diff --git a/espeakup.c b/espeakup.c
index d7dce8d..16891a4 100644
--- a/espeakup.c
+++ b/espeakup.c
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ const char *Version = "0.71";
 const char *pidPath = "/var/run/espeakup.pid";
 
 int debug = 0;
+struct queue_t *synth_queue = NULL;
 
 int self_pipe_fds[2];
 volatile int should_run = 1;
@@ -82,6 +83,12 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 	struct synth_t s = {
 		.voice = "",
 	};
+	synth_queue = new_queue();
+
+	if (!synth_queue) {
+		fprintf(stderr, "Unable to allocate memory.\n");
+		return 2;
+	}
 
 	/* process command line options */
 	process_cli(argc, argv);
diff --git a/espeakup.h b/espeakup.h
index 7074bd1..3afbf54 100644
--- a/espeakup.h
+++ b/espeakup.h
@@ -63,12 +63,16 @@ struct synth_t {
 	int len;
 };
 
+struct queue_t;	/* An opaque type. */
+
+extern struct queue_t *synth_queue;
 extern int debug;
 
 extern void process_cli(int argc, char **argv);
-extern void queue_add(void *entry);
-extern void queue_remove(void);
-extern void *queue_peek(void);
+extern struct queue_t *new_queue(void);
+extern void queue_add(struct queue_t *q, void *entry);
+extern void queue_remove(struct queue_t *q);
+extern void *queue_peek(struct queue_t *q);
 extern void *signal_thread(void *arg);
 extern int initialize_espeak(struct synth_t *s);
 extern void *espeak_thread(void *arg);
diff --git a/queue.c b/queue.c
index dcce07c..c12ced9 100644
--- a/queue.c
+++ b/queue.c
@@ -31,48 +31,59 @@ struct queue_entry_t {
 	struct queue_entry_t *next;
 };
 
-static struct queue_entry_t *head = NULL;
-static struct queue_entry_t *tail = NULL;
+struct queue_t {
+	struct queue_entry_t *head, *tail;
+};
 
-void queue_add(void *data)
+struct queue_t *new_queue(void)
 {
-struct queue_entry_t *tmp;
+	struct queue_t *q = malloc(sizeof(struct queue_t));
+	if (q != NULL) {
+		q->head = NULL;
+		q->tail = NULL;
+	}
+	return q;
+}
+
+void queue_add(struct queue_t *q, void *data)
+{
+	struct queue_entry_t *tmp;
 
 	assert(data);
 	tmp = malloc(sizeof(struct queue_entry_t));
-	if (! tmp) {
+	if (!tmp) {
 		printf("Unable to allocate memory for queue entry.\n");
 		return;
 	}
 	tmp->data = data;
 	tmp->next = NULL;
-	if (! tail) {
-		tail = tmp;
+	if (!q->tail) {
+		q->tail = tmp;
 	} else {
-		tail->next = tmp;
-		tail = tail->next;
+		q->tail->next = tmp;
+		q->tail = q->tail->next;
 	}
-	if (!head)
-		head = tmp;
+	if (!q->head)
+		q->head = tmp;
 }
 
-void queue_remove(void)
+void queue_remove(struct queue_t *q)
 {
 	struct queue_entry_t *tmp;
 
-	if (head) {
-		tmp = head;
-		head = tmp->next;
+	if (q->head) {
+		tmp = q->head;
+		q->head = tmp->next;
 		free(tmp);
-		if (!head)
-			tail = head;
+		if (!q->head)
+			q->tail = q->head;
 	}
 }
 
-void *queue_peek(void)
+void *queue_peek(struct queue_t *q)
 {
-	if (head)
-		return head->data;
+	if (q->head)
+		return q->head->data;
 	else
 		return NULL;
 }
diff --git a/softsynth.c b/softsynth.c
index 4ccb087..27b466c 100644
--- a/softsynth.c
+++ b/softsynth.c
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ static void queue_add_cmd(enum command_t cmd, enum adjust_t adj, int value)
 	entry->adjust = adj;
 	entry->value = value;
 	pthread_mutex_lock(&queue_guard);
-	queue_add((void *) entry);
+	queue_add(synth_queue, (void *) entry);
 	pthread_cond_signal(&runner_awake);
 	pthread_mutex_unlock(&queue_guard);
 }
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ static void queue_add_text(char *txt, size_t length)
 	}
 	entry->len = length;
 	pthread_mutex_lock(&queue_guard);
-	queue_add((void *) entry);
+	queue_add(synth_queue, (void *) entry);
 	pthread_cond_signal(&runner_awake);
 	pthread_mutex_unlock(&queue_guard);
 }
diff --git a/synth.c b/synth.c
index 67559f6..d34ad64 100644
--- a/synth.c
+++ b/synth.c
@@ -150,15 +150,15 @@ static void free_espeak_entry(struct espeak_entry_t *entry)
 	free(entry);
 }
 
-static void queue_clear()
+static void synth_queue_clear()
 {
 	struct espeak_entry_t *current;
 
-	current = (struct espeak_entry_t *) queue_peek();
+	current = (struct espeak_entry_t *) queue_peek(synth_queue);
 	while (current) {
 		free_espeak_entry(current);
-		queue_remove();
-		current = (struct espeak_entry_t *) queue_peek();
+		queue_remove(synth_queue);
+		current = (struct espeak_entry_t *) queue_peek(synth_queue);
 	}
 }
 
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ static void queue_process_entry(struct synth_t *s)
 	espeak_ERROR error;
 	struct espeak_entry_t *current;
 
-	current = (struct espeak_entry_t *) queue_peek();
+	current = (struct espeak_entry_t *) queue_peek(synth_queue);
 	pthread_mutex_unlock(&queue_guard);
 	if (current) {
 		switch (current->cmd) {
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@ static void queue_process_entry(struct synth_t *s)
 		if (error == EE_OK) {
 			free_espeak_entry(current);
 			pthread_mutex_lock(&queue_guard);
-			queue_remove();
+			queue_remove(synth_queue);
 			pthread_mutex_unlock(&queue_guard);
 		}
 	}
@@ -263,17 +263,17 @@ void *espeak_thread(void *arg)
 	pthread_mutex_lock(&queue_guard);
 	while (should_run) {
 
-		while (should_run && !queue_peek()  && !runner_must_stop)
+		while (should_run && !queue_peek(synth_queue) && !runner_must_stop)
 			pthread_cond_wait(&runner_awake, &queue_guard);
 
 		if (runner_must_stop) {
-			queue_clear();
+			synth_queue_clear();
 			stop_speech();
 			runner_must_stop = 0;
 			pthread_cond_signal(&stop_acknowledged);
 		}
 
-		while (should_run && queue_peek() && !runner_must_stop) {
+		while (should_run && queue_peek(synth_queue) && !runner_must_stop) {
 			queue_process_entry(s);
 			pthread_mutex_lock(&queue_guard);
 		}