();
-  g_ptr_array_insert (typelib_search_path, 0, g_strdup (directory));
+  repository = get_repository (repository);
+  g_ptr_array_insert (repository->typelib_search_path, 0, g_strdup (directory));
 }
 
 /**
  * gi_repository_get_search_path:
+ * @repository: (nullable): A #GIRepository, or `NULL` for the singleton
+ *   process-global default #GIRepository
  * @n_paths_out: (optional) (out): The number of search paths returned.
  *
  * Returns the current search path [class@GIRepository.Repository] will use when
@@ -292,9 +301,13 @@ gi_repository_prepend_search_path (const char *directory)
  * Since: 2.80
  */
 const char * const *
-gi_repository_get_search_path (size_t *n_paths_out)
+gi_repository_get_search_path (GIRepository *repository,
+                               size_t       *n_paths_out)
 {
-  if G_UNLIKELY (!typelib_search_path || !typelib_search_path->pdata)
+  repository = get_repository (repository);
+
+  if G_UNLIKELY (!repository->typelib_search_path ||
+                 !repository->typelib_search_path->pdata)
     {
       static const char * const empty_search_path[] = {NULL};
 
@@ -305,13 +318,15 @@ gi_repository_get_search_path (size_t *n_paths_out)
     }
 
   if (n_paths_out)
-    *n_paths_out = typelib_search_path->len;
+    *n_paths_out = repository->typelib_search_path->len;
 
-  return (const char * const *) typelib_search_path->pdata;
+  return (const char * const *) repository->typelib_search_path->pdata;
 }
 
 /**
  * gi_repository_prepend_library_path:
+ * @repository: (nullable): A #GIRepository, or `NULL` for the singleton
+ *   process-global default #GIRepository
  * @directory: (type filename): a single directory to scan for shared libraries
  *
  * Prepends @directory to the search path that is used to
@@ -320,9 +335,9 @@ gi_repository_get_search_path (size_t *n_paths_out)
  * Multiple calls to this function all contribute to the final
  * list of paths.
  *
- * The list of paths is unique and shared for all
- * [class@GIRepository.Repository] instances across the process, but it doesn’t
- * affect namespaces imported before the call.
+ * The list of paths is unique to @repository. When a typelib is loaded by the
+ * repository, the list of paths from the @repository at that instant is used
+ * by the typelib for loading its modules.
  *
  * If the library is not found in the directories configured
  * in this way, loading will fall back to the system library
@@ -332,14 +347,18 @@ gi_repository_get_search_path (size_t *n_paths_out)
  * Since: 2.80
  */
 void
-gi_repository_prepend_library_path (const char *directory)
+gi_repository_prepend_library_path (GIRepository *repository,
+                                    const char   *directory)
 {
   init_globals ();
-  g_ptr_array_insert (library_paths, 0, g_strdup (directory));
+  repository = get_repository (repository);
+  g_ptr_array_insert (repository->library_paths, 0, g_strdup (directory));
 }
 
 /**
  * gi_repository_get_library_path:
+ * @repository: (nullable): A #GIRepository, or `NULL` for the singleton
+ *   process-global default #GIRepository
  * @n_paths_out: (optional) (out): The number of library paths returned.
  *
  * Returns the current search path [class@GIRepository.Repository] will use when
@@ -353,9 +372,12 @@ gi_repository_prepend_library_path (const char *directory)
  * Since: 2.80
  */
 const char * const *
-gi_repository_get_library_path (size_t *n_paths_out)
+gi_repository_get_library_path (GIRepository *repository,
+                                size_t       *n_paths_out)
 {
-  if G_UNLIKELY (!library_paths || !library_paths->pdata)
+  repository = get_repository (repository);
+
+  if G_UNLIKELY (!repository->library_paths || !repository->library_paths->pdata)
     {
       static const char * const empty_search_path[] = {NULL};
 
@@ -366,9 +388,9 @@ gi_repository_get_library_path (size_t *n_paths_out)
     }
 
   if (n_paths_out)
-    *n_paths_out = library_paths->len;
+    *n_paths_out = repository->library_paths->len;
 
