diff --git a/src/lune/builtins/net/mod.rs b/src/lune/builtins/net/mod.rs
index c06d0f1..1fe2da7 100644
--- a/src/lune/builtins/net/mod.rs
+++ b/src/lune/builtins/net/mod.rs
@@ -29,14 +29,6 @@ use server::{NetLocalExec, NetService};
 use websocket::NetWebSocket;
 
 pub fn create(lua: &'static Lua) -> LuaResult<LuaTable> {
-    // Create a reusable client for performing our
-    // web requests and store it in the lua registry,
-    // allowing us to reuse headers and internal structs
-    let client = NetClientBuilder::new()
-        .headers(&[("User-Agent", create_user_agent_header())])?
-        .build()?;
-    lua.set_app_data(client);
-    // Create the global table for net
     TableBuilder::new(lua)?
         .with_function("jsonEncode", net_json_encode)?
         .with_function("jsonDecode", net_json_decode)?
@@ -72,10 +64,20 @@ async fn net_request<'lua>(lua: &'lua Lua, config: RequestConfig<'lua>) -> LuaRe
 where
     'lua: 'static, // FIXME: Get rid of static lifetime bound here
 {
+    // Create a reusable client for performing our
+    // web requests and store it in the lua registry,
+    // allowing us to reuse headers and internal structs
+    let client = match lua.app_data_ref::<NetClient>() {
+        Some(client) => client,
+        None => {
+            let client = NetClientBuilder::new()
+                .headers(&[("User-Agent", create_user_agent_header())])?
+                .build()?;
+            lua.set_app_data(client);
+            lua.app_data_ref::<NetClient>().unwrap()
+        }
+    };
     // Create and send the request
-    let client = lua
-        .app_data_ref::<NetClient>()
-        .expect("Missing net client in lua app data");
     let mut request = client.request(config.method, &config.url);
     for (query, value) in config.query {
         request = request.query(&[(query.to_str()?, value.to_str()?)]);