diff --git a/core/src/avm2.rs b/core/src/avm2.rs
index 6a490cfaf..e694ecd9c 100644
--- a/core/src/avm2.rs
+++ b/core/src/avm2.rs
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ use crate::avm2::object::{Object, TObject};
 use crate::avm2::scope::Scope;
 use crate::avm2::script::Script;
 use crate::avm2::script::TranslationUnit;
+use crate::avm2::script_object::ScriptObject;
 use crate::avm2::value::Value;
 use crate::context::UpdateContext;
 use crate::tag_utils::SwfSlice;
@@ -56,7 +57,7 @@ pub struct Avm2<'gc> {
     globals: Object<'gc>,
 
     /// System prototypes.
-    system_prototypes: SystemPrototypes<'gc>,
+    system_prototypes: Option<SystemPrototypes<'gc>>,
 
     #[cfg(feature = "avm_debug")]
     pub debug_output: bool,
@@ -65,12 +66,12 @@ pub struct Avm2<'gc> {
 impl<'gc> Avm2<'gc> {
     /// Construct a new AVM interpreter.
     pub fn new(mc: MutationContext<'gc, '_>) -> Self {
-        let (globals, system_prototypes) = globals::construct_global_scope(mc);
+        let globals = ScriptObject::bare_object(mc);
 
         Self {
             stack: Vec::new(),
             globals,
-            system_prototypes,
+            system_prototypes: None,
 
             #[cfg(feature = "avm_debug")]
             debug_output: false,
@@ -83,8 +84,10 @@ impl<'gc> Avm2<'gc> {
     }
 
     /// Return the current set of system prototypes.
+    ///
+    /// This function panics if the interpreter has not yet been initialized.
     pub fn prototypes(&self) -> &SystemPrototypes<'gc> {
-        &self.system_prototypes
+        self.system_prototypes.as_ref().unwrap()
     }
 
     /// Run a script's initializer method.