diff --git a/apps/files_external/appinfo/app.php b/apps/files_external/appinfo/app.php
index 37a489535e..6c659af8aa 100644
--- a/apps/files_external/appinfo/app.php
+++ b/apps/files_external/appinfo/app.php
@@ -47,8 +47,9 @@ OC::$CLASSPATH['OCA\Files\External\Api'] = 'files_external/lib/api.php';
 
 require_once __DIR__ . '/../3rdparty/autoload.php';
 
-$app = new \OCA\Files_external\Appinfo\Application();
-$appContainer = $app->getContainer();
+// register Application object singleton
+\OC_Mount_Config::$app = new \OCA\Files_external\Appinfo\Application();
+$appContainer = \OC_Mount_Config::$app->getContainer();
 
 $l = \OC::$server->getL10N('files_external');
 
@@ -65,9 +66,6 @@ if (OCP\Config::getAppValue('files_external', 'allow_user_mounting', 'yes') == '
 	"name" => $l->t('External storage')
 ]);
 
-// Teach OC_Mount_Config about the AppFramework
-\OC_Mount_Config::initApp($appContainer);
-
 // connecting hooks
 OCP\Util::connectHook('OC_Filesystem', 'post_initMountPoints', '\OC_Mount_Config', 'initMountPointsHook');
 OCP\Util::connectHook('OC_User', 'post_login', 'OC\Files\Storage\SMB_OC', 'login');
diff --git a/apps/files_external/appinfo/routes.php b/apps/files_external/appinfo/routes.php
index bc4b0e98c9..213e7b28dc 100644
--- a/apps/files_external/appinfo/routes.php
+++ b/apps/files_external/appinfo/routes.php
@@ -28,8 +28,7 @@ namespace OCA\Files_External\AppInfo;
 /**
  * @var $this \OC\Route\Router
  **/
-$application = new Application();
-$application->registerRoutes(
+\OC_Mount_Config::$app->registerRoutes(
 	$this,
 	array(
 		'resources' => array(
diff --git a/apps/files_external/lib/config.php b/apps/files_external/lib/config.php
index 6fdf050fb6..5c38a3ba0c 100644
--- a/apps/files_external/lib/config.php
+++ b/apps/files_external/lib/config.php
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
  */
 
 use phpseclib\Crypt\AES;
-use \OCP\AppFramework\IAppContainer;
+use \OCA\Files_External\Appinfo\Application;
 use \OCA\Files_External\Lib\BackendConfig;
 use \OCA\Files_External\Service\BackendService;
 use \OCA\Files_External\Lib\Backend\LegacyBackend;
@@ -56,17 +56,8 @@ class OC_Mount_Config {
 	// whether to skip backend test (for unit tests, as this static class is not mockable)
 	public static $skipTest = false;
 
-	/** @var IAppContainer */
-	private static $appContainer;
-
-	/**
-	 * Teach OC_Mount_Config about the AppFramework
-	 *
-	 * @param IAppContainer $appContainer
-	 */
-	public static function initApp(IAppContainer $appContainer) {
-		self::$appContainer = $appContainer;
-	}
+	/** @var Application */
+	public static $app;
 
 	/**
 	 * @param string $class
@@ -75,8 +66,8 @@ class OC_Mount_Config {
 	 * @deprecated 8.2.0 use \OCA\Files_External\Service\BackendService::registerBackend()
 	 */
 	public static function registerBackend($class, $definition) {
-		$backendService = self::$appContainer->query('OCA\Files_External\Service\BackendService');
-		$auth = self::$appContainer->query('OCA\Files_External\Lib\Auth\Builtin');
+		$backendService = self::$app->getContainer()->query('OCA\Files_External\Service\BackendService');
+		$auth = self::$app->getContainer()->query('OCA\Files_External\Lib\Auth\Builtin');
 
 		$backendService->registerBackend(new LegacyBackend($class, $definition, $auth));
 
@@ -128,9 +119,9 @@ class OC_Mount_Config {
 	public static function getAbsoluteMountPoints($uid) {
 		$mountPoints = array();
 
