diff --git a/src/avian/classpath-common.h b/src/avian/classpath-common.h
index 44f8cf5491..567400843d 100644
--- a/src/avian/classpath-common.h
+++ b/src/avian/classpath-common.h
@@ -267,7 +267,6 @@ clone(Thread* t, object o)
            size - BytesPerWord);
   } else {
     object classNameSlash = className(t, objectClass(t, o));
-    PROTECT(t, classNameSlash);
     THREAD_RUNTIME_ARRAY(t, char, classNameDot, byteArrayLength(t, classNameSlash));
     replace('/', '.', RUNTIME_ARRAY_BODY(classNameDot),
             reinterpret_cast<char*>(&byteArrayBody(t, classNameSlash, 0)));
diff --git a/src/compile.cpp b/src/compile.cpp
index c7c1b7ad59..5d0fa05422 100644
--- a/src/compile.cpp
+++ b/src/compile.cpp
@@ -3036,8 +3036,6 @@ checkCast(MyThread* t, object class_, object o)
   if (UNLIKELY(o and not isAssignableFrom(t, class_, objectClass(t, o)))) {
     object classNameFrom = className(t, objectClass(t, o));
     object classNameTo   = className(t, class_);
-    PROTECT(t, classNameFrom);
-    PROTECT(t, classNameTo);
     THREAD_RUNTIME_ARRAY(t, char, classFrom, byteArrayLength(t, classNameFrom));
     THREAD_RUNTIME_ARRAY(t, char, classTo,   byteArrayLength(t, classNameTo));
     replace('/', '.', RUNTIME_ARRAY_BODY(classFrom),