-  return (const char * const *) library_paths->pdata;
+  return (const char * const *) repository->library_paths->pdata;
 }
 
 static char *
@@ -1714,8 +1736,8 @@ gi_repository_enumerate_versions (GIRepository *repository,
 
   init_globals ();
   candidates = enumerate_namespace_versions (namespace_,
-                                             (const char * const *) typelib_search_path->pdata,
-                                             typelib_search_path->len);
+                                             (const char * const *) repository->typelib_search_path->pdata,
+                                             repository->typelib_search_path->len);
 
   if (!candidates)
     {
@@ -1833,6 +1855,8 @@ require_internal (GIRepository           *repository,
         g_clear_error (&temp_error);
         goto out;
       }
+
+    typelib->library_paths = (repository->library_paths != NULL) ? g_ptr_array_ref (repository->library_paths) : NULL;
   }
   header = (Header *) typelib->data;
   typelib_namespace = gi_typelib_get_string (typelib, header->namespace);
@@ -1903,8 +1927,8 @@ gi_repository_require (GIRepository  *repository,
 
   init_globals ();
   typelib = require_internal (repository, namespace, version, flags,
-                              (const char * const *) typelib_search_path->pdata,
-                              typelib_search_path->len, error);
+                              (const char * const *) repository->typelib_search_path->pdata,
+                              repository->typelib_search_path->len, error);
 
   return typelib;
 }
diff --git a/girepository/girepository.h b/girepository/girepository.h
index c6feeee65..9f05f6ae5 100644
--- a/girepository/girepository.h
+++ b/girepository/girepository.h
@@ -83,16 +83,20 @@ GI_AVAILABLE_IN_ALL
 GIRepository *gi_repository_new (void);
 
 GI_AVAILABLE_IN_ALL
-void          gi_repository_prepend_search_path (const char *directory);
+void          gi_repository_prepend_search_path (GIRepository *repository,
+                                                 const char   *directory);
 
 GI_AVAILABLE_IN_ALL
-void          gi_repository_prepend_library_path (const char *directory);
+void          gi_repository_prepend_library_path (GIRepository *repository,
+                                                  const char   *directory);
 
 GI_AVAILABLE_IN_ALL
-const char * const * gi_repository_get_search_path (size_t *n_paths_out);
+const char * const * gi_repository_get_search_path (GIRepository *repository,
+                                                    size_t       *n_paths_out);
 
 GI_AVAILABLE_IN_ALL
-const char * const *gi_repository_get_library_path (size_t *n_paths_out);
+const char * const *gi_repository_get_library_path (GIRepository *repository,
+                                                    size_t       *n_paths_out);
 
 GI_AVAILABLE_IN_ALL
 const char *  gi_repository_load_typelib  (GIRepository           *repository,
diff --git a/girepository/gitypelib-internal.h b/girepository/gitypelib-internal.h
index 271a17967..2639c0e1f 100644
--- a/girepository/gitypelib-internal.h
+++ b/girepository/gitypelib-internal.h
@@ -1318,6 +1318,7 @@ struct _GITypelib {
   GBytes *bytes;  /* (owned) */
   GList *modules;
   gboolean open_attempted;
+  GPtrArray *library_paths;  /* (element-type filename) (owned) (nullable) */
 };
 
 DirEntry *gi_typelib_get_dir_entry (GITypelib *typelib,
diff --git a/girepository/gitypelib.c b/girepository/gitypelib.c
index 66a4d2ec8..b47c1015f 100644
--- a/girepository/gitypelib.c
+++ b/girepository/gitypelib.c
@@ -2224,7 +2224,8 @@ gi_typelib_error_quark (void)
  * load modules globally for now.
  */
 static GModule *
-load_one_shared_library (const char *shlib)
+load_one_shared_library (GITypelib  *typelib,
+                         const char *shlib)
 {
   GModule *m;
 
@@ -2241,11 +2242,9 @@ load_one_shared_library (const char *shlib)
 #endif
     {
       /* First try in configured library paths */
-      const char * const *library_paths = gi_repository_get_library_path (NULL);
-
-      for (unsigned int i = 0; library_paths[i] != NULL; i++)
+      for (unsigned int i = 0; typelib->library_paths != NULL && i < typelib->library_paths->len; i++)
         {
-          char *path = g_build_filename (library_paths[i], shlib, NULL);
+          char *path = g_build_filename (typelib->library_paths->pdata[i], shlib, NULL);
 
           m = g_module_open (path, G_MODULE_BIND_LAZY);
 
@@ -2290,7 +2289,7 @@ gi_typelib_do_dlopen (GITypelib *typelib)
         {
           GModule *module;
 
