diff --git a/src/renderer/Metal.zig b/src/renderer/Metal.zig
index 766cbefa5..94c087f6c 100644
--- a/src/renderer/Metal.zig
+++ b/src/renderer/Metal.zig
@@ -165,9 +165,7 @@ pub fn init(alloc: Allocator, opts: rendererpkg.Options) !Metal {
 pub fn deinit(self: *Metal) void {
     self.queue.release();
     self.device.release();
-
-    // NOTE: We don't release the layer here because that should be taken
-    //       care of automatically when the hosting view is destroyed.
+    self.layer.release();
 }
 
 pub fn loopEnter(self: *Metal) void {
diff --git a/src/renderer/metal/IOSurfaceLayer.zig b/src/renderer/metal/IOSurfaceLayer.zig
index 4c51a55c2..9212bd5e1 100644
--- a/src/renderer/metal/IOSurfaceLayer.zig
+++ b/src/renderer/metal/IOSurfaceLayer.zig
@@ -21,11 +21,14 @@ var Subclass: ?objc.Class = null;
 layer: objc.Object,
 
 pub fn init() !IOSurfaceLayer {
+    // The layer returned by `[CALayer layer]` is autoreleased, which means
+    // that at the end of the current autorelease pool it will be deallocated
+    // if it isn't retained, so we retain it here manually an extra time.
     const layer = (try getSubclass()).msgSend(
         objc.Object,
         objc.sel("layer"),
         .{},
-    );
+    ).retain();
     errdefer layer.release();
 
     // The layer gravity is set to top-left so that the contents aren't