diff --git a/php_yaf.h b/php_yaf.h
index 1f521de1..8a47cd9c 100644
--- a/php_yaf.h
+++ b/php_yaf.h
@@ -46,23 +46,23 @@ extern zend_module_entry yaf_module_entry;
 
 #define PHP_YAF_VERSION 					"3.1.4-dev"
 
-#ifndef GC_ADDREF
-#define GC_ADDREF(gc)   (++GC_REFCOUNT(gc))
-#define GC_DELREF(gc)   (--GC_REFCOUNT(gc))
-#endif
-
 #define YAF_STARTUP_FUNCTION(module)   	ZEND_MINIT_FUNCTION(yaf_##module)
 #define YAF_RINIT_FUNCTION(module)		ZEND_RINIT_FUNCTION(yaf_##module)
 #define YAF_STARTUP(module)	 		  	ZEND_MODULE_STARTUP_N(yaf_##module)(INIT_FUNC_ARGS_PASSTHRU)
 #define YAF_SHUTDOWN_FUNCTION(module)  	ZEND_MSHUTDOWN_FUNCTION(yaf_##module)
 #define YAF_SHUTDOWN(module)	 	    ZEND_MODULE_SHUTDOWN_N(yaf_##module)(INIT_FUNC_ARGS_PASSTHRU)
 #define YAF_ME(c, m, a, f)              {m, PHP_MN(c), a, (unsigned)(sizeof(a)/sizeof(struct _zend_arg_info)-1), f},
+#define YAF_VAR_FLAGS(v)                ((v).u2.next)
 
 #if PHP_VERSION_ID < 70400
 #define YAF_WRITE_HANDLER       void
 #define YAF_WHANDLER_RET(zv)    return
 #ifndef HT_ALLOW_COW_VIOLATION
 #define HT_ALLOW_COW_VIOLATION
+#if PHP_VERSION_ID < 70300
+#define GC_ADDREF(gc)           (++GC_REFCOUNT(gc))
+#define GC_DELREF(gc)           (--GC_REFCOUNT(gc))
+#endif
 #endif
 #else
 #define YAF_WRITE_HANDLER       zval *
@@ -102,7 +102,6 @@ ZEND_BEGIN_MODULE_GLOBALS(yaf)
     zend_bool         lowcase_path;
     zend_bool         use_spl_autoload;
     zend_bool         use_namespace;
-    zend_bool         in_exception;
 	zend_bool         throw_exception;
 	zend_bool         catch_exception;
     unsigned int      forward_limit;
diff --git a/yaf.c b/yaf.c
index c5b7ddd2..852b7722 100644
--- a/yaf.c
+++ b/yaf.c
@@ -341,7 +341,6 @@ PHP_MSHUTDOWN_FUNCTION(yaf)
 */
 PHP_RINIT_FUNCTION(yaf)
 {
-	YAF_G(in_exception) = 0;
 	YAF_G(throw_exception) = 1;
 	YAF_G(catch_exception) = 0;
 
diff --git a/yaf_application.c b/yaf_application.c
index 5f3fae63..0bfb380d 100644
--- a/yaf_application.c
+++ b/yaf_application.c
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ static HashTable *yaf_application_get_properties(zval *object) /* {{{ */ {
 	ZVAL_STR_COPY(&rv, app->env);
 	zend_hash_str_update(ht, "environ:protected", sizeof("environ:protected") - 1, &rv);
 
-	ZVAL_BOOL(&rv, app->flags & YAF_APP_RUNNING);
+	ZVAL_BOOL(&rv, YAF_APP_FLAGS(app) & YAF_APP_RUNNING);
 	zend_hash_str_update(ht, "running:protected", sizeof("running:protected") - 1, &rv);
 
 	if (app->err_msg) {
@@ -741,18 +741,18 @@ PHP_METHOD(yaf_application, run) {
 	yaf_application_object *app = Z_YAFAPPOBJ_P(getThis());
 	yaf_response_t *response;
 
-	if (UNEXPECTED(app->flags & YAF_APP_RUNNING)) {
+	if (UNEXPECTED(YAF_APP_FLAGS(app) & YAF_APP_RUNNING)) {
 		yaf_trigger_error(YAF_ERR_STARTUP_FAILED, "Application is already started");
 		RETURN_FALSE;
 	}
 
