diff --git a/tslang/lib/TypeScript/MLIRGenImpl.h b/tslang/lib/TypeScript/MLIRGenImpl.h
index 245d63b85..db888dc58 100644
--- a/tslang/lib/TypeScript/MLIRGenImpl.h
+++ b/tslang/lib/TypeScript/MLIRGenImpl.h
@@ -2123,6 +2123,26 @@ class MLIRGenImpl
             // save value
             auto address = builder.create<mlir_ts::AddressOfOp>(
                 location, mlir_ts::RefType::get(variableDeclarationInfo.type), variableDeclarationInfo.fullName, mlir::IntegerAttr());
+
+            // A global is a root and owns what it holds, so its declaration hands the count over
+            // as an assignment to it does (isOwnedGlobalSlot): `const t = new C()` in top-level
+            // code stored the instance, and §9.30 then gave its reference back at the end of the
+            // block, leaving the global pointing at a freed block. A `var` met again in a loop
+            // gives up what it held before.
+            if (isOwningSlot(location, address))
+            {
+                if (producesOwnedReference(variableDeclarationInfo.initial))
+                {
+                    consumeOwnedReference(variableDeclarationInfo.initial);
+                }
+                else
+                {
+                    builder.create<mlir_ts::RetainOp>(location, variableDeclarationInfo.initial);
+                }
+
+                builder.create<mlir_ts::ReleaseSlotOp>(location, address);
+            }
+
             auto storeOp = builder.create<mlir_ts::StoreOp>(location, variableDeclarationInfo.initial, address);
             if (variableDeclarationInfo.varClass.atomic)
             {
diff --git a/tslang/test/tester/CMakeLists.txt b/tslang/test/tester/CMakeLists.txt
index b0095354c..3861d97e1 100644
--- a/tslang/test/tester/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/tslang/test/tester/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -2564,7 +2564,7 @@ foreach(own_test own_fresh_string own_fresh_array own_return_new own_try_local o
                  own_call_no_drops own_getter_borrow own_param_kept own_any_box
                  own_string_length_borrow
                  own_closure_borrow own_closure_escape own_generator own_interface_view
-                 own_async own_record_return own_generator_borrow)
+                 own_async own_record_return own_generator_borrow own_global_script)
     tslang_add_test(NAME test-jit-own-${own_test} COMMAND test-runner -jit -mm=own "${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/test/tester/own/${own_test}.ts")
     tslang_add_test(NAME test-compile-own-${own_test} COMMAND test-runner -mm=own "${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/test/tester/own/${own_test}.ts")
     # The promise: no counting at all in what own emits.
@@ -2576,6 +2576,12 @@ foreach(own_test own_fresh_string own_fresh_array own_return_new own_try_local o
                                     FAIL_REGULAR_EXPRESSION "__tslang_inc_ref|__tslang_dec_ref|error:|Stack dump")
 endforeach()
 
+# A global declared in top-level code owns what it is given, under every model that counts.
+foreach(global_mm rc none gc)
+    tslang_add_test(NAME test-jit-${global_mm}-own-global-script COMMAND test-runner -jit -mm=${global_mm} "${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/test/tester/own/own_global_script.ts")
+    tslang_add_test(NAME test-compile-${global_mm}-own-global-script COMMAND test-runner -mm=${global_mm} "${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/test/tester/own/own_global_script.ts")
+endforeach()
+
 # Across a library boundary: the library exports its functions' `__own_no_drops`, and a borrow held
 # across a call to one survives. Run as a -shared pair (the library loaded at run time) and, on
 # Windows, checked against a library that lists nothing (own-shared-no-drops.cmake).
diff --git a/tslang/test/tester/own/own_global_script.ts b/tslang/test/tester/own/own_global_script.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8c86a392e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tslang/test/tester/own/own_global_script.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+// A global declared in top-level code owns what it is given: `const t = new C()` there stored the
+// instance with no reference of its own, and the reference was then given back at the end of the
+// block that made it, leaving the global pointing at a freed block. A `var` in a nested block is
+// still a global, and the rest of the top-level code reads it after that block has ended.
+class Holder {
+    v: number;
+    s: string;
+
+    constructor(v: number) {
+        this.v = v;
+        this.s = "holder-" + v;
+    }
+}
+
+function churn() {
+    let keep: Holder[] = [];
+    for (let i = 0; i < 1000; i++) keep.push(new Holder(i));
+    return keep.length;
+}
+
+function readAll() {
+    return held.v + later.v + text.length;
+}
+
+const held = new Holder(7);
+let later = new Holder(8);
+var text = "x" + held.v;
+
+{
+    var inBlock = new Holder(9);
+}
+
+assert(churn() == 1000);
+assert(held.v == 7 && held.s == "holder-7");
+assert(later.v == 8 && later.s == "holder-8");
+assert(text == "x7");
+assert(inBlock.v == 9 && inBlock.s == "holder-9");
+assert(readAll() == 17);
+
+// overwritten: the old value is given up
+later = new Holder(10);
+assert(churn() == 1000);
+assert(later.s == "holder-10");
+
+print("done.");