diff --git a/kotlin-native/runtime/src/main/cpp/objc_support/ObjectPtr.hpp b/kotlin-native/runtime/src/main/cpp/objc_support/ObjectPtr.hpp
index 464eb074f0a..16a5d4ad7f6 100644
--- a/kotlin-native/runtime/src/main/cpp/objc_support/ObjectPtr.hpp
+++ b/kotlin-native/runtime/src/main/cpp/objc_support/ObjectPtr.hpp
@@ -20,12 +20,16 @@ OBJC_FORWARD_DECLARE(NSObject);
 
 namespace kotlin::objc_support {
 
+struct object_ptr_retain_t{};
+inline constexpr object_ptr_retain_t object_ptr_retain{};
+
 namespace internal {
 
 class ObjectPtrImpl {
 public:
     ObjectPtrImpl() noexcept;
     explicit ObjectPtrImpl(NSObject* object) noexcept;
+    ObjectPtrImpl(object_ptr_retain_t, NSObject* object) noexcept;
 
     ObjectPtrImpl(const ObjectPtrImpl& rhs) noexcept;
     ObjectPtrImpl(ObjectPtrImpl&& rhs) noexcept;
@@ -51,6 +55,7 @@ public:
 
     void reset() noexcept;
     void reset(NSObject* object) noexcept;
+    void reset(object_ptr_retain_t, NSObject* object) noexcept;
 
     bool operator==(const ObjectPtrImpl& rhs) const noexcept;
     bool operator<(const ObjectPtrImpl& rhs) const noexcept;
@@ -65,8 +70,10 @@ private:
 
 // `std::shared_ptr`-like smart pointer for ObjC objects.
 //
-// IMPORTANT: Must be constructed from a retained ObjC object.
+// IMPORTANT: By default constructed from a retained ObjC object.
 // This optimizes for the common case of constructing directly from `[[T alloc] init...]`.
+// To construct and additionally retain the object, use `object_ptr_retain` as the first argument
+// to the constructor.
 //
 // Unlike a regular C++ smart pointer `operator*` does not return a reference but return a pointer
 // for convenient syntax of calling ObjC methods: `[*smartPtr methodName]`.
@@ -88,6 +95,9 @@ public:
     // IMPORTANT: this does not `retain` `ptr`.
     explicit object_ptr(T* ptr) noexcept : impl_(ptr) {}
 
+    // Construct from ObjC object, additionally retaining `ptr`.
+    object_ptr(object_ptr_retain_t, T* ptr) noexcept : impl_(object_ptr_retain, ptr) {}
+
     void swap(object_ptr<T>& rhs) noexcept { impl_.swap(rhs.impl_); }
 
     T* get() const noexcept { return (T*)impl_.get(); }
@@ -104,6 +114,9 @@ public:
     // IMPORTANT: this does not `retain` `ptr`.
     void reset(T* ptr) noexcept { impl_.reset(ptr); }
 
+    // Release stored pointer and store `ptr` instead, additionally retaining `ptr`.
+    void reset(object_ptr_retain_t, T* ptr) noexcept { impl_.reset(object_ptr_retain, ptr); }
+
     template <typename U>
     bool operator==(const object_ptr<U>& rhs) const noexcept {
         return impl_ == rhs.impl_;
diff --git a/kotlin-native/runtime/src/main/cpp/objc_support/ObjectPtr.mm b/kotlin-native/runtime/src/main/cpp/objc_support/ObjectPtr.mm
index aeaf39e3cca..50efe7480ac 100644
--- a/kotlin-native/runtime/src/main/cpp/objc_support/ObjectPtr.mm
+++ b/kotlin-native/runtime/src/main/cpp/objc_support/ObjectPtr.mm
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ objc_support::internal::ObjectPtrImpl::ObjectPtrImpl() noexcept : object_(nil) {
 
 objc_support::internal::ObjectPtrImpl::ObjectPtrImpl(NSObject* object) noexcept : object_(object) {}
 
+objc_support::internal::ObjectPtrImpl::ObjectPtrImpl(object_ptr_retain_t, NSObject* object) noexcept : object_([object retain]) {}
+
 objc_support::internal::ObjectPtrImpl::ObjectPtrImpl(const ObjectPtrImpl& rhs) noexcept : object_([rhs.object_ retain]) {}
 
 objc_support::internal::ObjectPtrImpl::ObjectPtrImpl(ObjectPtrImpl&& rhs) noexcept : object_(rhs.object_) {
@@ -51,6 +53,10 @@ void objc_support::internal::ObjectPtrImpl::reset(NSObject* object) noexcept {
     }
 }
 
