diff --git a/cli/examples/custom-working-copy/main.rs b/cli/examples/custom-working-copy/main.rs
index 85041475a..fb31f19fe 100644
--- a/cli/examples/custom-working-copy/main.rs
+++ b/cli/examples/custom-working-copy/main.rs
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ impl ConflictsWorkingCopy {
         })
     }
 
-    fn initializer() -> Box<WorkingCopyInitializer> {
+    fn initializer() -> Box<WorkingCopyInitializer<'static>> {
         Box::new(
             |store, working_copy_path, state_path, workspace_id, operation_id| {
                 let wc = Self::init(
diff --git a/lib/src/repo.rs b/lib/src/repo.rs
index 135927b04..76810dc2f 100644
--- a/lib/src/repo.rs
+++ b/lib/src/repo.rs
@@ -122,22 +122,22 @@ pub enum RepoInitError {
 }
 
 impl ReadonlyRepo {
-    pub fn default_op_store_initializer() -> &'static OpStoreInitializer {
+    pub fn default_op_store_initializer() -> &'static OpStoreInitializer<'static> {
         &|_settings, store_path| Box::new(SimpleOpStore::init(store_path))
     }
 
-    pub fn default_op_heads_store_initializer() -> &'static OpHeadsStoreInitializer {
+    pub fn default_op_heads_store_initializer() -> &'static OpHeadsStoreInitializer<'static> {
         &|_settings, store_path| {
             let store = SimpleOpHeadsStore::init(store_path);
             Box::new(store)
         }
     }
 
-    pub fn default_index_store_initializer() -> &'static IndexStoreInitializer {
+    pub fn default_index_store_initializer() -> &'static IndexStoreInitializer<'static> {
         &|_settings, store_path| Box::new(DefaultIndexStore::init(store_path))
     }
 
-    pub fn default_submodule_store_initializer() -> &'static SubmoduleStoreInitializer {
+    pub fn default_submodule_store_initializer() -> &'static SubmoduleStoreInitializer<'static> {
         &|_settings, store_path| Box::new(DefaultSubmoduleStore::init(store_path))
     }
 
@@ -343,12 +343,13 @@ impl Repo for ReadonlyRepo {
     }
 }
 
-pub type BackendInitializer =
-    dyn Fn(&UserSettings, &Path) -> Result<Box<dyn Backend>, BackendInitError>;
-pub type OpStoreInitializer = dyn Fn(&UserSettings, &Path) -> Box<dyn OpStore>;
-pub type OpHeadsStoreInitializer = dyn Fn(&UserSettings, &Path) -> Box<dyn OpHeadsStore>;
-pub type IndexStoreInitializer = dyn Fn(&UserSettings, &Path) -> Box<dyn IndexStore>;
-pub type SubmoduleStoreInitializer = dyn Fn(&UserSettings, &Path) -> Box<dyn SubmoduleStore>;
+pub type BackendInitializer<'a> =
+    dyn Fn(&UserSettings, &Path) -> Result<Box<dyn Backend>, BackendInitError> + 'a;
+pub type OpStoreInitializer<'a> = dyn Fn(&UserSettings, &Path) -> Box<dyn OpStore> + 'a;
+pub type OpHeadsStoreInitializer<'a> = dyn Fn(&UserSettings, &Path) -> Box<dyn OpHeadsStore> + 'a;
+pub type IndexStoreInitializer<'a> = dyn Fn(&UserSettings, &Path) -> Box<dyn IndexStore> + 'a;
+pub type SubmoduleStoreInitializer<'a> =
+    dyn Fn(&UserSettings, &Path) -> Box<dyn SubmoduleStore> + 'a;
 
