diff --git a/ruby/ext/google/protobuf_c/repeated_field.c b/ruby/ext/google/protobuf_c/repeated_field.c
index bcd5f45afb18..9b8a6860fdae 100644
--- a/ruby/ext/google/protobuf_c/repeated_field.c
+++ b/ruby/ext/google/protobuf_c/repeated_field.c
@@ -87,7 +87,6 @@ VALUE RepeatedField_GetRubyWrapper(upb_Array* array, TypeInfo type_info,
   if (val == Qnil) {
     val = RepeatedField_alloc(cRepeatedField);
     RepeatedField* self;
-    ObjectCache_Add(array, val);
     TypedData_Get_Struct(val, RepeatedField, &RepeatedField_type, self);
     self->array = array;
     self->arena = arena;
@@ -95,6 +94,7 @@ VALUE RepeatedField_GetRubyWrapper(upb_Array* array, TypeInfo type_info,
     if (self->type_info.type == kUpb_CType_Message) {
       self->type_class = Descriptor_DefToClass(type_info.def.msgdef);
     }
+    ObjectCache_Add(array, val);
   }
 
   PBRUBY_ASSERT(ruby_to_RepeatedField(val)->type_info.type == type_info.type);