-	app->flags |= YAF_APP_RUNNING;
+	YAF_APP_FLAGS(app) |= YAF_APP_RUNNING;
 	if ((response = yaf_dispatcher_dispatch(Z_YAFDISPATCHEROBJ(app->dispatcher))) == NULL) {
-		app->flags &= ~YAF_APP_RUNNING;
+		YAF_APP_FLAGS(app) &= ~YAF_APP_RUNNING;
 		RETURN_FALSE;
 	}
 
-	app->flags &= ~YAF_APP_RUNNING;
+	YAF_APP_FLAGS(app) &= ~YAF_APP_RUNNING;
 	RETURN_ZVAL(response, 1, 0);
 }
 /* }}} */
diff --git a/yaf_application.h b/yaf_application.h
index 357c460a..a3233fe8 100644
--- a/yaf_application.h
+++ b/yaf_application.h
@@ -17,22 +17,24 @@
 #ifndef PHP_YAF_APPLICATION_H
 #define PHP_YAF_APPLICATION_H
 
+#define YAF_APP_RUNNING     (1<<0)
+#define YAF_APP_FLAGS(a)    YAF_VAR_FLAGS(a->dispatcher)
+
 typedef struct {
-    zend_uchar       flags;
-	zend_string     *default_module;
-	zend_string     *default_controller;
-	zend_string     *default_action;
 	zend_string     *library;
 	zend_string     *directory;
-	zend_string     *ext;
 	zend_string     *bootstrap;
-	zend_string     *view_ext;
 	zend_string     *base_uri;
 	zend_array      *default_route;
-	zend_array      *modules;
+	zend_string     *default_module;
+	zend_string     *default_controller;
+	zend_string     *default_action;
     yaf_dispatcher_t dispatcher;
     yaf_config_t     config;
+	zend_string     *ext;
+	zend_string     *view_ext;
 	zend_string     *env;
+	zend_array      *modules;
 	unsigned int     err_no;
 	zend_string     *err_msg;
 	zend_array      *properties;
@@ -46,8 +48,6 @@ static zend_always_inline yaf_application_object *php_yaf_application_fetch_obje
 	return (yaf_application_object *)((char*)(obj) - XtOffsetOf(yaf_application_object, std));
 }
 
-#define YAF_APP_RUNNING     (1<<0)
-
 extern zend_class_entry *yaf_application_ce;
 
 int yaf_application_is_module_name(zend_string *name);
diff --git a/yaf_dispatcher.c b/yaf_dispatcher.c
index 86c712b9..f52b041f 100644
--- a/yaf_dispatcher.c
+++ b/yaf_dispatcher.c
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ void yaf_dispatcher_instance(yaf_dispatcher_t *this_ptr) /* {{{ */ {
 		ZVAL_NULL(&dispatcher->request);
 		ZVAL_NULL(&dispatcher->response);
 		ZVAL_NULL(&dispatcher->view);
-		dispatcher->flags = YAF_DISPATCHER_AUTO_RENDER;
+		YAF_DISPATCHER_FLAGS(dispatcher) = YAF_DISPATCHER_AUTO_RENDER;
 		dispatcher->plugins = NULL;
 		dispatcher->properties = NULL;
 
@@ -170,11 +170,11 @@ static HashTable *yaf_dispatcher_get_properties(zval *object) /* {{{ */ {
 
 	ht = dispatcher->properties;
 
-	ZVAL_BOOL(&rv, dispatcher->flags & YAF_DISPATCHER_AUTO_RENDER);
+	ZVAL_BOOL(&rv, YAF_DISPATCHER_FLAGS(dispatcher) & YAF_DISPATCHER_AUTO_RENDER);
 	zend_hash_str_update(ht, "auto_render:protected", sizeof("auto_render:protected") - 1, &rv);
-	ZVAL_BOOL(&rv, dispatcher->flags & YAF_DISPATCHER_INSTANT_FLUSH);
+	ZVAL_BOOL(&rv, YAF_DISPATCHER_FLAGS(dispatcher) & YAF_DISPATCHER_INSTANT_FLUSH);
 	zend_hash_str_update(ht, "instant_flush:protected", sizeof("instant_flush:protected") - 1, &rv);
-	ZVAL_BOOL(&rv, dispatcher->flags & YAF_DISPATCHER_RETURN_RESPONSE);
+	ZVAL_BOOL(&rv, YAF_DISPATCHER_FLAGS(dispatcher) & YAF_DISPATCHER_RETURN_RESPONSE);
 	zend_hash_str_update(ht, "return_response:protected", sizeof("return_response:protected") - 1, &rv);
 
