diff --git a/src/machine.cpp b/src/machine.cpp
index 6f918e7ca6..5084bbcf53 100644
--- a/src/machine.cpp
+++ b/src/machine.cpp
@@ -3810,6 +3810,9 @@ initClass(Thread* t, object c)
 object
 resolveObjectArrayClass(Thread* t, object loader, object elementClass)
 {
+  PROTECT(t, loader);
+  PROTECT(t, elementClass);
+
   { object arrayClass = classRuntimeDataArrayClass
       (t, getClassRuntimeData(t, elementClass));
     if (arrayClass) {
@@ -3817,9 +3820,6 @@ resolveObjectArrayClass(Thread* t, object loader, object elementClass)
     }
   }
 
-  PROTECT(t, loader);
-  PROTECT(t, elementClass);
-
   object elementSpec = className(t, elementClass);
   PROTECT(t, elementSpec);