diff --git a/src/bootstrap.js b/src/bootstrap.js
index 3446733b..c35c11f7 100644
--- a/src/bootstrap.js
+++ b/src/bootstrap.js
@@ -1,52 +1,50 @@
 // This allows creating a new web page using the construct "new WebPage",
 // which feels more natural than "phantom.createWebPage()".
 window.WebPage = function() {
-    var page = phantom.createWebPage();
+    var page = phantom.createWebPage(),
+        handlers = {};
 
     // deep copy
     page.settings = JSON.parse(JSON.stringify(phantom.defaultPageSettings));
 
-    // private, don't touch this
-    page._handlers = {};
-
     page.__defineSetter__("onLoadStarted", function(f) {
-        if (this._handlers && typeof this._handlers.loadStarted === 'function') {
+        if (handlers && typeof handlers.loadStarted === 'function') {
             try {
-                this.loadStarted.disconnect(this._handlers.loadStarted);
+                this.loadStarted.disconnect(handlers.loadStarted);
             } catch (e) {}
         }
-        this._handlers.loadStarted = f;
-        this.loadStarted.connect(this._handlers.loadStarted);
+        handlers.loadStarted = f;
+        this.loadStarted.connect(handlers.loadStarted);
     });
 
     page.__defineSetter__("onLoadFinished", function(f) {
-        if (this._handlers && typeof this._handlers.loadFinished === 'function') {
+        if (handlers && typeof handlers.loadFinished === 'function') {
             try {
-                this.loadFinished.disconnect(this._handlers.loadFinished);
+                this.loadFinished.disconnect(handlers.loadFinished);
             } catch (e) {}
         }
-        this._handlers.loadFinished = f;
-        this.loadFinished.connect(this._handlers.loadFinished);
+        handlers.loadFinished = f;
+        this.loadFinished.connect(handlers.loadFinished);
     });
 
     page.__defineSetter__("onResourceRequested", function(f) {
-        if (this._handlers && typeof this._handlers.resourceRequested === 'function') {
+        if (handlers && typeof handlers.resourceRequested === 'function') {
             try {
-                this.resourceRequested.disconnect(this._handlers.resourceRequested);
+                this.resourceRequested.disconnect(handlers.resourceRequested);
             } catch (e) {}
         }
-        this._handlers.resourceRequested = f;
-        this.resourceRequested.connect(this._handlers.resourceRequested);
+        handlers.resourceRequested = f;
+        this.resourceRequested.connect(handlers.resourceRequested);
     });
 
     page.__defineSetter__("onResourceReceived", function(f) {
-        if (this._handlers && typeof this._handlers.resourceReceived === 'function') {
+        if (handlers && typeof handlers.resourceReceived === 'function') {
             try {
-                this.resourceReceived.disconnect(this._handlers.resourceReceived);
+                this.resourceReceived.disconnect(handlers.resourceReceived);
             } catch (e) {}
         }
-        this._handlers.resourceReceived = f;
-        this.resourceReceived.connect(this._handlers.resourceReceived);
+        handlers.resourceReceived = f;
+        this.resourceReceived.connect(handlers.resourceReceived);
     });
 
     page.onAlert = function (msg) {};