diff --git a/src/compile.cpp b/src/compile.cpp
index 13554db687..914eabb109 100644
--- a/src/compile.cpp
+++ b/src/compile.cpp
@@ -159,11 +159,13 @@ class MyThread: public Thread {
   MyThread(Machine* m, object javaThread, vm::Thread* parent):
     vm::Thread(m, javaThread, parent),
     argumentList(0),
-    frame(0)
+    frame(0),
+    reference(0)
   { }
 
   ArgumentList* argumentList;
   void* frame;
+  Reference* reference;
 };
 
 inline bool
@@ -2023,11 +2025,15 @@ invoke(Thread* thread, object method, ArgumentList* arguments)
   unsigned returnType = fieldType(t, returnCode);
 
   void* frame = t->frame;
+  Reference* reference = t->reference;
 
   uint64_t result = vmInvoke
     (&compiledBody(t, methodCompiled(t, method), 0), arguments->array,
      arguments->position * BytesPerWord, returnType);
 
+  while (t->reference != reference) {
+    dispose(t, t->reference);
+  }
   t->frame = frame;
 
   object r;
@@ -2187,15 +2193,26 @@ class MyProcessor: public Processor {
   }
 
   virtual object*
-  makeLocalReference(Thread* t, object)
+  makeLocalReference(Thread* vmt, object o)
   {
-    abort(t);
+    if (o) {
+      MyThread* t = static_cast<MyThread*>(vmt);
+
+      Reference* r = new (t->m->system->allocate(sizeof(Reference)))
+        Reference(o, &(t->reference));
+
+      return &(r->target);
+    } else {
+      return 0;
+    }
   }
 
   virtual void
-  disposeLocalReference(Thread* t, object*)
+  disposeLocalReference(Thread* t, object* r)
   {
-    abort(t);
+    if (r) {
+      vm::dispose(t, reinterpret_cast<Reference*>(r));
+    }
   }
 
   virtual object
diff --git a/src/jnienv.cpp b/src/jnienv.cpp
index fb5276a08a..a6a65b8a4c 100644
--- a/src/jnienv.cpp
+++ b/src/jnienv.cpp
@@ -1015,26 +1015,25 @@ NewGlobalRef(Thread* t, jobject o)
 
   ACQUIRE(t, t->m->referenceLock);
   
-  t->m->jniReferences = new (t->m->system->allocate(sizeof(Reference)))
-    Reference(*o, t->m->jniReferences);
+  if (o) {
+    Reference* r = new (t->m->system->allocate(sizeof(Reference)))
+      Reference(*o, &(t->m->jniReferences));
 
-  return &(t->m->jniReferences->target);
+    return &(r->target);
+  } else {
+    return 0;
+  }
 }
 
 void JNICALL
-DeleteGlobalRef(Thread* t, jobject o)
+DeleteGlobalRef(Thread* t, jobject r)
 {
   ENTER(t, Thread::ActiveState);
 
   ACQUIRE(t, t->m->referenceLock);
   
-  for (Reference** r = &(t->m->jniReferences); *r;) {
-    if (&((*r)->target) == o) {
-      *r = (*r)->next;
-      break;
-    } else {
-      r = &((*r)->next);
-    }
+  if (r) {
+    dispose(t, reinterpret_cast<Reference*>(r));
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/machine.h b/src/machine.h
index 1be9e59ab1..7ab2103948 100644
--- a/src/machine.h
+++ b/src/machine.h
@@ -1076,13 +1076,20 @@ noop();
 
 class Reference {
  public:
-  Reference(object target, Reference* next):
+  Reference(object target, Reference** handle):
     target(target),
-    next(next)
-  { }
+    next(*handle),
+    handle(handle)
+  {
+    if (next) {
+      next->handle = &next;
+    }
+    *handle = this;
+  }
 
   object target;
   Reference* next;
+  Reference** handle;
 };
 
 class Machine {
@@ -1255,6 +1262,13 @@ class StateResource {
   Thread::State oldState;
 };
 
+inline void
+dispose(Thread* t, Reference* r)
+{
+  *(r->handle) = r->next;
+  t->m->system->free(r);
+}
+
 void
 collect(Thread* t, Heap::CollectionType type);