diff --git a/streamparse/bolt.py b/streamparse/bolt.py
index 637cbfca..83341205 100644
--- a/streamparse/bolt.py
+++ b/streamparse/bolt.py
@@ -10,9 +10,6 @@
 from ipc import read_handshake, read_tuple, send_message, json, _stdout, Tuple
 
 
-_ANCHOR_TUPLE = None
-
-
 class Bolt(Component):
     """The base class for all streamparse bolts. For more information on bolts,
     consult Storm's `Concepts documentation <http://storm.incubator.apache.org/documentation/Concepts.html>`_.
@@ -62,8 +59,6 @@ def emit(self, tup, stream=None, anchors=[], direct_task=None):
         if not isinstance(tup, list):
             raise TypeError('All tuples must be lists, received {!r} instead'
                             .format(type(tup)))
-        if _ANCHOR_TUPLE is not None:
-            anchors = [_ANCHOR_TUPLE]
         msg = {'command': 'emit', 'tuple': tup}
         if stream is not None:
             msg['stream'] = stream
@@ -90,8 +85,6 @@ def emit_many(self, tuples, stream=None, anchors=[], direct_task=None):
         :param direct_task: indicates the task to send the tuple to.
         :type direct_task: int
         """
-        if _ANCHOR_TUPLE is not None:
-            anchors = [_ANCHOR_TUPLE]
         msg = {
             'command': 'emit',
             'anchors': [a.id for a in anchors],
@@ -147,19 +140,24 @@ class BasicBolt(Bolt):
     """A bolt implementation that automatically acknowledges all tuples after
     :func:`process` completes."""
 
+    def emit(self, tup, stream=None, anchors=[], direct_task=None):
+        """Override to anchor to the current tuple if no anchors are specified"""
+        anchors = anchors of self.__current_tup
+        super(BasicBolt, self).emit(
+            tup, stream=stream, anchors=anchors, direct_task=direct_task
+        )
+
     def run(self):
-        global _ANCHOR_TUPLE
         storm_conf, context = read_handshake()
-        tup = None
+        self.__current_tup = None # used for auto-anchoring
         try:
             self.initialize(storm_conf, context)
             while True:
-                tup = read_tuple()
-                _ANCHOR_TUPLE = tup
-                self.process(tup)
-                self.ack(tup)
+                self.__current_tup = read_tuple()
+                self.process(self.__current_tup)
+                self.ack(self.__current_tup)
         except Exception as e:
-            self.raise_exception(e, tup)
+            self.raise_exception(e, self.__current_tup)
 
 
 class BatchingBolt(Bolt):