-		$userGlobalStoragesService = self::$appContainer->query('OCA\Files_External\Service\UserGlobalStoragesService');
-		$userStoragesService = self::$appContainer->query('OCA\Files_External\Service\UserStoragesService');
-		$user = self::$appContainer->query('OCP\IUserManager')->get($uid);
+		$userGlobalStoragesService = self::$app->getContainer()->query('OCA\Files_External\Service\UserGlobalStoragesService');
+		$userStoragesService = self::$app->getContainer()->query('OCA\Files_External\Service\UserStoragesService');
+		$user = self::$app->getContainer()->query('OCP\IUserManager')->get($uid);
 
 		$userGlobalStoragesService->setUser($user);
 		$userStoragesService->setUser($user);
@@ -168,7 +159,7 @@ class OC_Mount_Config {
 	 */
 	public static function getSystemMountPoints() {
 		$mountPoints = [];
-		$service = self::$appContainer->query('OCA\Files_External\Service\GlobalStoragesService');
+		$service = self::$app->getContainer()->query('OCA\Files_External\Service\GlobalStoragesService');
 
 		foreach ($service->getAllStorages() as $storage) {
 			$mountPoints[] = self::prepareMountPointEntry($storage, false);
@@ -184,7 +175,7 @@ class OC_Mount_Config {
 	 */
 	public static function getPersonalMountPoints() {
 		$mountPoints = [];
-		$service = self::$appContainer->query('OCA\Files_External\Service\UserStoragesService');
+		$service = self::$app->getContainer()->query('OCA\Files_External\Service\UserStoragesService');
 
 		foreach ($service->getAllStorages() as $storage) {
 			$mountPoints[] = self::prepareMountPointEntry($storage, true);
@@ -533,7 +524,7 @@ class OC_Mount_Config {
 			return false;
 		}
 
-		$service = self::$appContainer->query('OCA\Files_External\Service\BackendService');
+		$service = self::$app->getContainer()->query('OCA\Files_External\Service\BackendService');
 		$class = $service->getBackend($options['backend'])->getStorageClass();
 		try {
 			/** @var \OC\Files\Storage\Storage $storage */
diff --git a/apps/files_external/personal.php b/apps/files_external/personal.php
index fec1c195bb..696ca51b2e 100644
--- a/apps/files_external/personal.php
+++ b/apps/files_external/personal.php
@@ -26,8 +26,8 @@
 
 use \OCA\Files_External\Service\BackendService;
 
-$app = new \OCA\Files_external\Appinfo\Application();
-$appContainer = $app->getContainer();
+// we must use the same container
+$appContainer = \OC_Mount_Config::$app->getContainer();
 $backendService = $appContainer->query('OCA\Files_External\Service\BackendService');
 $userStoragesService = $appContainer->query('OCA\Files_external\Service\UserStoragesService');
 
diff --git a/apps/files_external/settings.php b/apps/files_external/settings.php
index 7e20af0c60..2ad31a3113 100644
--- a/apps/files_external/settings.php
+++ b/apps/files_external/settings.php
@@ -30,8 +30,8 @@ use \OCA\Files_External\Service\BackendService;
 
 OC_Util::checkAdminUser();
 
-$app = new \OCA\Files_external\Appinfo\Application();
-$appContainer = $app->getContainer();
+// we must use the same container
+$appContainer = \OC_Mount_Config::$app->getContainer();
 $backendService = $appContainer->query('OCA\Files_External\Service\BackendService');
 $globalStoragesService = $appContainer->query('OCA\Files_external\Service\GlobalStoragesService');
 
diff --git a/apps/files_external/tests/service/storagesservicetest.php b/apps/files_external/tests/service/storagesservicetest.php
index 07286106c7..28220c9bc2 100644
--- a/apps/files_external/tests/service/storagesservicetest.php
+++ b/apps/files_external/tests/service/storagesservicetest.php
@@ -121,7 +121,12 @@ abstract class StoragesServiceTest extends \Test\TestCase {
 					return $this->backendService;
 				}
 			}));
-		\OC_Mount_Config::initApp($containerMock);
+
+		\OC_Mount_Config::$app = $this->getMockBuilder('\OCA\Files_External\Appinfo\Application')
+			->disableOriginalConstructor()
+			->getMock();
+		\OC_Mount_Config::$app->method('getContainer')
+			->willReturn($containerMock);
 	}
 
 	public function tearDown() {