diff --git a/iphone/TitaniumKit/TitaniumKit/Sources/API/ObjcProxy.m b/iphone/TitaniumKit/TitaniumKit/Sources/API/ObjcProxy.m
index b5263558b1d..eb24fee85d4 100644
--- a/iphone/TitaniumKit/TitaniumKit/Sources/API/ObjcProxy.m
+++ b/iphone/TitaniumKit/TitaniumKit/Sources/API/ObjcProxy.m
@@ -251,9 +251,12 @@ - (void)fireEvent:(NSString *)name withDict:(NSDictionary *)dict
   pthread_rwlock_rdlock(&_listenerLock);
   @try {
     if (_listeners == nil) {
+      pthread_rwlock_unlock(&_listenerLock);
       return;
     }
-    NSArray *listenersForType = [_listeners objectForKey:name];
+    NSArray *listenersForType = [[_listeners objectForKey:name] copy];
+    pthread_rwlock_unlock(&_listenerLock);
+
     if (listenersForType == nil) {
       return;
     }
@@ -261,9 +264,9 @@ - (void)fireEvent:(NSString *)name withDict:(NSDictionary *)dict
     for (JSValue *storedCallback in listenersForType) {
       [self _fireEventToListener:name withObject:dict listener:storedCallback];
     }
+    [listenersForType autorelease];
   }
   @finally {
-    pthread_rwlock_unlock(&_listenerLock);
   }
 }