diff --git a/src/cs_ident.cc b/src/cs_ident.cc
index 8771870..2d08cb4 100644
--- a/src/cs_ident.cc
+++ b/src/cs_ident.cc
@@ -358,14 +358,19 @@ LIBCUBESCRIPT_EXPORT any_value command::call(
     auto nargs = args.size();
     auto &ts = state_p{cs}.ts();
     if (nargs < std::size_t(cimpl.arg_count())) {
-        stack_guard s{ts}; /* restore after call */
         auto &targs = ts.vmstack;
         auto osz = targs.size();
         targs.resize(osz + cimpl.arg_count());
-        for (std::size_t i = 0; i < nargs; ++i) {
-            targs[osz + i] = args[i];
+        try {
+            for (std::size_t i = 0; i < nargs; ++i) {
+                targs[osz + i] = args[i];
+            }
+            exec_command(ts, &cimpl, this, &targs[osz], ret, nargs, false);
+        } catch (...) {
+            targs.resize(osz);
+            throw;
         }
-        exec_command(ts, &cimpl, this, &targs[osz], ret, nargs, false);
+        targs.resize(osz);
     } else {
         exec_command(ts, &cimpl, this, &args[0], ret, nargs, false);
     }
diff --git a/src/cs_state.cc b/src/cs_state.cc
index 7077d88..93dc0a1 100644
--- a/src/cs_state.cc
+++ b/src/cs_state.cc
@@ -517,16 +517,19 @@ LIBCUBESCRIPT_EXPORT any_value state::lookup_value(std::string_view name) {
                 return static_cast<builtin_var *>(id)->value();
             case ident_type::COMMAND: {
                 any_value val{};
-                /* make sure value stack gets restored */
-                stack_guard s{*p_tstate};
                 auto *cimpl = static_cast<command_impl *>(id);
                 auto &args = p_tstate->vmstack;
                 auto osz = args.size();
                 /* pad with as many empty values as we need */
                 args.resize(osz + cimpl->arg_count());
-                exec_command(
-                    *p_tstate, cimpl, cimpl, &args[osz], val, 0, true
-                );
+                try {
+                    exec_command(
+                        *p_tstate, cimpl, cimpl, &args[osz], val, 0, true
+                    );
+                } catch (...) {
+                    args.resize(osz);
+                    throw;
+                }
                 args.resize(osz);
                 return val;
             }
diff --git a/src/cs_vm.cc b/src/cs_vm.cc
index a18e268..ce32e7b 100644
--- a/src/cs_vm.cc
+++ b/src/cs_vm.cc
@@ -216,15 +216,6 @@ bool exec_alias(
     return true;
 }
 
-call_depth_guard::call_depth_guard(thread_state &ts): tsp(&ts) {
-    if (ts.max_call_depth && (ts.call_depth >= ts.max_call_depth)) {
-        throw error{*ts.pstate, "exceeded recursion limit"};
-    }
-    ++ts.call_depth;
-}
-
-call_depth_guard::~call_depth_guard() { --tsp->call_depth; }
-
 static inline alias *get_lookup_id(
     thread_state &ts, std::uint32_t op, alias_stack *&ast
 ) {
@@ -247,13 +238,29 @@ static inline alias *get_lookup_id(
     return static_cast<alias *>(id);
 }
 
+struct vm_guard {
+    vm_guard(thread_state &s): ts{s}, oldtop{s.vmstack.size()} {
+        if (s.max_call_depth && (s.call_depth >= s.max_call_depth)) {
+            throw error{*s.pstate, "exceeded recursion limit"};
+        }
+        ++s.call_depth;
+    }
+
+    ~vm_guard() {
+        --ts.call_depth;
+        ts.vmstack.resize(oldtop);
+    }
+
+    thread_state &ts;
+    std::size_t oldtop;
+};
+
 std::uint32_t *vm_exec(
     thread_state &ts, std::uint32_t *code, any_value &result
 ) {
     result.set_none();
     auto &cs = *ts.pstate;
-    call_depth_guard level{ts}; /* incr and decr on scope exit */
-    stack_guard guard{ts}; /* resize back to original */
+    vm_guard scope{ts}; /* keep track of recursion depth + manage stack */
     auto &args = ts.vmstack;
     auto &chook = cs.call_hook();
     if (chook) {
diff --git a/src/cs_vm.hh b/src/cs_vm.hh
index 59d6df1..690fa4b 100644
--- a/src/cs_vm.hh
+++ b/src/cs_vm.hh
@@ -17,33 +17,6 @@ struct break_exception {
 struct continue_exception {
 };
 
-struct call_depth_guard {
-    call_depth_guard() = delete;
-    call_depth_guard(thread_state &ts);
-    call_depth_guard(call_depth_guard const &) = delete;
-    call_depth_guard(call_depth_guard &&) = delete;
-    ~call_depth_guard();
-
-    thread_state *tsp;
-};
-
-struct stack_guard {
-    thread_state *tsp;
-    std::size_t oldtop;
-
-    stack_guard() = delete;
-    stack_guard(thread_state &ts):
-        tsp{&ts}, oldtop{ts.vmstack.size()}
-    {}
-
-    ~stack_guard() {
-        tsp->vmstack.resize(oldtop);
-    }
-
-    stack_guard(stack_guard const &) = delete;
-    stack_guard(stack_guard &&) = delete;
-};
-
 template<typename F, typename ...A>
 static void call_with_args(thread_state &ts, F body, A &&...args) {
     if (!ts.callstack) {