diff --git a/wp-settings.php b/wp-settings.php
index 40d3a61e1a..7898fb59b9 100644
--- a/wp-settings.php
+++ b/wp-settings.php
@@ -248,7 +248,7 @@ do_action( 'sanitize_comment_cookies' );
  * @global object $wp_the_query
  * @since 2.0.0
  */
-$wp_the_query = new WP_Query();
+$GLOBALS['wp_the_query'] = new WP_Query();
 
 /**
  * Holds the reference to @see $wp_the_query
@@ -256,7 +256,7 @@ $wp_the_query = new WP_Query();
  * @global object $wp_query
  * @since 1.5.0
  */
-$wp_query = $wp_the_query;
+$GLOBALS['wp_query'] = $GLOBALS['wp_the_query'];
 
 /**
  * Holds the WordPress Rewrite object for creating pretty URLs
@@ -270,7 +270,7 @@ $GLOBALS['wp_rewrite'] = new WP_Rewrite();
  * @global object $wp
  * @since 2.0.0
  */
-$wp = new WP();
+$GLOBALS['wp'] = new WP();
 
 /**
  * WordPress Widget Factory Object