diff --git a/container.go b/container.go
index ac6a354..143985c 100644
--- a/container.go
+++ b/container.go
@@ -32,9 +32,11 @@ type controlSizing interface {
 // All containers must embed containerbase.
 type containerbase struct {
 	child Control
-	spaced bool
 }
 
+// set to true to apply spacing to all windows
+var spaced bool = false
+
 func (c *container) resize(x, y, width, height int) {
 	if c.child == nil { // no children; nothing to do
 		return
diff --git a/container_darwin.go b/container_darwin.go
index ef0355b..b2086c4 100644
--- a/container_darwin.go
+++ b/container_darwin.go
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ const (
 
 func (c *container) beginResize() (d *sizing) {
 	d = new(sizing)
-	if c.spaced {
+	if spaced {
 		d.xmargin = macXMargin
 		d.ymargintop = macYMargin
 		d.ymarginbottom = d.ymargintop
diff --git a/container_unix.go b/container_unix.go
index 4db046c..ffb1ffa 100644
--- a/container_unix.go
+++ b/container_unix.go
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ const (
 
 func (c *container) beginResize() (d *sizing) {
 	d = new(sizing)
-	if c.spaced {
+	if spaced {
 		d.xmargin = gtkXMargin
 		d.ymargintop = gtkYMargin
 		d.ymarginbottom = d.ymargintop
diff --git a/container_windows.go b/container_windows.go
index 39e1a5c..99be1c2 100644
--- a/container_windows.go
+++ b/container_windows.go
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ func (c *container) beginResize() (d *sizing) {
 	d.baseY = baseY
 	d.internalLeading = internalLeading
 
-	if c.spaced {
+	if spaced {
 		d.xmargin = fromdlgunitsX(marginDialogUnits, d)
 		d.ymargintop = fromdlgunitsY(marginDialogUnits, d)
 		d.ymarginbottom = d.ymargintop
diff --git a/zz_test.go b/zz_test.go
index 2f3d286..a7b0670 100644
--- a/zz_test.go
+++ b/zz_test.go
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ import (
 
 var closeOnClick = flag.Bool("close", false, "close on click")
 var smallWindow = flag.Bool("small", false, "open a small window (test Mac OS X initial control sizing)")
-var spaced = flag.Bool("spaced", false, "enable spacing")
 
 type dtype struct {
 	Name    string
@@ -263,6 +262,7 @@ var tw *testwin
 
 // because Cocoa hates being run off the main thread, even if it's run exclusively off the main thread
 func init() {
+	flag.BoolVar(&spaced, "spaced", false, "enable spacing")
 	flag.Parse()
 	go func() {
 		tw = new(testwin)