diff --git a/resources/js/ext.uls.ime.js b/resources/js/ext.uls.ime.js
index ec260d9a..f9b7fde0 100644
--- a/resources/js/ext.uls.ime.js
+++ b/resources/js/ext.uls.ime.js
@@ -21,13 +21,14 @@
 	'use strict';
 
 	var mwImeRulesPath, inputSelector, inputPreferences, ulsIMEPreferences, customHelpLink,
+		getULSPreferences = require( 'ext.uls.preferences' ),
 		languageSettingsModules = [ 'ext.uls.displaysettings' ];
 
 	mwImeRulesPath = mw.config.get( 'wgExtensionAssetsPath' ) +
 		'/UniversalLanguageSelector/lib/jquery.ime/';
 	inputSelector = 'input:not([type]), input[type=text], input[type=search], textarea, [contenteditable]';
 
-	inputPreferences = mw.uls.preferences();
+	inputPreferences = getULSPreferences();
 
 	mw.ime = mw.ime || {};
 
@@ -74,7 +75,7 @@
 			// we don't want to save isDirty field.
 			this.registry.isDirty = undefined;
 			// get updated copy of preferences
-			inputPreferences = mw.uls.preferences();
+			inputPreferences = getULSPreferences();
 			inputPreferences.set( 'ime', this.registry );
 			inputPreferences.save( callback );
 			// reset the dirty bit
diff --git a/resources/js/ext.uls.preferences.js b/resources/js/ext.uls.preferences.js
index 0afc40b2..136e5657 100644
--- a/resources/js/ext.uls.preferences.js
+++ b/resources/js/ext.uls.preferences.js
@@ -145,8 +145,7 @@
 		}
 	};
 
-	mw.uls = mw.uls || {};
-	mw.uls.preferences = function () {
+	module.exports = function () {
 		var data = $( document.body ).data( 'preferences' );
 
 		if ( !data ) {
diff --git a/resources/js/ext.uls.webfonts.js b/resources/js/ext.uls.webfonts.js
index e9189a46..9d7d7372 100644
--- a/resources/js/ext.uls.webfonts.js
+++ b/resources/js/ext.uls.webfonts.js
@@ -20,10 +20,10 @@
 ( function () {
 	'use strict';
 
-	var ulsPreferences;
+	var getULSPreferences = require( 'ext.uls.preferences' ),
+		ulsPreferences = getULSPreferences();
 
 	mw.webfonts = mw.webfonts || {};
-	ulsPreferences = mw.uls.preferences();
 	mw.webfonts.preferences = {
 		registry: {
 			fonts: {},
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@
 
 		save: function ( callback ) {
 			// get updated copy of preferences
-			ulsPreferences = mw.uls.preferences();
+			ulsPreferences = getULSPreferences();
 			ulsPreferences.set( 'webfonts', this.registry );
 			ulsPreferences.save( callback );
 		},
diff --git a/tests/qunit/ext.uls.tests.js b/tests/qunit/ext.uls.tests.js
index 4d7e428c..65fdd9eb 100644
--- a/tests/qunit/ext.uls.tests.js
+++ b/tests/qunit/ext.uls.tests.js
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@
 		// Here it's used as a meaningless word, to test
 		// the preferences without changing anything useful.
 		prefName = 'gofanim';
-		prefs = mw.uls.preferences();
+		prefs = require( 'ext.uls.preferences' )();
 		prefsToSave = {};
 
 		prefsToSave[ prefName ] = {