diff --git a/init.c b/init.c
index ad2b257d..08eedba7 100644
--- a/init.c
+++ b/init.c
@@ -35,29 +35,17 @@ extern void torch_DoubleTensorOperator_init(lua_State *L);
 
 extern void torch_TensorMath_init(lua_State *L);
 
-static void luaTorchErrorHandlerFunction(const char *msg, void *data)
-{
-  lua_State *L = data;
-  luaL_error(L, msg);
-}
-
-static void luaTorchArgErrorHandlerFunction(int argNumber, const char *msg, void *data)
-{
-  lua_State *L = data;
-  luaL_argcheck(L, 0, argNumber, msg);
-}
-
 LUA_EXTERNC DLL_EXPORT int luaopen_libtorch(lua_State *L);
 
 int luaopen_libtorch(lua_State *L)
 {
-  THSetErrorHandler(luaTorchErrorHandlerFunction, L);
-  THSetArgErrorHandler(luaTorchArgErrorHandlerFunction, L);
 
   lua_newtable(L);
   lua_pushvalue(L, -1);
   lua_setglobal(L, "torch");
 
+  torch_utils_init(L);
+
   torch_File_init(L);
 
   torch_ByteStorage_init(L);
@@ -91,7 +79,6 @@ int luaopen_libtorch(lua_State *L)
 
   torch_TensorMath_init(L);
 
-  torch_utils_init(L);
   torch_random_init(L);
 
   // Create 'torch.Allocator' type.
diff --git a/init.lua b/init.lua
index 5f250282..29d54e1e 100644
--- a/init.lua
+++ b/init.lua
@@ -13,6 +13,16 @@ end
 require "paths"
 paths.require "libtorch"
 
+-- Keep track of all thread local variables torch.
+-- if a Lua VM is passed to another thread thread local
+-- variables need to be updated.
+function torch.updatethreadlocals()
+  torch.updateerrorhandlers()
+  local tracking = torch._heaptracking
+  if tracking == nil then tracking = false end
+  torch.setheaptracking(tracking)
+end
+
 --- package stuff
 function torch.packageLuaPath(name)
    if not name then
diff --git a/test/test.lua b/test/test.lua
index a7a8ba46..aa309b51 100644
--- a/test/test.lua
+++ b/test/test.lua
@@ -2773,6 +2773,21 @@ function torchtest.nonzero()
 
 end
 
+function torchtest.testheaptracking()
+  local oldheaptracking = torch._heaptracking
+  if oldheaptracking == nil then
+    oldheaptracking = false
+  end
+  torch.setheaptracking(true)
+  mytester:assert(torch._heaptracking == true, 'Heap tracking expected true')
+
+  torch.setheaptracking(false)
+  mytester:assert(torch._heaptracking == false, 'Heap tracking expected false')
+
+  -- put heap tracking to its original state
+  torch.setheaptracking(oldheaptracking)
+end
+
 function torch.test(tests)
    torch.setheaptracking(true)
    math.randomseed(os.time())
diff --git a/utils.c b/utils.c
index 0a180209..35fdae40 100644
--- a/utils.c
+++ b/utils.c
@@ -197,6 +197,9 @@ static void luaTorchGCFunction(void *data)
 static int torch_setheaptracking(lua_State *L)
 {
   int enabled = luaT_checkboolean(L,1);
+  lua_getglobal(L, "torch");
+  lua_pushboolean(L, enabled);
+  lua_setfield(L, -2, "_heaptracking");
   if(enabled) {
     THSetGCHandler(luaTorchGCFunction, L);
   } else {
@@ -205,6 +208,25 @@ static int torch_setheaptracking(lua_State *L)
   return 0;
 }
 
+static void luaTorchErrorHandlerFunction(const char *msg, void *data)
+{
+  lua_State *L = data;
+  luaL_error(L, msg);
+}
+
+static void luaTorchArgErrorHandlerFunction(int argNumber, const char *msg, void *data)
+{
+  lua_State *L = data;
+  luaL_argcheck(L, 0, argNumber, msg);
+}
+
+static int torch_updateerrorhandlers(lua_State *L)
+{
+  THSetErrorHandler(luaTorchErrorHandlerFunction, L);
+  THSetArgErrorHandler(luaTorchArgErrorHandlerFunction, L);
+  return 0;
+}
+
 static const struct luaL_Reg torch_utils__ [] = {
   {"getdefaulttensortype", torch_lua_getdefaulttensortype},
   {"isatty", torch_isatty},
@@ -227,10 +249,12 @@ static const struct luaL_Reg torch_utils__ [] = {
   {"version", luaT_lua_version},
   {"pointer", luaT_lua_pointer},
   {"setheaptracking", torch_setheaptracking},
+  {"updateerrorhandlers", torch_updateerrorhandlers},
   {NULL, NULL}
 };
 
 void torch_utils_init(lua_State *L)
 {
+  torch_updateerrorhandlers(L);
   luaT_setfuncs(L, torch_utils__, 0);
 }