diff --git a/docs/changelog.md b/docs/changelog.md
index 1c0f5d2f..cc74d0ce 100644
--- a/docs/changelog.md
+++ b/docs/changelog.md
@@ -4,6 +4,12 @@
 
 Requires libvips v8.5.5.
 
+#### v0.18.4 - TBD
+
+* Ensure input Buffer really is marked as Persistent, prevents mark-sweep GC.
+  [#950](https://github.com/lovell/sharp/issues/950)
+  [@lfdoherty](https://github.com/lfdoherty)
+
 #### v0.18.3 - 13<sup>th</sup> September 2017
 
 * Skip shrink-on-load when trimming.
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 8b5d7f32..8fac5dd6 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -105,7 +105,8 @@
     "filter": [
       "build/c++11",
       "build/include",
-      "runtime/indentation_namespace"
+      "runtime/indentation_namespace",
+      "runtime/references"
     ]
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/common.cc b/src/common.cc
index 4b0b5635..024a163d 100644
--- a/src/common.cc
+++ b/src/common.cc
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ namespace sharp {
 
   // Create an InputDescriptor instance from a v8::Object describing an input image
   InputDescriptor* CreateInputDescriptor(
-    v8::Handle<v8::Object> input, std::vector<v8::Local<v8::Object>> buffersToPersist
+    v8::Handle<v8::Object> input, std::vector<v8::Local<v8::Object>> &buffersToPersist
   ) {
     Nan::HandleScope();
     InputDescriptor *descriptor = new InputDescriptor;
diff --git a/src/common.h b/src/common.h
index 1bf3b41c..81946d10 100644
--- a/src/common.h
+++ b/src/common.h
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ namespace sharp {
 
   // Create an InputDescriptor instance from a v8::Object describing an input image
   InputDescriptor* CreateInputDescriptor(
-    v8::Handle<v8::Object> input, std::vector<v8::Local<v8::Object>> buffersToPersist);
+    v8::Handle<v8::Object> input, std::vector<v8::Local<v8::Object>> &buffersToPersist);
 
   enum class ImageType {
     JPEG,