diff --git a/MarkdownLivePreview.py b/MarkdownLivePreview.py
index e7307ca..2db9245 100644
--- a/MarkdownLivePreview.py
+++ b/MarkdownLivePreview.py
@@ -138,18 +138,15 @@ class OpenMarkdownPreviewCommand(sublime_plugin.TextCommand):
     # This is needed because the listener isn't easily accessible directly from the command instance
     def trigger_listener_setup(self, md_view_id, pv_view_id):
         print("--- MarkdownLivePreview: trigger_listener_setup running for md_view: {}, pv_view: {} ---".format(md_view_id, pv_view_id))
-        # Find the listener instance (this is a bit indirect, but common in ST plugins)
-        listener_instance = None
-        for listener in sublime_plugin.event_listeners:
-            if isinstance(listener, MarkdownLivePreviewListener):
-                listener_instance = listener
-                break
+        # Access the listener instance directly via its class variable
+        listener_instance = MarkdownLivePreviewListener.instance
 
         if listener_instance:
-            print("--- MarkdownLivePreview: Found listener instance, calling setup_and_update_preview ---")
+            print("--- MarkdownLivePreview: Found listener instance via class variable, calling setup_and_update_preview ---")
             listener_instance.setup_and_update_preview(md_view_id, pv_view_id)
         else:
-            print("--- MarkdownLivePreview: ERROR: Could not find MarkdownLivePreviewListener instance to trigger setup! ---")
+            # This should ideally not happen if the listener loaded correctly before the command ran
+            print("--- MarkdownLivePreview: ERROR: MarkdownLivePreviewListener.instance is None! Cannot trigger setup. ---")
 
     def is_enabled(self):
         # FIXME: is this the best way there is to check if the current syntax is markdown?
@@ -160,6 +157,7 @@ class OpenMarkdownPreviewCommand(sublime_plugin.TextCommand):
 
 
 class MarkdownLivePreviewListener(sublime_plugin.EventListener):
+    instance = None # Class variable to hold the single instance
 
     phantom_sets = {
         # markdown_view.id(): phantom set
@@ -169,6 +167,11 @@ class MarkdownLivePreviewListener(sublime_plugin.EventListener):
     # then, we update only if now() - last_update > DELAY
     last_update = 0
 
+    def __init__(self):
+        super().__init__() # Good practice to call super
+        MarkdownLivePreviewListener.instance = self
+        print("--- MarkdownLivePreview: Listener instance created and registered. ---")
+
     # FIXME: maybe we shouldn't restore the file in the original window...
 
     def on_pre_close(self, markdown_view):