diff --git a/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/shapes.test.ts b/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/shapes.test.ts
index 05797ebbb..8c2c46541 100644
--- a/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/shapes.test.ts
+++ b/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/shapes.test.ts
@@ -144,7 +144,11 @@ describe("LLVM runtime RC symbols", () => {
     // The dyn fast path buffers surviving values by kind, as scr_dyn_release does.
     const ir = emitInlineRcHelpers(host).join("\n");
     expect(ir).toContain("call void @scr_dyn_release_survivor(ptr %o)");
-    expect(ir).toMatch(/switch i32 %kind, label %done \[ i32 4, label %root/);
+    expect(ir).toMatch(
+      /switch i32 %kind, label %done \[ i32 4, label %container i32 5, label %container i32 8, label %root/,
+    );
+    // Arrays and objects not yet buffered ask the runtime, which skips intact documents.
+    expect(ir).toMatch(/br i1 %cqueued, label %done, label %survivor/);
   });
 
   test("sanitized builds call the fast-path helpers out of line", () => {
diff --git a/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/shapes.ts b/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/shapes.ts
index 4e8b5d819..c3d4aff8d 100644
--- a/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/shapes.ts
+++ b/packages/compiler/src/backend/llvm/shapes.ts
@@ -283,7 +283,8 @@ interface InlineRcFamily {
  *
  * The dyn release buffers a surviving value by kind (scr_dyn_release):
  * the fast path decides the always and never cases and calls
- * scr_dyn_release_survivor for kinds whose candidacy is per value.
+ * scr_dyn_release_survivor for kinds whose candidacy is per value,
+ * including arrays and objects of intact documents (ScrDynRegion).
  *
  * Releases stay plain calls for:
  * - arr: array releases are the most numerous release sites and the
@@ -552,12 +553,19 @@ function releaseHelper(host: ShapeHost, family: string, row: InlineRcFamily): st
       : family === "dyn"
         ? [
             // scr_dyn_release buffers a surviving value by kind: always for
-            // arrays, objects, functions and proxies, per value for capsules
-            // and handles (scr_dyn_release_survivor), never for scalars.
+            // functions and proxies, per value for arrays and objects (not
+            // while their document is intact, ScrDynRegion), capsules and
+            // handles (scr_dyn_release_survivor), never for scalars. An
+            // array or object already in a candidate buffer stays inline.
             `  %kp = getelementptr i8, ptr %o, ${S} ${S === "i64" ? 8 : 4} ; ScrDyn.kind`,
             `  %kind = load i32, ptr %kp`,
             // SCR_DYN_ARR 4, OBJ 5, FUNC 8, PROXY 13; HANDLE 9, TYPED_REF 12.
-            `  switch i32 %kind, label %done [ i32 4, label %root i32 5, label %root i32 8, label %root i32 13, label %root i32 9, label %survivor i32 12, label %survivor ]`,
+            `  switch i32 %kind, label %done [ i32 4, label %container i32 5, label %container i32 8, label %root i32 13, label %root i32 9, label %survivor i32 12, label %survivor ]`,
+            `container:`,
+            `  %cbufp = getelementptr i8, ptr %o, ${S} -${host.cycleBufOffset}`,
+            `  %cbuf = load i32, ptr %cbufp`,
+            `  %cqueued = icmp slt i32 %cbuf, 0`,
+            `  br i1 %cqueued, label %done, label %survivor`,
             `survivor:`,
             `  call void @scr_dyn_release_survivor(ptr %o)`,
             `  br label %done`,
diff --git a/packages/runtime/src/scr_json.c b/packages/runtime/src/scr_json.c
index 6c5eb97ee..188246762 100644
--- a/packages/runtime/src/scr_json.c
+++ b/packages/runtime/src/scr_json.c
@@ -1086,10 +1086,17 @@ static void scr_dyn_gcfree(void *ptr) { scr_dyn_dispose(ptr, true); }
 
 static void scr_dyn_destroy(void *ptr) { scr_dyn_dispose(ptr, false); }
 
-/* The cycle bookkeeping of a capsule or handle that survives a release.
- * Compiled release fast paths decrement first and call this for the kinds
- * whose candidacy depends on per-value state, matching scr_dyn_release. */
+/* The cycle bookkeeping of a value that survives a release. Compiled
+ * release fast paths decrement first and call this for the kinds whose
+ * candidacy depends on per-value state, matching scr_dyn_release: arrays
+ * and objects not yet buffered (skipped while their document is intact,
+ * ScrDynRegion), capsules and handles. */
 void scr_dyn_release_survivor(ScrDyn *d) {
+  if (d->kind == SCR_DYN_ARR || d->kind == SCR_DYN_OBJ) {
+    const ScrDynRegion *region = scr_dyn_region_of(d);
+    if (!region || !region->intact) scr_cyc_released(d);
+    return;
+  }
   if ((d->kind == SCR_DYN_TYPED_REF &&
        (d->v.typed_ref.materialized || d->v.typed_ref.casts || d->v.typed_ref.traced ||
         d->prototype || d->symbol_properties || d->symbol_keys)) ||
@@ -3904,6 +3911,7 @@ ScrDynEntry *scr_dyn_own_symbol_entry(const ScrDyn *object, const ScrDyn *key) {
 ScrStr *scr_dyn_symbol_storage_name(const ScrDyn *key) { return scr_dyn_symbol_storage_key(key); }
 
 void scr_dyn_symbol_init_own(ScrDyn *object, ScrDyn *key, const ScrStr *storage, ScrDyn *value) {
+  scr_dyn_region_store(object, NULL); /* intact containers have no symbol tables */
   object->symbol_properties = scr_dyn_new_obj_null_proto();
   scr_dyn_obj_set(object->symbol_properties, storage->data, storage->len, scr_dyn_retain(value));
   object->symbol_keys = scr_dyn_new_arr();
diff --git a/packages/runtime/src/scr_symbol.c b/packages/runtime/src/scr_symbol.c
index e3baf8bc8..b3d60d354 100644
--- a/packages/runtime/src/scr_symbol.c
+++ b/packages/runtime/src/scr_symbol.c
@@ -342,6 +342,7 @@ static void scr_dirent_init(void) {
 
 void scr_dyn_dirent_finish(ScrDyn *obj) {
   scr_dirent_init();
+  scr_dyn_region_store(obj, NULL); /* a prototype store (ScrDynRegion) */
   scr_dyn_release(obj->prototype);
   obj->prototype = scr_dyn_retain(scr_dirent_prototype);
   for (size_t i = 0; i < obj->v.obj.len; i++) {