-          module = load_one_shared_library (shlibs[i]);
+          module = load_one_shared_library (typelib, shlibs[i]);
 
           if (module == NULL)
             {
@@ -2375,6 +2374,8 @@ gi_typelib_free (GITypelib *typelib)
 {
   g_clear_pointer (&typelib->bytes, g_bytes_unref);
 
+  g_clear_pointer (&typelib->library_paths, g_ptr_array_unref);
+
   if (typelib->modules)
     {
       g_list_foreach (typelib->modules, (GFunc) (void *) g_module_close, NULL);
diff --git a/girepository/tests/repository-search-paths.c b/girepository/tests/repository-search-paths.c
index c1bc6723b..e8e7c8b21 100644
--- a/girepository/tests/repository-search-paths.c
+++ b/girepository/tests/repository-search-paths.c
@@ -22,35 +22,22 @@
 #include "glib.h"
 #include "girepository.h"
 
-/* Keep this test first, not to add search paths to other tests */
-static void
-test_repository_search_paths_unset (void)
-{
-  const char * const *search_paths;
-  size_t n_search_paths;
-
-  search_paths = gi_repository_get_search_path (&n_search_paths);
-  g_assert_nonnull (search_paths);
-  g_assert_cmpstrv (search_paths, ((char *[]){NULL}));
-  g_assert_cmpuint (n_search_paths, ==, 0);
-
-  search_paths = gi_repository_get_search_path (NULL);
-  g_assert_cmpuint (g_strv_length ((char **) search_paths), ==, 0);
-}
-
 static void
 test_repository_search_paths_default (void)
 {
   const char * const *search_paths;
   size_t n_search_paths;
+  GIRepository *repository = NULL;
 
-  search_paths = gi_repository_get_search_path (&n_search_paths);
+  repository = gi_repository_new ();
+
+  search_paths = gi_repository_get_search_path (repository, &n_search_paths);
   g_assert_nonnull (search_paths);
 
   /* Init default paths */
   g_assert_nonnull (gi_repository_get_default ());
 
-  search_paths = gi_repository_get_search_path (&n_search_paths);
+  search_paths = gi_repository_get_search_path (repository, &n_search_paths);
   g_assert_nonnull (search_paths);
   g_assert_cmpuint (g_strv_length ((char **) search_paths), ==, 2);
 
@@ -61,6 +48,8 @@ test_repository_search_paths_default (void)
   g_assert_cmpstr (search_paths[1], ==, expected_path);
   g_clear_pointer (&expected_path, g_free);
 #endif
+
+  g_clear_object (&repository);
 }
 
 static void
@@ -68,9 +57,12 @@ test_repository_search_paths_prepend (void)
 {
   const char * const *search_paths;
   size_t n_search_paths;
+  GIRepository *repository = NULL;
 
-  gi_repository_prepend_search_path (g_test_get_dir (G_TEST_BUILT));
-  search_paths = gi_repository_get_search_path (&n_search_paths);
+  repository = gi_repository_new ();
+
+  gi_repository_prepend_search_path (repository, g_test_get_dir (G_TEST_BUILT));
+  search_paths = gi_repository_get_search_path (repository, &n_search_paths);
   g_assert_nonnull (search_paths);
   g_assert_cmpuint (g_strv_length ((char **) search_paths), ==, 3);
 
@@ -83,8 +75,8 @@ test_repository_search_paths_prepend (void)
   g_clear_pointer (&expected_path, g_free);
 #endif
 
-  gi_repository_prepend_search_path (g_test_get_dir (G_TEST_DIST));
-  search_paths = gi_repository_get_search_path (&n_search_paths);
+  gi_repository_prepend_search_path (repository, g_test_get_dir (G_TEST_DIST));
+  search_paths = gi_repository_get_search_path (repository, &n_search_paths);
   g_assert_nonnull (search_paths);
   g_assert_cmpuint (g_strv_length ((char **) search_paths), ==, 4);
 
@@ -97,6 +89,8 @@ test_repository_search_paths_prepend (void)
   g_assert_cmpstr (search_paths[3], ==, expected_path);
   g_clear_pointer (&expected_path, g_free);
 #endif
+
+  g_clear_object (&repository);
 }
 
 static void
@@ -104,10 +98,15 @@ test_repository_library_paths_default (void)
 {
   const char * const *library_paths;
   size_t n_library_paths;
+  GIRepository *repository = NULL;
 