 type BackendFactory =
     Box<dyn Fn(&UserSettings, &Path) -> Result<Box<dyn Backend>, BackendLoadError>>;
diff --git a/lib/src/workspace.rs b/lib/src/workspace.rs
index adfb70037..56e98bdde 100644
--- a/lib/src/workspace.rs
+++ b/lib/src/workspace.rs
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ impl Workspace {
         user_settings: &UserSettings,
         workspace_root: &Path,
     ) -> Result<(Self, Arc<ReadonlyRepo>), WorkspaceInitError> {
-        let backend_initializer: &'static BackendInitializer =
+        let backend_initializer: &BackendInitializer =
             &|_settings, store_path| Ok(Box::new(LocalBackend::init(store_path)));
         let signer = Signer::from_settings(user_settings)?;
         Self::init_with_backend(user_settings, workspace_root, backend_initializer, signer)
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ impl Workspace {
         user_settings: &UserSettings,
         workspace_root: &Path,
     ) -> Result<(Self, Arc<ReadonlyRepo>), WorkspaceInitError> {
-        let backend_initializer: &'static BackendInitializer =
+        let backend_initializer: &BackendInitializer =
             &|settings, store_path| Ok(Box::new(GitBackend::init_internal(settings, store_path)?));
         let signer = Signer::from_settings(user_settings)?;
         Self::init_with_backend(user_settings, workspace_root, backend_initializer, signer)
@@ -171,25 +171,21 @@ impl Workspace {
         user_settings: &UserSettings,
         workspace_root: &Path,
     ) -> Result<(Self, Arc<ReadonlyRepo>), WorkspaceInitError> {
-        let backend_initializer = {
-            let workspace_root = workspace_root.to_owned();
-            move |settings: &UserSettings, store_path: &Path| -> Result<Box<dyn Backend>, _> {
-                // TODO: Clean up path normalization. store_path is canonicalized by
-                // ReadonlyRepo::init(). workspace_root will be canonicalized by
-                // Workspace::new(), but it's not yet here.
-                let store_relative_workspace_root =
-                    if let Ok(workspace_root) = workspace_root.canonicalize() {
-                        file_util::relative_path(store_path, &workspace_root)
-                    } else {
-                        workspace_root.to_owned()
-                    };
-                let backend = GitBackend::init_colocated(
-                    settings,
-                    store_path,
-                    &store_relative_workspace_root,
-                )?;
-                Ok(Box::new(backend))
-            }
+        let backend_initializer = |settings: &UserSettings,
+                                   store_path: &Path|
+         -> Result<Box<dyn Backend>, _> {
+            // TODO: Clean up path normalization. store_path is canonicalized by
+            // ReadonlyRepo::init(). workspace_root will be canonicalized by
+            // Workspace::new(), but it's not yet here.
+            let store_relative_workspace_root =
+                if let Ok(workspace_root) = workspace_root.canonicalize() {
+                    file_util::relative_path(store_path, &workspace_root)
+                } else {
+                    workspace_root.to_owned()
+                };
+            let backend =
+                GitBackend::init_colocated(settings, store_path, &store_relative_workspace_root)?;
+            Ok(Box::new(backend))
         };
         let signer = Signer::from_settings(user_settings)?;
         Self::init_with_backend(user_settings, workspace_root, &backend_initializer, signer)
@@ -502,7 +498,7 @@ impl WorkspaceLoader {
     }
 }
 
-pub fn default_working_copy_initializer() -> &'static WorkingCopyInitializer {
+pub fn default_working_copy_initializer() -> &'static WorkingCopyInitializer<'static> {
     &|store: Arc<Store>, working_copy_path, state_path, workspace_id, operation_id| {
         let wc = LocalWorkingCopy::init(
             store,
@@ -530,11 +526,12 @@ pub fn default_working_copy_factories() -> HashMap<String, WorkingCopyFactory> {
     factories
 }
 
-pub type WorkingCopyInitializer = dyn Fn(
-    Arc<Store>,
-    PathBuf,
-    PathBuf,
-    WorkspaceId,
-    OperationId,
-) -> Result<Box<dyn WorkingCopy>, WorkingCopyStateError>;
+pub type WorkingCopyInitializer<'a> = dyn Fn(
+        Arc<Store>,
+        PathBuf,
+        PathBuf,
+        WorkspaceId,
+        OperationId,
+    ) -> Result<Box<dyn WorkingCopy>, WorkingCopyStateError>
+    + 'a;
 pub type WorkingCopyFactory = Box<dyn Fn(&Arc<Store>, &Path, &Path) -> Box<dyn WorkingCopy>>;
diff --git a/lib/tests/test_git.rs b/lib/tests/test_git.rs
index 516c782f0..cc8ff62da 100644
--- a/lib/tests/test_git.rs
+++ b/lib/tests/test_git.rs
@@ -1119,7 +1119,7 @@ impl GitRepoData {
         let repo = ReadonlyRepo::init(
             &settings,
             &jj_repo_dir,
-            &move |settings, store_path| {
+            &|settings, store_path| {
                 Ok(Box::new(GitBackend::init_external(
                     settings,
                     store_path,
@@ -1985,7 +1985,7 @@ fn test_init() {
     let repo = &ReadonlyRepo::init(
         &settings,
         &jj_repo_dir,
-        &move |settings, store_path| {
+        &|settings, store_path| {
             Ok(Box::new(GitBackend::init_external(
                 settings,
                 store_path,
@@ -2311,7 +2311,7 @@ fn set_up_push_repos(settings: &UserSettings, temp_dir: &TempDir) -> PushTestSet
     let jj_repo = ReadonlyRepo::init(
         settings,
         &jj_repo_dir,
-        &move |settings, store_path| {
+        &|settings, store_path| {
             Ok(Box::new(GitBackend::init_external(
                 settings,
                 store_path,