diff --git a/examples/allocation/tinygo/greet.go b/examples/allocation/tinygo/greet.go
index 14d4d882d54..482ddc4028d 100644
--- a/examples/allocation/tinygo/greet.go
+++ b/examples/allocation/tinygo/greet.go
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ func main() {
 	// These are undocumented, but exported. See tinygo-org/tinygo#2788
 	malloc := mod.ExportedFunction("malloc")
 	free := mod.ExportedFunction("free")
+	deallocate := mod.ExportedFunction("deallocate")
 
 	// Let's use the argument to this main function in Wasm.
 	name := os.Args[1]
@@ -96,7 +97,7 @@ func main() {
 
 	// We don't need the memory after deserialization: make sure it is freed.
 	if greetingPtr != 0 {
-		defer free.Call(ctx, uint64(greetingPtr))
+		defer deallocate.Call(ctx, uint64(greetingPtr))
 	}
 
 	// The pointer is a linear memory offset, which is where we write the name.
diff --git a/examples/allocation/tinygo/testdata/greet.go b/examples/allocation/tinygo/testdata/greet.go
index cfc460a027e..0ec27bb1a1d 100644
--- a/examples/allocation/tinygo/testdata/greet.go
+++ b/examples/allocation/tinygo/testdata/greet.go
@@ -72,18 +72,25 @@ func ptrToString(ptr uint32, size uint32) string {
 	}))
 }
 
+var alivePointers = map[uintptr]interface{}{}
+
 // stringToPtr returns a pointer and size pair for the given string in a way
 // compatible with WebAssembly numeric types. The pointer is not automatically
 // managed by tinygo but must be freed by the host.
 func stringToPtr(s string) (uint32, uint32) {
-	if len(s) == 0 {
-		return 0, 0
-	}
+	buf := []byte(s)
+	ptr := &buf[0]
+	unsafePtr := uintptr(unsafe.Pointer(ptr))
 
-	size := C.ulong(len(s))
-	ptr := unsafe.Pointer(C.malloc(size))
+	alivePointers[unsafePtr] = buf
 
-	copy(unsafe.Slice((*byte)(ptr), size), []byte(s))
+	return uint32(unsafePtr), uint32(len(buf))
+}
 
-	return uint32(uintptr(ptr)), uint32(len(s))
+// deallocate frees a uintptr returned by keepaliveBuf or allocate, allowing it
+// to be garbage collected.
+//
+//export deallocate
+func _deallocate(ptr uint32) {
+	delete(alivePointers, uintptr(ptr))
 }
diff --git a/examples/allocation/tinygo/testdata/greet.wasm b/examples/allocation/tinygo/testdata/greet.wasm
index bd91540c7de..ce7c8b4f04b 100755
Binary files a/examples/allocation/tinygo/testdata/greet.wasm and b/examples/allocation/tinygo/testdata/greet.wasm differ
diff --git a/internal/integration_test/vs/bench_allocation.go b/internal/integration_test/vs/bench_allocation.go
index 921343f0a43..e4d44acd745 100644
--- a/internal/integration_test/vs/bench_allocation.go
+++ b/internal/integration_test/vs/bench_allocation.go
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ func init() {
 
 func allocationCall(m Module, _ int) error {
 	nameSize := uint32(len(allocationParam))
-	// Instead of an arbitrary memory offset, use Rust's allocator. Notice
+	// Instead of an arbitrary memory offset, use guest's allocator. Notice
 	// there is nothing string-specific in this allocation function. The same
 	// function could be used to pass binary serialized data to Wasm.
 	namePtr, err := m.CallI32_I32(testCtx, "malloc", nameSize)
@@ -56,15 +56,15 @@ func allocationCall(m Module, _ int) error {
 		return fnErr
 	}
 
-	// This pointer was allocated by Rust, but owned by Go, So, we have to
+	// This pointer was allocated by guest, but owned by Go, So, we have to
 	// deallocate it when finished
 	if err := m.CallI32_V(testCtx, "free", namePtr); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	// This pointer was allocated with malloc. So, we have to deallocate it
-	// when finished
-	if err := m.CallI32_V(testCtx, "free", uint32(ptrSize>>32)); err != nil {
+	// deallocate removes a uintptr from a map which stores a reference to the
+	// buffer ptrSize points to, allowing it to be garbage collected.
+	if err := m.CallI32_V(testCtx, "deallocate", uint32(ptrSize>>32)); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}