diff --git a/include/gc/gc.h b/include/gc/gc.h
index b985caa4d..ad2f054c4 100644
--- a/include/gc/gc.h
+++ b/include/gc/gc.h
@@ -1492,6 +1492,13 @@ GC_API int GC_CALL GC_invoke_finalizers(void);
 /* analysis.                                                            */
 GC_API void GC_CALL GC_noop1(GC_word);
 
+/* Explicitly tell the collector that an object is reachable    */
+/* at a particular program point.  This prevents the argument   */
+/* pointer from being optimized away, even it is otherwise no   */
+/* longer needed. Used to prevent finalizers from running when  */
+/* the associated object is still in use.                       */
+GC_API void GC_CALL GC_keep_alive(GC_word);
+
 /* Same as GC_noop1() but for a pointer.        */
 GC_API void GC_CALL GC_noop1_ptr(volatile void *);
 
diff --git a/mark.c b/mark.c
index 2d1280ca0..ce353e561 100644
--- a/mark.c
+++ b/mark.c
@@ -60,6 +60,11 @@ GC_API void GC_CALL GC_noop1_ptr(volatile void *p)
 # endif
 }
 
+GC_API void GC_keep_alive(GC_word x)
+{
+  GC_reachable_here(x);
+}
+
 /* Initialize GC_obj_kinds properly and standard free lists properly.   */
 /* This must be done statically since they may be accessed before       */
 /* GC_init is called.  It is done here, since we need to deal with mark */