diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index dcbe232..ed20e28 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 ## master
 
 * raise Vips::Error if `copy_memory` fails [VitaliiLazebnyi]
+* `Source.new_from_memory` keeps a reference to the memory area [jeremy]
 
 ## Version 2.3.0 (2025-12-10)
 
diff --git a/lib/vips/image.rb b/lib/vips/image.rb
index 1a4347b..af2bd0f 100644
--- a/lib/vips/image.rb
+++ b/lib/vips/image.rb
@@ -1017,10 +1017,10 @@ def add_alpha
     #
     # @return [Image] new memory image
     def copy_memory
-      new_image = Vips.vips_image_copy_memory self
-      raise Vips::Error if new_image.null?
+      ptr = Vips.vips_image_copy_memory self
+      raise Vips::Error if ptr.null?
 
-      Vips::Image.new new_image
+      Vips::Image.new ptr
     end
 
     # Draw a point on an image.
@@ -1037,8 +1037,7 @@ def draw_point ink, left, top, **opts
     # @param other [Image, Real, Array<Real>] Thing to add to self
     # @return [Image] result of addition
     def + other
-      other.is_a?(Vips::Image) ?
-          add(other) : linear(1, other)
+      other.is_a?(Vips::Image) ? add(other) : linear(1, other)
     end
 
     # Subtract an image, constant or array.
@@ -1055,8 +1054,7 @@ def - other
     # @param other [Image, Real, Array<Real>] Thing to multiply by self
     # @return [Image] result of multiplication
     def * other
-      other.is_a?(Vips::Image) ?
-          multiply(other) : linear(other, 0)
+      other.is_a?(Vips::Image) ? multiply(other) : linear(other, 0)
     end
 
     # Divide an image, constant or array.
@@ -1073,8 +1071,7 @@ def / other
     # @param other [Image, Real, Array<Real>] self modulo this
     # @return [Image] result of modulo
     def % other
-      other.is_a?(Vips::Image) ?
-          remainder(other) : remainder_const(other)
+      other.is_a?(Vips::Image) ? remainder(other) : remainder_const(other)
     end
 
     # Raise to power of an image, constant or array.
diff --git a/lib/vips/source.rb b/lib/vips/source.rb
index a252697..8549fb6 100644
--- a/lib/vips/source.rb
+++ b/lib/vips/source.rb
@@ -78,11 +78,14 @@ def self.new_from_file(filename)
     def self.new_from_memory(data)
       ptr = Vips.vips_source_new_from_memory data, data.bytesize
       raise Vips::Error if ptr.null?
+      source = Vips::Source.new ptr
 
-      # FIXME do we need to keep a ref to the underlying memory area? what
-      # about Image.new_from_buffer? Does that need a secret ref too?
+      # keep a secret ref to the underlying object .. this reference will be
+      # inherited by things that in turn depend on us, so the memory we are
+      # using will not be freed
+      source.references << data
 
-      Vips::Source.new ptr
+      source
     end
   end
 end