diff --git a/cmd/helm/helm.go b/cmd/helm/helm.go
index ab06841e0..d521d6b34 100644
--- a/cmd/helm/helm.go
+++ b/cmd/helm/helm.go
@@ -42,10 +42,9 @@ import (
 var (
 	tillerTunnel *kube.Tunnel
 	settings     helm_env.EnvSettings
+	rootCmd      *cobra.Command
 )
 
-var RootCmd *cobra.Command
-
 var globalUsage = `The Kubernetes package manager
 
 To begin working with Helm, run the 'helm init' command:
@@ -159,7 +158,7 @@ func newRootCmd(args []string) *cobra.Command {
 	// Find and add plugins
 	loadPlugins(cmd, out)
 
-	RootCmd = cmd
+	rootCmd = cmd
 
 	return cmd
 }
@@ -295,3 +294,8 @@ func newClient() helm.Interface {
 	}
 	return helm.NewClient(options...)
 }
+
+// GetRootCmd returns the root cobra command
+func GetRootCmd() *cobra.Command {
+	return rootCmd
+}
diff --git a/cmd/helm/plugin_install.go b/cmd/helm/plugin_install.go
index 558cda8d2..87df4a64c 100644
--- a/cmd/helm/plugin_install.go
+++ b/cmd/helm/plugin_install.go
@@ -86,7 +86,8 @@ func (pcmd *pluginInstallCmd) run() error {
 
 	// Make sure a command with this name does not already exist.
 	pluginCmdName := p.Metadata.Name
-	for _, cmd := range RootCmd.Commands() {
+	rootCmd := GetRootCmd()
+	for _, cmd := range rootCmd.Commands() {
 		if cmd.Name() == pluginCmdName {
 			os.Remove(p.Dir)
 			err = fmt.Errorf("Plugin <%s> not installed as plugin with that name is already installed.", pluginCmdName)