diff --git a/src/object_rep.cpp b/src/object_rep.cpp
index a8d990e7..c0e9d8d0 100755
--- a/src/object_rep.cpp
+++ b/src/object_rep.cpp
@@ -91,6 +91,9 @@ namespace luabind { namespace detail
 
         instance->release_dependency_refs(L);
         instance->~object_rep();
+
+        lua_pushnil(L);
+        lua_setmetatable(L, 1);
         return 0;
     }