diff --git a/src/Aircraft/controls.cxx b/src/Aircraft/controls.cxx
index 772ab8e74..8ff11133c 100644
--- a/src/Aircraft/controls.cxx
+++ b/src/Aircraft/controls.cxx
@@ -100,6 +100,7 @@ FGControls::FGControls() :
     vertical_mode( 0 ),
     lateral_mode( 0 )
 {
+    globals->set_controls( this );
 }
 
 
@@ -231,6 +232,7 @@ static inline void _SetRoot( simgear::TiedPropertyList & tiedProperties, const c
 void
 FGControls::bind ()
 {
+    init(); // unfortunately, tie-ing requires init() to have occurred
     int index, i;
 
     // flight controls
@@ -648,9 +650,8 @@ void FGControls::unbind ()
 void
 FGControls::update (double dt)
 {
+  SG_UNUSED(dt);
 }
-
-
 
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 // Setters and adjusters.
diff --git a/src/Main/fg_init.cxx b/src/Main/fg_init.cxx
index 78fc7639d..cb6b2fd6e 100644
--- a/src/Main/fg_init.cxx
+++ b/src/Main/fg_init.cxx
@@ -677,10 +677,8 @@ void fgCreateSubsystems() {
     ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
     // Initialize the controls subsystem.
     ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-
-    globals->get_controls()->init();
-    globals->get_controls()->bind();
-
+    
+    globals->add_subsystem("controls", new FGControls);
 
     ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
     // Initialize the input subsystem.
diff --git a/src/Main/globals.cxx b/src/Main/globals.cxx
index 6b5dc8ce7..b126d795c 100644
--- a/src/Main/globals.cxx
+++ b/src/Main/globals.cxx
@@ -185,12 +185,6 @@ FGGlobals::~FGGlobals()
 
     delete ATIS_mgr;
 
-    if (controls)
-    {
-        controls->unbind();
-        delete controls;
-    }
-
     delete channel_options_list;
     delete initial_waypoints;
     delete scenery;
diff --git a/src/Main/main.cxx b/src/Main/main.cxx
index 5fd2137f8..792a20cb9 100644
--- a/src/Main/main.cxx
+++ b/src/Main/main.cxx
@@ -49,7 +49,6 @@
 #include <simgear/math/SGMath.hxx>
 #include <simgear/math/sg_random.h>
 
-#include <Aircraft/controls.hxx>
 #include <Model/panelnode.hxx>
 #include <Scenery/scenery.hxx>
 #include <Scenery/tilemgr.hxx>
@@ -364,9 +363,6 @@ int fgMainInit( int argc, char **argv ) {
     // seed the random number generator
     sg_srandom_time();
 
-    FGControls *controls = new FGControls;
-    globals->set_controls( controls );
-
     string_list *col = new string_list;
     globals->set_channel_options_list( col );