diff --git a/src/wp-admin/includes/screen.php b/src/wp-admin/includes/screen.php
index 42a19ec91e21..1770ca9963ec 100644
--- a/src/wp-admin/includes/screen.php
+++ b/src/wp-admin/includes/screen.php
@@ -10,8 +10,8 @@
  * Get the column headers for a screen
  *
  * @since 2.7.0
- *
- * @staticvar array $column_headers
+ * @since 5.5.0 Removed a static var that made it difficult to instantiate list
+ *              tables after the page header had been rendered.
  *
  * @param string|WP_Screen $screen The screen you want the headers for
  * @return string[] The column header labels keyed by column ID.
@@ -21,25 +21,19 @@ function get_column_headers( $screen ) {
 		$screen = convert_to_screen( $screen );
 	}
 
-	static $column_headers = array();
-
-	if ( ! isset( $column_headers[ $screen->id ] ) ) {
-		/**
-		 * Filters the column headers for a list table on a specific screen.
-		 *
-		 * The dynamic portion of the hook name, `$screen->id`, refers to the
-		 * ID of a specific screen. For example, the screen ID for the Posts
-		 * list table is edit-post, so the filter for that screen would be
-		 * manage_edit-post_columns.
-		 *
-		 * @since 3.0.0
-		 *
-		 * @param string[] $columns The column header labels keyed by column ID.
-		 */
-		$column_headers[ $screen->id ] = apply_filters( "manage_{$screen->id}_columns", array() );
-	}
-
-	return $column_headers[ $screen->id ];
+	/**
+	 * Filters the column headers for a list table on a specific screen.
+	 *
+	 * The dynamic portion of the hook name, `$screen->id`, refers to the
+	 * ID of a specific screen. For example, the screen ID for the Posts
+	 * list table is edit-post, so the filter for that screen would be
+	 * manage_edit-post_columns.
+	 *
+	 * @since 3.0.0
+	 *
+	 * @param string[] $columns The column header labels keyed by column ID.
+	 */
+	return apply_filters( "manage_{$screen->id}_columns", array() );
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/tests/phpunit/tests/admin/includesListTable.php b/tests/phpunit/tests/admin/includesListTable.php
index 9edbea179335..bc22e1b7f07a 100644
--- a/tests/phpunit/tests/admin/includesListTable.php
+++ b/tests/phpunit/tests/admin/includesListTable.php
@@ -293,4 +293,26 @@ public function test_empty_trash_button_should_not_be_shown_if_there_are_no_comm
 
 		$this->assertNotContains( 'id="delete_all"', $output );
 	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Test that can a list can display with no dependency on core screen context.
+	 *
+	 * @ticket 15386
+	 */
+	public function test_table_list_renders() {
+		$table = _get_list_table( 'WP_Comments_List_Table', array( 'screen' => 'my-plugin-page' ) );
+
+		// At least one comment needed.
+		$this->factory->comment->create_many( 10 );
+
+		ob_start();
+
+		$table->views();
+		$table->prepare_items();
+		$table->display();
+		$output = ob_get_clean();
+
+		// CSS class only exists if the table has at least one comment.
+		$this->assertContains( 'class="submitted-on"', $output );
+	}
 }