diff --git a/java/jni/YogaJniException.cpp b/java/jni/YogaJniException.cpp
index 77aa3763..5d6bfbfe 100644
--- a/java/jni/YogaJniException.cpp
+++ b/java/jni/YogaJniException.cpp
@@ -19,18 +19,19 @@ YogaJniException::YogaJniException() {
   static const jmethodID methodId = facebook::yoga::vanillajni::getMethodId(
       getCurrentEnv(), cl, "<init>", "()V");
   auto throwable = getCurrentEnv()->NewObject(cl, methodId);
-  throwable_ = make_global_ref(static_cast<jthrowable>(throwable));
+  throwable_ =
+      newGlobalRef(getCurrentEnv(), static_cast<jthrowable>(throwable));
 }
 
 YogaJniException::YogaJniException(jthrowable throwable) {
-  throwable_ = make_global_ref(throwable);
+  throwable_ = newGlobalRef(getCurrentEnv(), throwable);
 }
 
 YogaJniException::YogaJniException(YogaJniException&& rhs)
     : throwable_(std::move(rhs.throwable_)) {}
 
 YogaJniException::YogaJniException(const YogaJniException& rhs) {
-  throwable_ = make_global_ref(rhs.throwable_.get());
+  throwable_ = newGlobalRef(getCurrentEnv(), rhs.throwable_.get());
 }
 
 YogaJniException::~YogaJniException() {
@@ -42,7 +43,9 @@ YogaJniException::~YogaJniException() {
 }
 
 ScopedLocalRef<jthrowable> YogaJniException::getThrowable() const noexcept {
-  return make_local_ref(getCurrentEnv(), throwable_.get());
+  return make_local_ref(
+      getCurrentEnv(),
+      static_cast<jthrowable>(getCurrentEnv()->NewLocalRef(throwable_.get())));
 }
 } // namespace vanillajni
 } // namespace yoga
diff --git a/java/jni/common.cpp b/java/jni/common.cpp
index 0cc37333..143c695f 100644
--- a/java/jni/common.cpp
+++ b/java/jni/common.cpp
@@ -96,6 +96,16 @@ ScopedGlobalRef<jobject> newGlobalRef(JNIEnv* env, jobject obj) {
 
   return make_global_ref(result);
 }
+
+ScopedGlobalRef<jthrowable> newGlobalRef(JNIEnv* env, jthrowable obj) {
+  jthrowable result = static_cast<jthrowable>(env->NewGlobalRef(obj));
+
+  if (!result) {
+    logErrorMessageAndDie("Could not obtain global reference from object");
+  }
+
+  return make_global_ref(result);
+}
 } // namespace vanillajni
 } // namespace yoga
 } // namespace facebook
diff --git a/java/jni/common.h b/java/jni/common.h
index eebf8e9c..19eca6a4 100644
--- a/java/jni/common.h
+++ b/java/jni/common.h
@@ -69,6 +69,8 @@ callStaticObjectMethod(JNIEnv* env, jclass clazz, jmethodID methodId, ...);
  * reference out of it. If any error happens, aborts the process.
  */
 ScopedGlobalRef<jobject> newGlobalRef(JNIEnv* env, jobject obj);
+
+ScopedGlobalRef<jthrowable> newGlobalRef(JNIEnv* env, jthrowable obj);
 } // namespace vanillajni
 } // namespace yoga
 } // namespace facebook