diff --git a/zathura/commands.c b/zathura/commands.c
index b6810ac..64b9ccf 100644
--- a/zathura/commands.c
+++ b/zathura/commands.c
@@ -280,14 +280,10 @@ cmd_print(girara_session_t* session, girara_list_t* UNUSED(argument_list))
     return false;
   }
 
-  char* sandbox = NULL;
-  girara_setting_get(zathura->ui.session, "sandbox", &sandbox);
-  if (g_strcmp0(sandbox, "strict") == 0) {
+  if (zathura->global.sandbox == ZATHURA_SANDBOX_STRICT) {
     girara_notify(zathura->ui.session, GIRARA_ERROR, _("Printing is not permitted in strict sandbox mode"));
-    g_free(sandbox);
     return false;
   }
-  g_free(sandbox);
 
   print(zathura);
 
diff --git a/zathura/config.c b/zathura/config.c
index 510c60a..ea744c7 100644
--- a/zathura/config.c
+++ b/zathura/config.c
@@ -103,6 +103,26 @@ cb_incsearch_changed(girara_session_t* session, const char* UNUSED(name),
   girara_special_command_add(session, '?', cmd_search, inc_search, BACKWARD, NULL);
 }
 
+static void
+cb_sandbox_changed(girara_session_t* session, const char* UNUSED(name),
+                   girara_setting_type_t UNUSED(type), void* value, void* UNUSED(data))
+{
+  g_return_if_fail(value != NULL);
+  g_return_if_fail(session != NULL);
+  g_return_if_fail(session->global.data != NULL);
+  zathura_t* zathura = session->global.data;
+
+  const char* sandbox = value;
+  if (g_strcmp0(sandbox, "none") == 0) {
+    zathura->global.sandbox = ZATHURA_SANDBOX_NONE;
+  } else if (g_strcmp0(sandbox, "normal") == 0)  {
+    zathura->global.sandbox = ZATHURA_SANDBOX_NORMAL;
+  } else if (g_strcmp0(sandbox, "strict") == 0) {
+    zathura->global.sandbox = ZATHURA_SANDBOX_STRICT;
+  } else {
+    girara_error("Invalid sandbox option");
+  }
+}
 
 void
 config_load_default(zathura_t* zathura)
@@ -249,7 +269,7 @@ config_load_default(zathura_t* zathura)
   girara_setting_add(gsession, "selection-clipboard",    string_value, STRING,  false, _("The clipboard into which mouse-selected data will be written"), NULL, NULL);
   bool_value = true;
   girara_setting_add(gsession, "selection-notification", &bool_value,  BOOLEAN, false, _("Enable notification after selecting text"), NULL, NULL);
-  girara_setting_add(gsession, "sandbox",                "normal",     STRING, true,   _("Sandbox level"), NULL, NULL);
+  girara_setting_add(gsession, "sandbox",                "normal",     STRING, true,   _("Sandbox level"), cb_sandbox_changed, NULL);
 
 #define DEFAULT_SHORTCUTS(mode) \
   girara_shortcut_add(gsession, 0,                GDK_KEY_a,          NULL, sc_adjust_window,           (mode),     ZATHURA_ADJUST_BESTFIT, NULL); \
diff --git a/zathura/links.c b/zathura/links.c
index cc6f4ac..e8337f4 100644
--- a/zathura/links.c
+++ b/zathura/links.c
@@ -135,10 +135,6 @@ zathura_link_evaluate(zathura_t* zathura, zathura_link_t* link)
   bool link_zoom = true;
   girara_setting_get(zathura->ui.session, "link-zoom", &link_zoom);
 
-  /* required below to prevent opening hyperlinks in strict sandbox mode */
-  char* sandbox = NULL;
-  girara_setting_get(zathura->ui.session, "sandbox", &sandbox);
-  
   switch (link->type) {
     case ZATHURA_LINK_GOTO_DEST:
       if (link->target.destination_type != ZATHURA_LINK_DESTINATION_UNKNOWN) {
@@ -207,7 +203,7 @@ zathura_link_evaluate(zathura_t* zathura, zathura_link_t* link)
       link_remote(zathura, link->target.value);
       break;
     case ZATHURA_LINK_URI:
-      if (g_strcmp0(sandbox, "strict") == 0) {
+      if (zathura->global.sandbox == ZATHURA_SANDBOX_STRICT) {
         girara_notify(zathura->ui.session, GIRARA_ERROR, _("Opening external applications in strict sandbox mode is not permitted"));
       } else {
         if (girara_xdg_open(link->target.value) == false) {
@@ -221,7 +217,6 @@ zathura_link_evaluate(zathura_t* zathura, zathura_link_t* link)
     default:
       break;
   }
-  g_free(sandbox);
 }
 
 void
diff --git a/zathura/zathura.c b/zathura/zathura.c
index e6a67ab..04f442e 100644
--- a/zathura/zathura.c
+++ b/zathura/zathura.c
@@ -87,6 +87,7 @@ zathura_create(void)
 
   /* global settings */
   zathura->global.search_direction = FORWARD;
+  zathura->global.sandbox = ZATHURA_SANDBOX_NORMAL;
 
   /* plugins */
   zathura->plugins.manager = zathura_plugin_manager_new();
diff --git a/zathura/zathura.h b/zathura/zathura.h
index 22077cc..014e755 100644
--- a/zathura/zathura.h
+++ b/zathura/zathura.h
@@ -82,6 +82,12 @@ enum {
   ZATHURA_PAGE_THUMBNAIL_DEFAULT_SIZE = 4*1024*1024
 };
 
+typedef enum {
+  ZATHURA_SANDBOX_NONE,
+  ZATHURA_SANDBOX_NORMAL,
+  ZATHURA_SANDBOX_STRICT
+} zathura_sandbox_t;
+
 /* forward declaration for types from database.h */
 typedef struct _ZathuraDatabase zathura_database_t;
 
@@ -138,6 +144,7 @@ struct zathura_s
     int search_direction; /**< Current search direction (FORWARD or BACKWARD) */
     girara_list_t* marks; /**< Marker */
     char** arguments; /**> Arguments that were passed at startup */
+    zathura_sandbox_t sandbox; /**< Sandbox mode */
   } global;
 
   struct