diff --git a/pyqtgraph/Qt.py b/pyqtgraph/Qt.py
index 749943f2..ad2a8007 100644
--- a/pyqtgraph/Qt.py
+++ b/pyqtgraph/Qt.py
@@ -272,3 +272,10 @@ m = re.match(r'(\d+)\.(\d+).*', QtVersion)
 if m is not None and list(map(int, m.groups())) < versionReq:
     print(list(map(int, m.groups())))
     raise Exception('pyqtgraph requires Qt version >= %d.%d  (your version is %s)' % (versionReq[0], versionReq[1], QtVersion))
+
+
+def mkQApp():
+    app = QtGui.QApplication.instance()
+    if app is None:
+        app = QtGui.QApplication([])
+    return app
diff --git a/pyqtgraph/__init__.py b/pyqtgraph/__init__.py
index 520ea196..583aeaa0 100644
--- a/pyqtgraph/__init__.py
+++ b/pyqtgraph/__init__.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ __version__ = '0.10.0'
 
 ## 'Qt' is a local module; it is intended mainly to cover up the differences
 ## between PyQt4 and PySide.
-from .Qt import QtGui
+from .Qt import QtGui, mkQApp
 
 ## not really safe--If we accidentally create another QApplication, the process hangs (and it is very difficult to trace the cause)
 #if QtGui.QApplication.instance() is None:
@@ -466,14 +466,3 @@ def stack(*args, **kwds):
     except NameError:
         consoles = [c]
     return c
-    
-    
-def mkQApp():
-    global QAPP
-    inst = QtGui.QApplication.instance()
-    if inst is None:
-        QAPP = QtGui.QApplication([])
-    else:
-        QAPP = inst
-    return QAPP
-        
diff --git a/pyqtgraph/graphicsWindows.py b/pyqtgraph/graphicsWindows.py
index 41c8b4d2..b6598685 100644
--- a/pyqtgraph/graphicsWindows.py
+++ b/pyqtgraph/graphicsWindows.py
@@ -6,17 +6,11 @@ it is possible to place any widget into its own window by simply calling its
 show() method.
 """
 
-from .Qt import QtCore, QtGui
+from .Qt import QtCore, QtGui, mkQApp
 from .widgets.PlotWidget import *
 from .imageview import *
 from .widgets.GraphicsLayoutWidget import GraphicsLayoutWidget
 from .widgets.GraphicsView import GraphicsView
-QAPP = None
-
-def mkQApp():
-    if QtGui.QApplication.instance() is None:
-        global QAPP
-        QAPP = QtGui.QApplication([])
 
 
 class GraphicsWindow(GraphicsLayoutWidget):
diff --git a/pyqtgraph/widgets/GraphicsLayoutWidget.py b/pyqtgraph/widgets/GraphicsLayoutWidget.py
index d42378d5..3b41a3ca 100644
--- a/pyqtgraph/widgets/GraphicsLayoutWidget.py
+++ b/pyqtgraph/widgets/GraphicsLayoutWidget.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-from ..Qt import QtGui
+from ..Qt import QtGui, mkQApp
 from ..graphicsItems.GraphicsLayout import GraphicsLayout
 from .GraphicsView import GraphicsView
 
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ class GraphicsLayoutWidget(GraphicsView):
     :func:`clear <pyqtgraph.GraphicsLayout.clear>`
     """
     def __init__(self, parent=None, show=False, size=None, title=None, **kargs):
+        mkQApp()
         GraphicsView.__init__(self, parent)
         self.ci = GraphicsLayout(**kargs)
         for n in ['nextRow', 'nextCol', 'nextColumn', 'addPlot', 'addViewBox', 'addItem', 'getItem', 'addLayout', 'addLabel', 'removeItem', 'itemIndex', 'clear']:
diff --git a/pyqtgraph/widgets/__init__.py b/pyqtgraph/widgets/__init__.py
index a81fe391..e69de29b 100644
--- a/pyqtgraph/widgets/__init__.py
+++ b/pyqtgraph/widgets/__init__.py
@@ -1,21 +0,0 @@
-## just import everything from sub-modules
-
-#import os
-
-#d = os.path.split(__file__)[0]
-#files = []
-#for f in os.listdir(d):
-    #if os.path.isdir(os.path.join(d, f)):
-        #files.append(f)
-    #elif f[-3:] == '.py' and f != '__init__.py':
-        #files.append(f[:-3])
-    
-#for modName in files:
-    #mod = __import__(modName, globals(), locals(), fromlist=['*'])
-    #if hasattr(mod, '__all__'):
-        #names = mod.__all__
-    #else:
-        #names = [n for n in dir(mod) if n[0] != '_']
-    #for k in names:
-        #print modName, k
-        #globals()[k] = getattr(mod, k)