diff --git a/builtin/apply.c b/builtin/apply.c
index 47622bee69..980bb34522 100644
--- a/builtin/apply.c
+++ b/builtin/apply.c
@@ -34,6 +34,20 @@ enum ws_ignore {
 	ignore_ws_change
 };
 
+/*
+ * We need to keep track of how symlinks in the preimage are
+ * manipulated by the patches.  A patch to add a/b/c where a/b
+ * is a symlink should not be allowed to affect the directory
+ * the symlink points at, but if the same patch removes a/b,
+ * it is perfectly fine, as the patch removes a/b to make room
+ * to create a directory a/b so that a/b/c can be created.
+ *
+ * See also "struct string_list symlink_changes" in "struct
+ * apply_state".
+ */
+#define SYMLINK_GOES_AWAY 01
+#define SYMLINK_IN_RESULT 02
+
 struct apply_state {
 	const char *prefix;
 	int prefix_length;
@@ -75,6 +89,7 @@ struct apply_state {
 
 	/* Various "current state" */
 	int linenr; /* current line number */
+	struct string_list symlink_changes; /* we have to track symlinks */
 
 	/*
 	 * For "diff-stat" like behaviour, we keep track of the biggest change
@@ -3702,52 +3717,42 @@ static int check_to_create(struct apply_state *state,
 	return 0;
 }
 
-/*
- * We need to keep track of how symlinks in the preimage are
- * manipulated by the patches.  A patch to add a/b/c where a/b
- * is a symlink should not be allowed to affect the directory
- * the symlink points at, but if the same patch removes a/b,
- * it is perfectly fine, as the patch removes a/b to make room
- * to create a directory a/b so that a/b/c can be created.
- */
-static struct string_list symlink_changes;
-#define SYMLINK_GOES_AWAY 01
-#define SYMLINK_IN_RESULT 02
-
-static uintptr_t register_symlink_changes(const char *path, uintptr_t what)
+static uintptr_t register_symlink_changes(struct apply_state *state,
+					  const char *path,
+					  uintptr_t what)
 {
 	struct string_list_item *ent;
 
-	ent = string_list_lookup(&symlink_changes, path);
+	ent = string_list_lookup(&state->symlink_changes, path);
 	if (!ent) {
-		ent = string_list_insert(&symlink_changes, path);
+		ent = string_list_insert(&state->symlink_changes, path);
 		ent->util = (void *)0;
 	}
 	ent->util = (void *)(what | ((uintptr_t)ent->util));
 	return (uintptr_t)ent->util;
 }
 
-static uintptr_t check_symlink_changes(const char *path)
+static uintptr_t check_symlink_changes(struct apply_state *state, const char *path)
 {
 	struct string_list_item *ent;
 
-	ent = string_list_lookup(&symlink_changes, path);
+	ent = string_list_lookup(&state->symlink_changes, path);
 	if (!ent)
 		return 0;
 	return (uintptr_t)ent->util;
 }
 
-static void prepare_symlink_changes(struct patch *patch)
+static void prepare_symlink_changes(struct apply_state *state, struct patch *patch)
 {
 	for ( ; patch; patch = patch->next) {
 		if ((patch->old_name && S_ISLNK(patch->old_mode)) &&
 		    (patch->is_rename || patch->is_delete))
 			/* the symlink at patch->old_name is removed */
-			register_symlink_changes(patch->old_name, SYMLINK_GOES_AWAY);
+			register_symlink_changes(state, patch->old_name, SYMLINK_GOES_AWAY);
 
 		if (patch->new_name && S_ISLNK(patch->new_mode))
 			/* the symlink at patch->new_name is created or remains */
-			register_symlink_changes(patch->new_name, SYMLINK_IN_RESULT);
+			register_symlink_changes(state, patch->new_name, SYMLINK_IN_RESULT);
 	}
 }
 
@@ -3761,7 +3766,7 @@ static int path_is_beyond_symlink_1(struct apply_state *state, struct strbuf *na
 		if (!name->len)
 			break;
 		name->buf[name->len] = '\0';
-		change = check_symlink_changes(name->buf);
+		change = check_symlink_changes(state, name->buf);
 		if (change & SYMLINK_IN_RESULT)
 			return 1;
 		if (change & SYMLINK_GOES_AWAY)
@@ -3930,7 +3935,7 @@ static int check_patch_list(struct apply_state *state, struct patch *patch)
 {
 	int err = 0;
 
-	prepare_symlink_changes(patch);
+	prepare_symlink_changes(state, patch);
 	prepare_fn_table(state, patch);
 	while (patch) {
 		if (state->apply_verbosely)
@@ -4668,6 +4673,7 @@ static void init_apply_state(struct apply_state *state, const char *prefix)
 static void clear_apply_state(struct apply_state *state)
 {
 	string_list_clear(&state->limit_by_name, 0);
+	string_list_clear(&state->symlink_changes, 0);
 	strbuf_release(&state->root);
 
 	/* &state->fn_table is cleared at the end of apply_patch() */