 	ZVAL_COPY(&rv, &dispatcher->request);
@@ -626,9 +626,9 @@ int yaf_dispatcher_handle(yaf_dispatcher_object *dispatcher) /* {{{ */ {
 				return 0;
 			}
 
-			if (yaf_controller_auto_render(ctl, dispatcher->flags & YAF_DISPATCHER_AUTO_RENDER)) {
+			if (yaf_controller_auto_render(ctl, YAF_DISPATCHER_FLAGS(dispatcher) & YAF_DISPATCHER_AUTO_RENDER)) {
 				zval res;
-				zend_bool flush_instantly = dispatcher->flags & YAF_DISPATCHER_INSTANT_FLUSH;
+				zend_bool flush_instantly = YAF_DISPATCHER_FLAGS(dispatcher) & YAF_DISPATCHER_INSTANT_FLUSH;
 				if ((yaf_controller_render(&controller, origin_action, NULL, flush_instantly? NULL : &res))) {
 					if (!flush_instantly) {
 						ZEND_ASSERT(Z_TYPE(res) == IS_STRING);
@@ -659,11 +659,11 @@ void yaf_dispatcher_exception_handler(yaf_dispatcher_object *dispatcher) /* {{{
 	yaf_request_object *request = Z_YAFREQUESTOBJ(dispatcher->request);
 	yaf_response_object *response = Z_YAFRESPONSEOBJ(dispatcher->response);
 
-	if (YAF_G(in_exception) || !EG(exception)) {
+	if ((YAF_DISPATCHER_FLAGS(dispatcher) & YAF_DISPATCHER_IN_EXCEPTION)|| !EG(exception)) {
 		return;
 	}
 
-	YAF_G(in_exception) = 1;
+	YAF_DISPATCHER_FLAGS(dispatcher) |= YAF_DISPATCHER_IN_EXCEPTION;
 
 	ZVAL_OBJ(&exception, EG(exception));
 	EG(exception) = NULL;
@@ -692,16 +692,15 @@ void yaf_dispatcher_exception_handler(yaf_dispatcher_object *dispatcher) /* {{{
 		/* failover to uncaught exception */
 		zend_string_release(exception_str);
 		EG(exception) = Z_OBJ(exception);
-		YAF_G(in_exception) = 0;
+		YAF_DISPATCHER_FLAGS(dispatcher) = ~YAF_DISPATCHER_IN_EXCEPTION;
 		return;
 	}
 	yaf_request_set_dispatched(request, 0);
 
 	if (UNEXPECTED(!yaf_dispatcher_init_view(dispatcher, NULL, NULL))) {
-		/* ZEND VM report memleak if we don't remove this */
 		yaf_request_del_param(request, exception_str);
 		zend_string_release(exception_str);
-		YAF_G(in_exception) = 0;
+		YAF_DISPATCHER_FLAGS(dispatcher) = ~YAF_DISPATCHER_IN_EXCEPTION;
 		return;
 	}
 
@@ -722,7 +721,7 @@ void yaf_dispatcher_exception_handler(yaf_dispatcher_object *dispatcher) /* {{{
 	yaf_response_response(&dispatcher->response);
 
 	EG(opline_before_exception) = opline;
-	YAF_G(in_exception) = 0;
+	YAF_DISPATCHER_FLAGS(dispatcher) = ~YAF_DISPATCHER_IN_EXCEPTION;
 	YAF_EXCEPTION_ERASE_EXCEPTION();
 }
 /* }}} */
@@ -796,7 +795,7 @@ yaf_response_t *yaf_dispatcher_dispatch(yaf_dispatcher_object *dispatcher) /* {{
 		return NULL;
 	}
 
-	if (!(dispatcher->flags & YAF_DISPATCHER_RETURN_RESPONSE)) {
+	if (!(YAF_DISPATCHER_FLAGS(dispatcher) & YAF_DISPATCHER_RETURN_RESPONSE)) {
 		yaf_response_response(&dispatcher->response);
 
 		yaf_response_clear_body(Z_YAFRESPONSEOBJ(dispatcher->response), NULL);
@@ -860,7 +859,7 @@ PHP_METHOD(yaf_dispatcher, disableView) {
 		return;
 	}
 
-	dispatcher->flags &= ~YAF_DISPATCHER_AUTO_RENDER;
+	YAF_DISPATCHER_FLAGS(dispatcher) &= ~YAF_DISPATCHER_AUTO_RENDER;
 
 	RETURN_ZVAL(getThis(), 1, 0);
 }
@@ -875,7 +874,7 @@ PHP_METHOD(yaf_dispatcher, enableView) {
 		return;
 	}
 
