diff --git a/numpy/core/code_generators/generate_numpy_api.py b/numpy/core/code_generators/generate_numpy_api.py
index 96959b01c69a..917df6d81dd3 100644
--- a/numpy/core/code_generators/generate_numpy_api.py
+++ b/numpy/core/code_generators/generate_numpy_api.py
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
 #if defined(NO_IMPORT) || defined(NO_IMPORT_ARRAY)
 extern void **PyArray_API;
 #else
+HPyContext *numpy_global_ctx = NULL;
 #if defined(PY_ARRAY_UNIQUE_SYMBOL)
 void **PyArray_API;
 #else
@@ -51,7 +52,6 @@
       return -1;
   }
   c_api = PyObject_GetAttrString(numpy, "_ARRAY_API");
-  Py_DECREF(numpy);
   if (c_api == NULL) {
       PyErr_SetString(PyExc_AttributeError, "_ARRAY_API not found");
       return -1;
@@ -69,6 +69,11 @@
       return -1;
   }
 
+  PyObject *ctx_capsule = PyObject_GetAttrString(numpy, "_HPY_CONTEXT");
+  Py_DECREF(numpy);
+  numpy_global_ctx = (HPyContext *)PyCapsule_GetPointer(ctx_capsule, NULL);
+  Py_DECREF(ctx_capsule);
+
   /* Perform runtime check of C API version */
   if (NPY_VERSION != PyArray_GetNDArrayCVersion()) {
       PyErr_Format(PyExc_RuntimeError, "module compiled against "\
diff --git a/numpy/core/include/numpy/ndarraytypes.h b/numpy/core/include/numpy/ndarraytypes.h
index 1147f5159076..dbec133371e8 100644
--- a/numpy/core/include/numpy/ndarraytypes.h
+++ b/numpy/core/include/numpy/ndarraytypes.h
@@ -9,7 +9,13 @@
 #define NPY_NO_EXPORT NPY_VISIBILITY_HIDDEN
 
 #include "hpy.h"
-#define npy_get_context _HPyGetContext
+extern NPY_NO_EXPORT HPyContext *numpy_global_ctx;
+static NPY_INLINE HPyContext *
+npy_get_context(void)
+{
+    assert(numpy_global_ctx != NULL);
+    return numpy_global_ctx;
+}
 
 /* Only use thread if configured in config and python supports it */
 #if defined WITH_THREAD && !NPY_NO_SMP
diff --git a/numpy/core/src/multiarray/multiarraymodule.c b/numpy/core/src/multiarray/multiarraymodule.c
index 608b2535ed4f..285488b8f9de 100644
--- a/numpy/core/src/multiarray/multiarraymodule.c
+++ b/numpy/core/src/multiarray/multiarraymodule.c
@@ -105,6 +105,7 @@ set_legacy_print_mode(PyObject *NPY_UNUSED(self), PyObject *args)
 }
 
 NPY_NO_EXPORT PyTypeObject* _PyArray_Type_p = NULL;
+NPY_NO_EXPORT HPyContext *numpy_global_ctx = NULL;
 
 /* Only here for API compatibility */
 NPY_NO_EXPORT PyTypeObject PyBigArray_Type;
@@ -4938,6 +4939,16 @@ static HPy init__multiarray_umath_impl(HPyContext *ctx) {
         goto err;
     }
 #endif
+
+    /* Store the context so legacy functions and extensions can access it */
+    numpy_global_ctx = ctx;
+    s = PyCapsule_New((void *)ctx, NULL, NULL);
+    if (s == NULL) {
+        goto err;
+    }
+    PyDict_SetItemString(d, "_HPY_CONTEXT", s);
+    Py_DECREF(s);
+
     return HPy_FromPyObject(ctx, m);
 
  err: