diff --git a/packages/SwingSet/src/kernel/liveSlots.js b/packages/SwingSet/src/kernel/liveSlots.js
index 84335ae845c..4ffdb8e3d94 100644
--- a/packages/SwingSet/src/kernel/liveSlots.js
+++ b/packages/SwingSet/src/kernel/liveSlots.js
@@ -101,6 +101,17 @@ function build(
   const safetyPins = new Set(); // temporary
   const deadSet = new Set(); // vrefs that are finalized but not yet reported
 
+  function retainExportedRemotable(vref) {
+    // if the vref corresponds to a Remotable, keep a strong reference to it
+    // until the kernel tells us to release it
+    const { type, allocatedByVat, virtual } = parseVatSlot(vref);
+    if (type === 'object' && allocatedByVat && !virtual) {
+      const remotable = slotToVal.get(vref).deref();
+      assert(remotable, X`somehow lost Remotable for ${vref}`);
+      exportedRemotables.add(remotable);
+    }
+  }
+
   /*
     Imports are in one of 5 states: UNKNOWN, REACHABLE, UNREACHABLE,
     COLLECTED, FINALIZED. Note that there's no actual state machine with those
@@ -395,11 +406,13 @@ function build(
         assert.equal(passStyleOf(val), 'remotable');
         slot = exportPassByPresence();
       }
-      parseVatSlot(slot); // assertion
+      const { type } = parseVatSlot(slot); // also used as assertion
       valToSlot.set(val, slot);
       slotToVal.set(slot, new WeakRef(val));
-      // we do not use droppedRegistry for exports
-      exportedRemotables.add(val); // keep it alive until kernel tells us to release it
+      if (type === 'object') {
+        deadSet.delete(slot);
+        droppedRegistry.register(val, slot);
+      }
     }
     return valToSlot.get(val);
   }
@@ -418,10 +431,10 @@ function build(
     const { type, virtual } = parseVatSlot(slot);
     slotToVal.set(slot, new WeakRef(val));
     valToSlot.set(val, slot);
-    if (type === 'object' || type === 'device') {
-      // we don't dropImports on promises, to avoid interaction with retire
-      droppedRegistry.register(val, slot);
+    // we don't dropImports on promises, to avoid interaction with retire
+    if (type === 'object') {
       deadSet.delete(slot); // might have been FINALIZED before, no longer
+      droppedRegistry.register(val, slot);
     }
 
     // TODO: until #2724 is implemented, we cannot actually release
@@ -521,6 +534,7 @@ function build(
     function collect(promiseID, rejected, value) {
       doneResolutions.add(promiseID);
       const valueSer = m.serialize(value);
+      valueSer.slots.map(retainExportedRemotable);
       resolutions.push([promiseID, rejected, valueSer]);
       scanSlots(valueSer.slots);
     }
@@ -552,6 +566,7 @@ function build(
     }
 
     const serArgs = m.serialize(harden(args));
+    serArgs.slots.map(retainExportedRemotable);
     const resultVPID = allocatePromiseID();
     lsdebug(`Promise allocation ${forVatID}:${resultVPID} in queueMessage`);
     // create a Promise which callers follow for the result, give it a
@@ -609,6 +624,7 @@ function build(
         }
         return (...args) => {
           const serArgs = m.serialize(harden(args));
+          serArgs.slots.map(retainExportedRemotable);
           forbidPromises(serArgs);
           const ret = syscall.callNow(slot, prop, serArgs);
           insistCapData(ret);
@@ -802,11 +818,15 @@ function build(
   // TODO: when we add notifyForward, guard against cycles
 
   function exitVat(completion) {
-    syscall.exit(false, m.serialize(harden(completion)));
+    const args = m.serialize(harden(completion));
+    args.slots.map(retainExportedRemotable);
+    syscall.exit(false, args);
   }
 
   function exitVatWithFailure(reason) {
-    syscall.exit(true, m.serialize(harden(reason)));
+    const args = m.serialize(harden(reason));
+    args.slots.map(retainExportedRemotable);
+    syscall.exit(true, args);
   }
 
   function disavow(presence) {
@@ -858,8 +878,8 @@ function build(
     const rootSlot = makeVatSlot('object', true, BigInt(0));
     valToSlot.set(rootObject, rootSlot);
     slotToVal.set(rootSlot, new WeakRef(rootObject));
+    retainExportedRemotable(rootSlot);
     // we do not use droppedRegistry for exports
-    exportedRemotables.add(rootObject);
   }
 
   /**