diff --git a/include/vm.h b/include/vm.h
index 414e956..9a6aa8d 100644
--- a/include/vm.h
+++ b/include/vm.h
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ static inline void stack_push_value(union vm_value v)
 union vm_value stack_pop(void);
 
 union vm_value global_get(int varno);
-void global_set(int varno, union vm_value val);
+void global_set(int varno, union vm_value val, bool call_dtors);
 struct page *local_page(void);
 
 int vm_string_ref(struct string *s);
diff --git a/src/savedata.c b/src/savedata.c
index 14e9440..41da0a5 100644
--- a/src/savedata.c
+++ b/src/savedata.c
@@ -347,7 +347,9 @@ int load_globals(const char *keyname, const char *filename, const char *group_na
 			goto cleanup;
 		}
 		current_global = i;
-		global_set(i, json_to_vm_value(ain->globals[i].type.data, ain->globals[i].type.struc, ain->globals[i].type.rank, value));
+
+		bool call_dtors = false; // Destructors for old objects are not called.
+		global_set(i, json_to_vm_value(ain->globals[i].type.data, ain->globals[i].type.struc, ain->globals[i].type.rank, value), call_dtors);
 		if (n)
 			(*n)++;
 	}
diff --git a/src/vm.c b/src/vm.c
index be236b9..5bb0474 100644
--- a/src/vm.c
+++ b/src/vm.c
@@ -134,14 +134,17 @@ union vm_value global_get(int varno)
 	return heap[0].page->values[varno];
 }
 
-void global_set(int varno, union vm_value val)
+void global_set(int varno, union vm_value val, bool call_dtors)
 {
 	switch (ain->globals[varno].type.data) {
 	case AIN_STRING:
 	case AIN_STRUCT:
 	case AIN_ARRAY_TYPE:
 		if (heap[0].page->values[varno].i > 0) {
-			heap_unref(heap[0].page->values[varno].i);
+			if (call_dtors)
+				heap_unref(heap[0].page->values[varno].i);
+			else
+				exit_unref(heap[0].page->values[varno].i);
 		}
 	default:
 		break;