diff --git a/phpBB/common.php b/phpBB/common.php
index 4ad669a021..d8375d365b 100644
--- a/phpBB/common.php
+++ b/phpBB/common.php
@@ -108,11 +108,6 @@ foreach ($phpbb_hook_finder->find() as $hook)
 	@include($phpbb_root_path . 'includes/hooks/' . $hook . '.' . $phpEx);
 }
 
-if (!$config['use_system_cron'])
-{
-	$cron = $phpbb_container->get('cron.manager');
-}
-
 /**
 * Main event which is triggered on every page
 *
diff --git a/phpBB/cron.php b/phpBB/cron.php
index 787183f689..f63642faa2 100644
--- a/phpBB/cron.php
+++ b/phpBB/cron.php
@@ -59,11 +59,7 @@ function do_cron($cron_lock, $run_tasks)
 //
 // If DEBUG is defined and cron lock cannot be obtained, a message will be printed.
 
-if ($config['use_system_cron'])
-{
-	$cron = $phpbb_container->get('cron.manager');
-}
-else
+if (!$config['use_system_cron'])
 {
 	$cron_type = request_var('cron_type', '');
 
@@ -74,6 +70,8 @@ else
 $cron_lock = $phpbb_container->get('cron.lock_db');
 if ($cron_lock->acquire())
 {
+	$cron = $phpbb_container->get('cron.manager');
+
 	if ($config['use_system_cron'])
 	{
 		$run_tasks = $cron->find_all_ready_tasks();
diff --git a/phpBB/includes/functions.php b/phpBB/includes/functions.php
index 49568bb1b2..adb6e1a0a0 100644
--- a/phpBB/includes/functions.php
+++ b/phpBB/includes/functions.php
@@ -5116,7 +5116,8 @@ function page_footer($run_cron = true, $display_template = true, $exit_handler =
 	// Call cron job?
 	if ($call_cron)
 	{
-		global $cron;
+		global $phpbb_container;
+		$cron = $phpbb_container->get('cron.manager');
 		$task = $cron->find_one_ready_task();
 
 		if ($task)