diff --git a/src/nostalgia/tools/pack/pack.cpp b/src/nostalgia/tools/pack/pack.cpp
index f945b9f33..424abeb98 100644
--- a/src/nostalgia/tools/pack/pack.cpp
+++ b/src/nostalgia/tools/pack/pack.cpp
@@ -149,7 +149,9 @@ static ox::Error preloadObj(core::TypeStore *ts, ox::FileSystem *romFs, GbaPrelo
 	oxRequireM(obj, ox::readClaw(ts, buff));
 	if (obj.type()->preloadable) {
 		// preload
+		oxReturnError(pl->startAlloc(ox::sizeOf<GbaPlatSpec>(&obj)));
 		auto err = ox::preload<GbaPlatSpec, decltype(obj)>(pl, &obj);
+		oxReturnError(pl->endAlloc());
 		oxReturnError(err);
 		const core::PreloadPtr p{.preloadAddr = 0};
 		oxReturnError(ox::writeMC(&p).moveTo(&buff));