diff --git a/native_mate/wrappable.cc b/native_mate/wrappable.cc
index 005c83b8dc0a..8a284b764459 100644
--- a/native_mate/wrappable.cc
+++ b/native_mate/wrappable.cc
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ WrappableBase::WrappableBase()
 WrappableBase::~WrappableBase() {
   if (wrapper_.IsEmpty())
     return;
-  
+
   GetWrapper()->SetAlignedPointerInInternalField(0, nullptr);
   wrapper_.ClearWeak();
   wrapper_.Reset();
@@ -38,7 +38,9 @@ void WrappableBase::InitWith(v8::Isolate* isolate,
   wrapper->SetAlignedPointerInInternalField(0, this);
   wrapper_.Reset(isolate, wrapper);
   wrapper_.SetWeak(this, FirstWeakCallback, v8::WeakCallbackType::kParameter);
-  wrapper_.MarkIndependent();
+
+  if (high_memory_)
+    wrapper_.MarkIndependent();
 
   // Call object._init if we have one.
   v8::Local<v8::Function> init;
@@ -48,6 +50,12 @@ void WrappableBase::InitWith(v8::Isolate* isolate,
   AfterInit(isolate);
 }
 
+void WrappableBase::MarkHighMemoryUsage() {
+  high_memory_ = true;
+  if (!wrapper_.IsEmpty())
+    wrapper_.MarkIndependent();
+}
+
 // static
 void WrappableBase::FirstWeakCallback(
     const v8::WeakCallbackInfo<WrappableBase>& data) {
diff --git a/native_mate/wrappable_base.h b/native_mate/wrappable_base.h
index 17a10fc0d8bc..ba0087fa06d1 100644
--- a/native_mate/wrappable_base.h
+++ b/native_mate/wrappable_base.h
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ class WrappableBase {
 
   // Marks wrapped object as high memory usage
   // Deletes the wrapped object on the first round of GC callbacks
-  void MarkHighMemoryUsage() { high_memory_ = true; }
+  virtual void MarkHighMemoryUsage();
 
  private:
   friend struct internal::Destroyable;