diff --git a/src/array.c b/src/array.c
index 9b15995e9..6e31f4228 100644
--- a/src/array.c
+++ b/src/array.c
@@ -2172,16 +2172,21 @@ heapify(mrb_state *mrb, mrb_value ary, mrb_value *a, mrb_int index, mrb_int size
 static void
 insertion_sort(mrb_state *mrb, mrb_value ary, mrb_value *a, mrb_int size, mrb_value blk)
 {
+  int ai = mrb_gc_arena_save(mrb);
   for (mrb_int i = 1; i < size; i++) {
     mrb_value key = a[i];
     mrb_int j = i - 1;
 
+    /* Protect key from GC - it's temporarily out of the array during sort */
+    mrb_gc_protect(mrb, key);
+
     /* Move elements that are greater than key to one position ahead */
     while (j >= 0 && sort_cmp(mrb, ary, a[j], key, blk)) {
       a[j + 1] = a[j];
       j--;
     }
     a[j + 1] = key;
+    mrb_gc_arena_restore(mrb, ai);
   }
 }