diff --git a/cmd/tools/vpm/common.v b/cmd/tools/vpm/common.v
index 1f1c9c75a6f540..4ee7fbf9966b6d 100644
--- a/cmd/tools/vpm/common.v
+++ b/cmd/tools/vpm/common.v
@@ -234,7 +234,7 @@ fn ensure_vcs_is_installed(vcs &VCS) ! {
 }
 
 fn increment_module_download_count(name string) ! {
-	if no_dl_count_increment {
+	if settings.no_dl_count_increment {
 		println('Skipping download count increment for "${name}".')
 		return
 	}
diff --git a/cmd/tools/vpm/install.v b/cmd/tools/vpm/install.v
index bb359ea842da50..8416c3335d73ad 100644
--- a/cmd/tools/vpm/install.v
+++ b/cmd/tools/vpm/install.v
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import v.vmod
 import v.help
 import net.urllib
 
-fn vpm_install(requested_modules []string, opts []string) {
+fn vpm_install(requested_modules []string) {
 	if settings.is_help {
 		help.print_and_exit('vpm')
 	}
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ fn vpm_install(requested_modules []string, opts []string) {
 	mut vpm_modules := modules.filter(it !in external_modules)
 	installed_modules := get_installed_modules()
 
-	if installed_modules.len > 0 && '--once' in opts {
+	if installed_modules.len > 0 && settings.is_once {
 		mut already_installed := []string{}
 		if external_modules.len > 0 {
 			mut i_deleted := []int{}
@@ -79,8 +79,7 @@ fn vpm_install(requested_modules []string, opts []string) {
 		vpm_install_from_vpm(vpm_modules)
 	}
 	if external_modules.len > 0 {
-		vcs := if '--hg' in opts { supported_vcs['hg'] } else { supported_vcs['git'] }
-		vpm_install_from_vcs(external_modules, vcs)
+		vpm_install_from_vcs(external_modules, supported_vcs[settings.vcs])
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/cmd/tools/vpm/settings.v b/cmd/tools/vpm/settings.v
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..c3edb7ad83bd81
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/tools/vpm/settings.v
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+module main
+
+import os
+import os.cmdline
+
+struct VpmSettings {
+mut:
+	is_help               bool
+	is_once               bool
+	is_verbose            bool
+	server_urls           []string
+	vcs                   string
+	vmodules_path         string
+	no_dl_count_increment bool
+}
+
+fn init_settings() VpmSettings {
+	args := os.args[1..]
+	opts := cmdline.only_options(args)
+	cmds := cmdline.only_non_options(args)
+	return VpmSettings{
+		is_help: '-h' in opts || '--help' in opts || 'help' in cmds
+		is_once: '--once' in opts
+		is_verbose: '-v' in opts
+		vcs: if '--hg' in opts { 'hg' } else { 'git' }
+		server_urls: cmdline.options(args, '--server-urls')
+		vmodules_path: os.vmodules_dir()
+		no_dl_count_increment: os.getenv('VPM_NO_INCREMENT') == '1'
+	}
+}
diff --git a/cmd/tools/vpm/vpm.v b/cmd/tools/vpm/vpm.v
index 4afed47036b1ef..587c71856f83a9 100644
--- a/cmd/tools/vpm/vpm.v
+++ b/cmd/tools/vpm/vpm.v
@@ -9,14 +9,6 @@ import rand
 import v.help
 import v.vmod
 
-struct VpmSettings {
-mut:
-	is_help       bool
-	is_verbose    bool
-	server_urls   []string
-	vmodules_path string
-}
-
 struct VCS {
 	dir  string
 	cmd  string
@@ -29,8 +21,7 @@ struct VCS {
 }
 
 const (
-	settings                = &VpmSettings{}
-	no_dl_count_increment   = os.getenv('VPM_NO_INCREMENT') == '1'
+	settings                = init_settings()
 	default_vpm_server_urls = ['https://vpm.vlang.io', 'https://vpm.url4e.com']
 	vpm_server_urls         = rand.shuffle_clone(default_vpm_server_urls) or { [] } // ensure that all queries are distributed fairly
 	valid_vpm_commands      = ['help', 'search', 'install', 'update', 'upgrade', 'outdated', 'list',
@@ -61,12 +52,10 @@ const (
 )
 
 fn main() {
-	init_settings()
 	// This tool is intended to be launched by the v frontend,
 	// which provides the path to V inside os.getenv('VEXE')
 	// args are: vpm [options] SUBCOMMAND module names
 	params := cmdline.only_non_options(os.args[1..])
-	options := cmdline.only_options(os.args[1..])
 	// dump(params)
 	if params.len < 1 {
 		help.print_and_exit('vpm', exit_code: 5)
@@ -82,7 +71,7 @@ fn main() {
 			vpm_search(requested_modules)
 		}
 		'install' {
-			vpm_install(requested_modules, options)
+			vpm_install(requested_modules)
 		}
 		'update' {
 			vpm_update(requested_modules)
@@ -113,17 +102,6 @@ fn main() {
 	}
 }
 
-fn init_settings() {
-	mut s := &VpmSettings(unsafe { nil })
-	unsafe {
-		s = settings
-	}
-	s.is_help = '-h' in os.args || '--help' in os.args || 'help' in os.args
-	s.is_verbose = '-v' in os.args
-	s.server_urls = cmdline.options(os.args, '-server-url')
-	s.vmodules_path = os.vmodules_dir()
-}
-
 fn vpm_upgrade() {
 	outdated := get_outdated() or { exit(1) }
 	if outdated.len > 0 {