diff --git a/ext/io/event/worker_pool.c b/ext/io/event/worker_pool.c
index 62f7e6a..6e4311a 100644
--- a/ext/io/event/worker_pool.c
+++ b/ext/io/event/worker_pool.c
@@ -86,6 +86,19 @@ static void worker_pool_free(void *ptr) {
 	}
 }
 
+static void worker_pool_mark(void *ptr)
+{
+	struct IO_Event_WorkerPool *pool = (struct IO_Event_WorkerPool *)ptr;
+	struct IO_Event_WorkerPool_Worker *worker = pool->workers;
+	while (worker) {
+		struct IO_Event_WorkerPool_Worker *next = worker->next;
+		// We need to mark the thread even though its marked through the VM's ractors because we call `join`
+		// on them after their completion. They could be freed by then.
+		rb_gc_mark(worker->thread);  // thread objects are currently pinned anyway
+		worker = next;
+	}
+}
+
 // Size functions for Ruby GC
 static size_t worker_pool_size(const void *ptr) {
 	return sizeof(struct IO_Event_WorkerPool);
@@ -94,7 +107,7 @@ static size_t worker_pool_size(const void *ptr) {
 // Ruby TypedData structures
 static const rb_data_type_t IO_Event_WorkerPool_type = {
 	"IO::Event::WorkerPool",
-	{0, worker_pool_free, worker_pool_size,},
+	{worker_pool_mark, worker_pool_free, worker_pool_size,},
 	0, 0, RUBY_TYPED_FREE_IMMEDIATELY
 };
 
@@ -199,22 +212,20 @@ static VALUE worker_thread_func(void *_worker) {
 }
 
 // Create a new worker thread
-static int create_worker_thread(struct IO_Event_WorkerPool *pool) {
-	if (pool->current_worker_count >= pool->maximum_worker_count) {
-		return -1;
-	}
-	
-		struct IO_Event_WorkerPool_Worker *worker = malloc(sizeof(struct IO_Event_WorkerPool_Worker));
-	if (!worker) {
-		return -1;
-	}
-	
-	worker->pool = pool;
-	worker->interrupted = false;
-	worker->current_blocking_operation = NULL;
-	worker->next = pool->workers;
-	
-	worker->thread = rb_thread_create(worker_thread_func, worker);
+static int create_worker_thread(VALUE self, struct IO_Event_WorkerPool *pool) {
+if (pool->current_worker_count >= pool->maximum_worker_count) {
+return -1;
+}
+
+	struct IO_Event_WorkerPool_Worker *worker = malloc(sizeof(struct IO_Event_WorkerPool_Worker));
+if (!worker) {
+return -1;
+}
+@@ -214,7 +227,7 @@ static int create_worker_thread(struct IO_Event_WorkerPool *pool) {
+worker->current_blocking_operation = NULL;
+worker->next = pool->workers;
+
+	RB_OBJ_WRITE(self, &worker->thread, rb_thread_create(worker_thread_func, worker));
 	if (NIL_P(worker->thread)) {
 		free(worker);
 		return -1;
@@ -273,7 +284,7 @@ static VALUE worker_pool_initialize(int argc, VALUE *argv, VALUE self) {
 	
 	// Create initial workers
 	for (size_t i = 0; i < maximum_worker_count; i++) {
-		if (create_worker_thread(pool) != 0) {
+		if (create_worker_thread(self, pool) != 0) {
 			// Just set the maximum_worker_count for debugging, don't fail completely
 			// worker_pool_free(pool);
 			// rb_raise(rb_eRuntimeError, "Failed to create workers");