diff --git a/src/load.c b/src/load.c
index af0e519bd..d3e492856 100644
--- a/src/load.c
+++ b/src/load.c
@@ -502,6 +502,7 @@ mrb_read_irep(mrb_state *mrb, const char *bin)
   uint32_t len = 0;
   unsigned char *src;
   rite_binary_header  bin_header;
+  int ai = mrb->arena_idx;
 
   if ((mrb == NULL) || (bin == NULL)) {
     return MRB_DUMP_INVALID_ARGUMENT;
@@ -539,6 +540,7 @@ mrb_read_irep(mrb_state *mrb, const char *bin)
   mrb->irep_len += nirep;
 
 error_exit:
+  mrb->arena_idx = ai;
   if (ret != MRB_DUMP_OK) {
     for (n=0,i=sirep; n<nirep; n++,i++) {
       if (mrb->irep[i]) {