diff --git a/CredentialCache.Test/CredentialCacheTests.cs b/CredentialCache.Test/CredentialCacheTests.cs
index f18bb79..272584f 100644
--- a/CredentialCache.Test/CredentialCacheTests.cs
+++ b/CredentialCache.Test/CredentialCacheTests.cs
@@ -309,6 +309,66 @@ public void SingletonUsesConfiguredStore()
 			CredentialCache.ResetSingletonForTesting();
 		}
 	}
+
+	[TestMethod]
+	public void DisposingTheSingletonLeavesItUsable()
+	{
+		CredentialCache.ResetSingletonForTesting();
+		InMemoryCredentialStore store = new();
+		CredentialCache.ConfigureStore(store);
+		try
+		{
+			PersonaGUID cached = CredentialCache.CreatePersonaGUID();
+			PersonaGUID storedOnly = CredentialCache.CreatePersonaGUID();
+			CredentialWithNothing cachedCredential = new();
+			CredentialWithNothing storedCredential = new();
+			store.Save(storedOnly, storedCredential);
+
+			using (CredentialCache cache = CredentialCache.Instance)
+			{
+				cache.AddOrReplace(cached, cachedCredential);
+			}
+
+			CredentialCache instance = CredentialCache.Instance;
+			Assert.IsTrue(instance.TryGet(cached, out Credential? first));
+			Assert.AreSame(cachedCredential, first);
+			Assert.IsTrue(instance.TryGet(storedOnly, out Credential? second));
+			Assert.IsNotNull(second);
+
+			PersonaGUID added = CredentialCache.CreatePersonaGUID();
+			instance.AddOrReplace(added, new CredentialWithNothing());
+			Assert.IsTrue(instance.TryGet(added, out _));
+
+			Assert.Throws<InvalidOperationException>(
+				() => CredentialCache.ConfigureStore(new InMemoryCredentialStore()));
+		}
+		finally
+		{
+			CredentialCache.ResetSingletonForTesting();
+		}
+	}
+
+	[TestMethod]
+	public void ResetSingletonForTestingStillDisposesTheOldSingleton()
+	{
+		CredentialCache.ResetSingletonForTesting();
+		CredentialCache.ConfigureStore(new InMemoryCredentialStore());
+		CredentialCache old = CredentialCache.Instance;
+
+		CredentialCache.ResetSingletonForTesting();
+
+		Assert.Throws<ObjectDisposedException>(() => old.TryGet(CredentialCache.CreatePersonaGUID(), out _));
+	}
+
+	[TestMethod]
+	public void DisposingAnOwnedCacheStillDisposesIt()
+	{
+		CredentialCache cache = new(new InMemoryCredentialStore());
+
+		cache.Dispose();
+
+		Assert.Throws<ObjectDisposedException>(() => cache.TryGet(CredentialCache.CreatePersonaGUID(), out _));
+	}
 }
 
 public class CredentialWithNothingFactory : ICredentialFactory<CredentialWithNothing>
diff --git a/CredentialCache/CredentialCache.cs b/CredentialCache/CredentialCache.cs
index b5ffca9..6b74949 100644
--- a/CredentialCache/CredentialCache.cs
+++ b/CredentialCache/CredentialCache.cs
@@ -38,6 +38,12 @@ public sealed class CredentialCache : IDisposable
 	private readonly Lock[] _personaLocks = CreatePersonaLocks();
 	private bool _disposed;
 
+	/// <summary>
+	/// Set on the cache <see cref="Instance"/> builds, so a caller's <see cref="Dispose"/> of
+	/// the shared singleton cannot break it for every other component in the process.
+	/// </summary>
+	private bool _isSingleton;
+
 	/// <summary>
 	/// Creates a new credential cache backed by <paramref name="store"/>.
 	/// </summary>
@@ -52,9 +58,17 @@ public CredentialCache(ICredentialStore store)
 	/// Gets the process-wide singleton instance, constructed on first access.
 	/// </summary>
 	/// <remarks>
+	/// <para>
 	/// To override the backing store call <see cref="ConfigureStore"/> before
 	/// touching this property. The first access constructs the singleton; later
 	/// reconfiguration requires <see cref="ResetSingletonForTesting"/>.
+	/// </para>
+	/// <para>
+	/// The singleton is shared by the whole process, so calling <see cref="Dispose"/> on it
+	/// (for example through <c>using var cache = CredentialCache.Instance;</c>) does nothing:
+	/// it stays usable and keeps serving what it has cached. Only
+	/// <see cref="ResetSingletonForTesting"/> disposes it.
+	/// </para>
 	/// </remarks>
 	public static CredentialCache Instance
 	{
@@ -65,7 +79,7 @@ public static CredentialCache Instance
 				if (_instance is null)
 				{
 					ICredentialStore store = _configuredStore ?? CredentialStoreFactory.CreateDefault();
-					_instance = new CredentialCache(store);
+					_instance = new CredentialCache(store) { _isSingleton = true };
 				}
 				return _instance;
 			}
@@ -109,7 +123,7 @@ public static void ResetSingletonForTesting()
 	{
 		lock (_instanceLock)
 		{
-			_instance?.Dispose();
+			_instance?.DisposeCore();
 			_instance = null;
 			_configuredStore = null;
 		}
@@ -281,7 +295,22 @@ public bool TryCreate<T>(out Credential? credential) where T : Credential
 	/// store; nothing is persisted or deleted at dispose-time because every
 	/// mutation is already flushed eagerly in <see cref="AddOrReplace"/>.
 	/// </summary>
+	/// <remarks>
+	/// Does nothing when called on the process-wide <see cref="Instance"/>, which other
+	/// components may still be using; see <see cref="Instance"/>. A cache created with
+	/// <see cref="CredentialCache(ICredentialStore)"/> is disposed as usual.
+	/// </remarks>
 	public void Dispose()
+	{
+		if (_isSingleton)
+		{
+			return;
+		}
+
+		DisposeCore();
+	}
+
+	private void DisposeCore()
 	{
 		if (_disposed)
 		{