diff --git a/plugins/kafka/kafka.cpp b/plugins/kafka/kafka.cpp
index 5ae3e9e24b5..02ffba67f3c 100644
--- a/plugins/kafka/kafka.cpp
+++ b/plugins/kafka/kafka.cpp
@@ -50,12 +50,6 @@ namespace KafkaPlugin
     // background activity
     const __int32 POLL_TIMEOUT = 1000;
 
-    //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-    // Static Variables
-    //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
-    static std::once_flag pubCacheInitFlag;
-
     //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
     // Static Methods (internal)
     //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -697,7 +691,7 @@ namespace KafkaPlugin
      *
      * Class used to create and cache publisher objects and connections
      */
-    static class PublisherCacheObj
+    class PublisherCacheObj
     {
         private:
 
@@ -837,14 +831,23 @@ namespace KafkaPlugin
 
             ObjMap          cachedPublishers;   //!< std::map of created Publisher object pointers
             CriticalSection lock;               //!< Mutex guarding modifications to cachedPublishers
-    } *publisherCache;
+    };
+
+    //----------------------------------
+
+    static Singleton<PublisherCacheObj> publisherCache;
+
+    static PublisherCacheObj & queryPublisherCache()
+    {
+        return *publisherCache.query([] () { return new PublisherCacheObj; });
+    }
 
     //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
     /** @class  PublisherCacheExpirerObj
      *          Class used to expire old publisher objects held within publisherCache
      */
-    static class PublisherCacheExpirerObj : public Thread
+    class PublisherCacheExpirerObj : public Thread
     {
         public:
 
@@ -877,11 +880,7 @@ namespace KafkaPlugin
             {
                 while (shouldRun)
                 {
-                    if (publisherCache)
-                    {
-                        publisherCache->expire();
-                    }
-
+                    queryPublisherCache().expire();
                     usleep(1000);
                 }
 
@@ -891,23 +890,29 @@ namespace KafkaPlugin
         private:
 
             std::atomic_bool    shouldRun;      //!< If true, we should execute our thread's main event loop
-    } *publisherCacheExpirer;
+    };
+
+    //----------------------------------
+
+    static Singleton<PublisherCacheExpirerObj> publisherCacheExpirer;
+
+    static PublisherCacheExpirerObj & queryPublisherCacheExpirer()
+    {
+        return *publisherCacheExpirer.query([] () { return new PublisherCacheExpirerObj; });
+    }
 
     //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
-    // Lazy Initialization
+    // Singleton Initialization
     //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
     /**
      * Make sure the publisher object cache is initialized as well as the
-     * associated background thread for expiring idle publishers.  This is
-     * called only once.
+     * associated background thread for expiring idle publishers.
      */
     static void setupPublisherCache()
     {
-        KafkaPlugin::publisherCache = new KafkaPlugin::PublisherCacheObj();
-
-        KafkaPlugin::publisherCacheExpirer = new KafkaPlugin::PublisherCacheExpirerObj;
-        KafkaPlugin::publisherCacheExpirer->start();
+        queryPublisherCache();
+        queryPublisherCacheExpirer().start();
     }
 
     //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -916,9 +921,9 @@ namespace KafkaPlugin
 
     ECL_KAFKA_API bool ECL_KAFKA_CALL publishMessage(ICodeContext* ctx, const char* brokers, const char* topic, const char* message, const char* key)
     {
-        std::call_once(pubCacheInitFlag, setupPublisherCache);
+        setupPublisherCache();
 
-        Publisher* pubObjPtr = publisherCache->getPublisher(brokers, topic, POLL_TIMEOUT);
+        Publisher* pubObjPtr = queryPublisherCache().getPublisher(brokers, topic, POLL_TIMEOUT);
 
         pubObjPtr->sendMessage(message, key);
 
@@ -927,9 +932,9 @@ namespace KafkaPlugin
 
     ECL_KAFKA_API bool ECL_KAFKA_CALL publishMessage(ICodeContext* ctx, const char* brokers, const char* topic, size32_t lenMessage, const char* message, size32_t lenKey, const char* key)
     {
-        std::call_once(pubCacheInitFlag, setupPublisherCache);
+        setupPublisherCache();
 
-        Publisher*          pubObjPtr = publisherCache->getPublisher(brokers, topic, POLL_TIMEOUT);
+        Publisher*          pubObjPtr = queryPublisherCache().getPublisher(brokers, topic, POLL_TIMEOUT);
         std::string         messageStr(message, rtlUtf8Size(lenMessage, message));
         std::string         keyStr(key, rtlUtf8Size(lenKey, key));
 
@@ -1088,9 +1093,6 @@ ECL_KAFKA_API bool getECLPluginDefinition(ECLPluginDefinitionBlock* pb)
 
 MODULE_INIT(INIT_PRIORITY_STANDARD)
 {
-    KafkaPlugin::publisherCache = NULL;
-    KafkaPlugin::publisherCacheExpirer = NULL;
-
     return true;
 }
 
@@ -1098,19 +1100,8 @@ MODULE_EXIT()
 {
     // Delete the background thread expiring items from the publisher cache
     // before deleting the publisher cache
-    if (KafkaPlugin::publisherCacheExpirer)
-    {
-        KafkaPlugin::publisherCacheExpirer->stop();
-        delete(KafkaPlugin::publisherCacheExpirer);
-        KafkaPlugin::publisherCacheExpirer = NULL;
-    }
-
-     if (KafkaPlugin::publisherCache)
-    {
-        KafkaPlugin::publisherCache->deleteAll();
-        delete(KafkaPlugin::publisherCache);
-        KafkaPlugin::publisherCache = NULL;
-    }
+    KafkaPlugin::publisherCacheExpirer.destroy();
+    KafkaPlugin::publisherCache.destroy();
 
     RdKafka::wait_destroyed(3000);
 }