diff --git a/transcode.c b/transcode.c
index 2c0b30ca0e..84c579eb2e 100644
--- a/transcode.c
+++ b/transcode.c
@@ -3150,8 +3150,12 @@ econv_s_search_convpath(int argc, VALUE *argv, VALUE klass)
     convpath = Qnil;
     transcode_search_path(sname, dname, search_convpath_i, &convpath);
 
-    if (NIL_P(convpath))
-        rb_exc_raise(rb_econv_open_exc(sname, dname, ecflags));
+    if (NIL_P(convpath)) {
+	VALUE exc = rb_econv_open_exc(sname, dname, ecflags);
+	RB_GC_GUARD(snamev);
+	RB_GC_GUARD(dnamev);
+	rb_exc_raise(exc);
+    }
 
     if (decorate_convpath(convpath, ecflags) == -1) {
 	VALUE exc = rb_econv_open_exc(sname, dname, ecflags);
diff --git a/version.h b/version.h
index 7c1ad2c842..25eef3bdbd 100644
--- a/version.h
+++ b/version.h
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #define RUBY_VERSION "2.5.4"
 #define RUBY_RELEASE_DATE "2019-01-20"
-#define RUBY_PATCHLEVEL 136
+#define RUBY_PATCHLEVEL 137
 
 #define RUBY_RELEASE_YEAR 2019
 #define RUBY_RELEASE_MONTH 1