diff --git a/stepmania/src/LuaReference.h b/stepmania/src/LuaReference.h
index 70f95dc779..6ec07ab0f2 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/LuaReference.h
+++ b/stepmania/src/LuaReference.h
@@ -44,6 +44,18 @@ public:
 
 	RString Serialize() const;
 
+	template<typename T>
+	static LuaReference Create( const T &val )
+	{
+		Lua *L = LUA->Get();
+		LuaReference ref;
+		LuaHelpers::Push( L, val );
+		ref.SetFromStack( L );
+		LUA->Release( L );
+
+		return ref;
+	}
+
 private:
 	void Unregister();
 	int m_iReference;
diff --git a/stepmania/src/ScreenGameplayLesson.cpp b/stepmania/src/ScreenGameplayLesson.cpp
index cc3a69371e..0c1a85cb53 100644
--- a/stepmania/src/ScreenGameplayLesson.cpp
+++ b/stepmania/src/ScreenGameplayLesson.cpp
@@ -39,12 +39,9 @@ void ScreenGameplayLesson::Init()
 		int i = s - vs.begin();
 		AutoActor &aa = m_vPages[i];
 
-
-		LUA->SetGlobal( "PageIndex", i );
-		LUA->SetGlobal( "NumPages", (int)vs.size() );
+		LuaThreadVariable iIndex( "PageIndex", LuaReference::Create(i) );
+		LuaThreadVariable iPages( "NumPages", LuaReference::Create( (int)vs.size() ) );
 		aa.Load( *s );
-		LUA->UnsetGlobal( "PageIndex" );
-		LUA->UnsetGlobal( "NumPages" );
 
 
 		aa->SetDrawOrder( DRAW_ORDER_OVERLAY+1 );