+void objc_support::internal::ObjectPtrImpl::reset(object_ptr_retain_t, NSObject* object) noexcept {
+    reset([object retain]);
+}
+
 std::size_t objc_support::internal::ObjectPtrImpl::computeHash() const noexcept {
     return object_.hash;
 }
diff --git a/kotlin-native/runtime/src/main/cpp/objc_support/ObjectPtrTest.mm b/kotlin-native/runtime/src/main/cpp/objc_support/ObjectPtrTest.mm
index 6300351f51b..23d724b6ea8 100644
--- a/kotlin-native/runtime/src/main/cpp/objc_support/ObjectPtrTest.mm
+++ b/kotlin-native/runtime/src/main/cpp/objc_support/ObjectPtrTest.mm
@@ -85,6 +85,21 @@ TEST(ObjectPtrTest, ObjectCtor) {
     testing::Mock::VerifyAndClearExpectations(&destructorHook);
 }
 
+TEST(ObjectPtrTest, ObjectCtorWithRetain) {
+    testing::StrictMock<testing::MockFunction<DestructorHook>> destructorHook;
+
+    auto* ptr = [[WithDestructorHookObjC alloc] initWithDestructorHook:destructorHook.AsStdFunction()];
+    {
+        objc_support::object_ptr<WithDestructorHookObjC> obj(objc_support::object_ptr_retain, ptr);
+        EXPECT_CONTAINS(obj, ptr);
+        EXPECT_CALL(destructorHook, Call(ptr.impl)).Times(0);
+    }
+    testing::Mock::VerifyAndClearExpectations(&destructorHook);
+
+    EXPECT_CALL(destructorHook, Call(ptr.impl));
+    [ptr release];
+}
+
 TEST(ObjectPtrTest, CopyCtor) {
     testing::StrictMock<testing::MockFunction<DestructorHook>> destructorHook;
 
@@ -304,6 +319,24 @@ TEST(ObjectPtrTest, ResetObjectFromEmpty) {
     EXPECT_CALL(destructorHook, Call(ptr.impl));
 }
 
+TEST(ObjectPtrTest, ResetObjectFromEmptyWithRetain) {
+    testing::StrictMock<testing::MockFunction<DestructorHook>> destructorHook;
+
+    auto* ptr = [[WithDestructorHookObjC alloc] initWithDestructorHook:destructorHook.AsStdFunction()];
+    {
+        objc_support::object_ptr<WithDestructorHookObjC> obj;
+
+        obj.reset(objc_support::object_ptr_retain, ptr);
+        EXPECT_CONTAINS(obj, ptr);
+
+        EXPECT_CALL(destructorHook, Call(ptr.impl)).Times(0);
+    }
+    testing::Mock::VerifyAndClearExpectations(&destructorHook);
+
+    EXPECT_CALL(destructorHook, Call(ptr.impl));
+    [ptr release];
+}
+
 TEST(ObjectPtrTest, ResetObjectFromSet) {
     testing::StrictMock<testing::MockFunction<DestructorHook>> destructorHook;
 
@@ -319,6 +352,27 @@ TEST(ObjectPtrTest, ResetObjectFromSet) {
     EXPECT_CALL(destructorHook, Call(ptr2.impl));
 }
 
+TEST(ObjectPtrTest, ResetObjectFromSetWithRetain) {
+    testing::StrictMock<testing::MockFunction<DestructorHook>> destructorHook;
+
+    auto* ptr1 = [[WithDestructorHookObjC alloc] initWithDestructorHook:destructorHook.AsStdFunction()];
+    auto* ptr2 = [[WithDestructorHookObjC alloc] initWithDestructorHook:destructorHook.AsStdFunction()];
+    {
+        objc_support::object_ptr<WithDestructorHookObjC> obj(ptr1);
+
+        EXPECT_CALL(destructorHook, Call(ptr1.impl));
+        obj.reset(objc_support::object_ptr_retain, ptr2);
+        testing::Mock::VerifyAndClearExpectations(&destructorHook);
+        EXPECT_CONTAINS(obj, ptr2);
+
+        EXPECT_CALL(destructorHook, Call(ptr2.impl)).Times(0);
+    }
+    testing::Mock::VerifyAndClearExpectations(&destructorHook);
+
+    EXPECT_CALL(destructorHook, Call(ptr2.impl));
+    [ptr2 release];
+}
+
 #define EXPECT_EQUAL(expr1, expr2) \
     do { \
         EXPECT_TRUE((expr1) == (expr2)); \