-	dispatcher->flags |= YAF_DISPATCHER_AUTO_RENDER;
+	YAF_DISPATCHER_FLAGS(dispatcher) |= YAF_DISPATCHER_AUTO_RENDER;
 
 	RETURN_ZVAL(getThis(), 1, 0);
 }
@@ -893,13 +892,13 @@ PHP_METHOD(yaf_dispatcher, returnResponse) {
 
 	if (ZEND_NUM_ARGS()) {
 		if (return_response) {
-			dispatcher->flags |= YAF_DISPATCHER_RETURN_RESPONSE;
+			YAF_DISPATCHER_FLAGS(dispatcher) |= YAF_DISPATCHER_RETURN_RESPONSE;
 		} else {
-			dispatcher->flags &= ~YAF_DISPATCHER_RETURN_RESPONSE;
+			YAF_DISPATCHER_FLAGS(dispatcher) &= ~YAF_DISPATCHER_RETURN_RESPONSE;
 		}
 		RETURN_ZVAL(getThis(), 1, 0);
 	} else {
-		RETURN_BOOL(dispatcher->flags & YAF_DISPATCHER_RETURN_RESPONSE);
+		RETURN_BOOL(YAF_DISPATCHER_FLAGS(dispatcher) & YAF_DISPATCHER_RETURN_RESPONSE);
 	}
 }
 /* }}} */
@@ -916,14 +915,14 @@ PHP_METHOD(yaf_dispatcher, flushInstantly) {
 
 	if (ZEND_NUM_ARGS()) {
 		if (instantly_flush) {
-			dispatcher->flags |= YAF_DISPATCHER_INSTANT_FLUSH;
+			YAF_DISPATCHER_FLAGS(dispatcher) |= YAF_DISPATCHER_INSTANT_FLUSH;
 		} else {
-			dispatcher->flags &= ~YAF_DISPATCHER_INSTANT_FLUSH;
+			YAF_DISPATCHER_FLAGS(dispatcher) &= ~YAF_DISPATCHER_INSTANT_FLUSH;
 		}
 
 		RETURN_ZVAL(getThis(), 1, 0);
 	} else {
-		RETURN_BOOL(dispatcher->flags & YAF_DISPATCHER_INSTANT_FLUSH);
+		RETURN_BOOL(YAF_DISPATCHER_FLAGS(dispatcher) & YAF_DISPATCHER_INSTANT_FLUSH);
 	}
 }
 /* }}} */
@@ -1085,14 +1084,14 @@ PHP_METHOD(yaf_dispatcher, autoRender) {
 
 	if (ZEND_NUM_ARGS()) {
 		if (flag) {
-			dispatcher->flags |= YAF_DISPATCHER_AUTO_RENDER;
+			YAF_DISPATCHER_FLAGS(dispatcher) |= YAF_DISPATCHER_AUTO_RENDER;
 		} else {
-			dispatcher->flags &= ~YAF_DISPATCHER_AUTO_RENDER;
+			YAF_DISPATCHER_FLAGS(dispatcher) &= ~YAF_DISPATCHER_AUTO_RENDER;
 		}
 
 		RETURN_ZVAL(getThis(), 1, 0);
 	} else {
-		RETURN_BOOL(dispatcher->flags & YAF_DISPATCHER_AUTO_RENDER);
+		RETURN_BOOL(YAF_DISPATCHER_FLAGS(dispatcher) & YAF_DISPATCHER_AUTO_RENDER);
 	}
 }
 /* }}} */
diff --git a/yaf_dispatcher.h b/yaf_dispatcher.h
index 82135073..1a4643e1 100644
--- a/yaf_dispatcher.h
+++ b/yaf_dispatcher.h
@@ -33,9 +33,11 @@ extern zend_class_entry *yaf_dispatcher_ce;
 #define YAF_DISPATCHER_AUTO_RENDER       (1<<0)
 #define YAF_DISPATCHER_INSTANT_FLUSH     (1<<1)
 #define YAF_DISPATCHER_RETURN_RESPONSE   (1<<2)
+#define YAF_DISPATCHER_IN_EXCEPTION      (1<<7)
+
+#define YAF_DISPATCHER_FLAGS(d)   YAF_VAR_FLAGS((d)->request)
 
 typedef struct {
-	zend_uchar         flags;
 	yaf_request_t      request;
 	yaf_response_t     response;
 	yaf_router_t       router;