-  library_paths = gi_repository_get_library_path (&n_library_paths);
+  repository = gi_repository_new ();
+
+  library_paths = gi_repository_get_library_path (repository, &n_library_paths);
   g_assert_nonnull (library_paths);
   g_assert_cmpuint (g_strv_length ((char **) library_paths), ==, 0);
+
+  g_clear_object (&repository);
 }
 
 static void
@@ -115,21 +114,26 @@ test_repository_library_paths_prepend (void)
 {
   const char * const *library_paths;
   size_t n_library_paths;
+  GIRepository *repository = NULL;
 
-  gi_repository_prepend_library_path (g_test_get_dir (G_TEST_BUILT));
-  library_paths = gi_repository_get_library_path (&n_library_paths);
+  repository = gi_repository_new ();
+
+  gi_repository_prepend_library_path (repository, g_test_get_dir (G_TEST_BUILT));
+  library_paths = gi_repository_get_library_path (repository, &n_library_paths);
   g_assert_nonnull (library_paths);
   g_assert_cmpuint (g_strv_length ((char **) library_paths), ==, 1);
 
   g_assert_cmpstr (library_paths[0], ==, g_test_get_dir (G_TEST_BUILT));
 
-  gi_repository_prepend_library_path (g_test_get_dir (G_TEST_DIST));
-  library_paths = gi_repository_get_library_path (&n_library_paths);
+  gi_repository_prepend_library_path (repository, g_test_get_dir (G_TEST_DIST));
+  library_paths = gi_repository_get_library_path (repository, &n_library_paths);
   g_assert_nonnull (library_paths);
   g_assert_cmpuint (g_strv_length ((char **) library_paths), ==, 2);
 
   g_assert_cmpstr (library_paths[0], ==, g_test_get_dir (G_TEST_DIST));
   g_assert_cmpstr (library_paths[1], ==, g_test_get_dir (G_TEST_BUILT));
+
+  g_clear_object (&repository);
 }
 
 int
@@ -142,7 +146,6 @@ main (int   argc,
   g_setenv ("GI_TYPELIB_PATH", g_get_tmp_dir (), TRUE);
   g_setenv ("GI_GIR_PATH", g_get_user_cache_dir (), TRUE);
 
-  g_test_add_func ("/repository/search-paths/unset", test_repository_search_paths_unset);
   g_test_add_func ("/repository/search-paths/default", test_repository_search_paths_default);
   g_test_add_func ("/repository/search-paths/prepend", test_repository_search_paths_prepend);
   g_test_add_func ("/repository/library-paths/default", test_repository_library_paths_default);
diff --git a/girepository/tests/repository.c b/girepository/tests/repository.c
index beb84a5c0..f8d8c3085 100644
--- a/girepository/tests/repository.c
+++ b/girepository/tests/repository.c
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ test_repository_basic (RepositoryFixture *fx,
   g_assert_cmpstrv (versions, ((char *[]){"2.0", NULL}));
   g_clear_pointer (&versions, g_strfreev);
 
-  search_paths = gi_repository_get_search_path (NULL);
+  search_paths = gi_repository_get_search_path (fx->repository, NULL);
   g_assert_nonnull (search_paths);
   g_assert_cmpuint (g_strv_length ((char **) search_paths), >, 0);
   g_assert_cmpstr (search_paths[0], ==, fx->gobject_typelib_dir);
diff --git a/girepository/tests/test-common.c b/girepository/tests/test-common.c
index b6edc07f8..08c3424e7 100644
--- a/girepository/tests/test-common.c
+++ b/girepository/tests/test-common.c
@@ -43,13 +43,13 @@ repository_setup (RepositoryFixture *fx,
   GError *local_error = NULL;
   TypelibLoadSpec *load_spec = (TypelibLoadSpec *) data;
 
-  fx->gobject_typelib_dir = g_test_build_filename (G_TEST_BUILT, "..", "..", "introspection", NULL);
-  g_test_message ("Using GI_TYPELIB_DIR = %s", fx->gobject_typelib_dir);
-  gi_repository_prepend_search_path (fx->gobject_typelib_dir);
-
   fx->repository = gi_repository_new ();
   g_assert_nonnull (fx->repository);
 
+  fx->gobject_typelib_dir = g_test_build_filename (G_TEST_BUILT, "..", "..", "introspection", NULL);
+  g_test_message ("Using GI_TYPELIB_DIR = %s", fx->gobject_typelib_dir);
+  gi_repository_prepend_search_path (fx->repository, fx->gobject_typelib_dir);
+
   if (load_spec)
     {
       typelib = gi_repository_require (fx->repository, load_spec->name, load_spec->version, 0, &local_error);