diff --git a/lib/c-api/src/wasm_c_api/externals/function.rs b/lib/c-api/src/wasm_c_api/externals/function.rs
index 8d1abdedd..77e76f1c7 100644
--- a/lib/c-api/src/wasm_c_api/externals/function.rs
+++ b/lib/c-api/src/wasm_c_api/externals/function.rs
@@ -2,17 +2,27 @@ use super::super::store::wasm_store_t;
 use super::super::trap::wasm_trap_t;
 use super::super::types::{wasm_functype_t, wasm_valkind_enum};
 use super::super::value::{wasm_val_inner, wasm_val_t, wasm_val_vec_t};
+use super::CApiExternTag;
 use std::convert::TryInto;
 use std::ffi::c_void;
 use std::sync::Arc;
-use wasmer::{Function, Instance, RuntimeError, Val};
+use wasmer::{Function, RuntimeError, Val};
 
 #[derive(Debug)]
 #[allow(non_camel_case_types)]
+#[repr(C)]
 pub struct wasm_func_t {
-    pub(crate) inner: Function,
-    // this is how we ensure the instance stays alive
-    pub(crate) instance: Option<Arc<Instance>>,
+    pub(crate) tag: CApiExternTag,
+    pub(crate) inner: Box<Function>,
+}
+
+impl wasm_func_t {
+    pub(crate) fn new(function: Function) -> Self {
+        Self {
+            tag: CApiExternTag::Function,
+            inner: Box::new(function),
+        }
+    }
 }
 
 #[allow(non_camel_case_types)]
@@ -80,10 +90,7 @@ pub unsafe extern "C" fn wasm_func_new(
     };
     let function = Function::new(&store.inner, func_sig, inner_callback);
 
-    Some(Box::new(wasm_func_t {
-        instance: None,
-        inner: function,
-    }))
+    Some(Box::new(wasm_func_t { inner: function }))
 }
 
 #[no_mangle]
@@ -172,10 +179,7 @@ pub unsafe extern "C" fn wasm_func_new_with_env(
         trampoline,
     );
 
-    Some(Box::new(wasm_func_t {
-        instance: None,
-        inner: function,
-    }))
+    Some(Box::new(wasm_func_t { inner: function }))
 }
 
 #[no_mangle]
diff --git a/lib/c-api/src/wasm_c_api/externals/global.rs b/lib/c-api/src/wasm_c_api/externals/global.rs
index 624d4620f..1504784cd 100644
--- a/lib/c-api/src/wasm_c_api/externals/global.rs
+++ b/lib/c-api/src/wasm_c_api/externals/global.rs
@@ -1,14 +1,25 @@
 use super::super::store::wasm_store_t;
 use super::super::types::wasm_globaltype_t;
 use super::super::value::wasm_val_t;
+use super::CApiExternTag;
 use crate::error::update_last_error;
 use std::convert::TryInto;
 use wasmer::{Global, Val};
 
 #[allow(non_camel_case_types)]
+#[repr(C)]
 pub struct wasm_global_t {
-    // maybe needs to hold onto instance
-    pub(crate) inner: Global,
+    pub(crate) tag: CApiExternTag,
+    pub(crate) inner: Box<Global>,
+}
+
+impl wasm_global_t {
+    pub(crate) fn new(global: Global) -> Self {
+        Self {
+            tag: CApiExternTag::Global,
+            inner: Box::new(global),
+        }
+    }
 }
 
 #[no_mangle]
diff --git a/lib/c-api/src/wasm_c_api/externals/memory.rs b/lib/c-api/src/wasm_c_api/externals/memory.rs
index e43db12ee..e8b65a0b6 100644
--- a/lib/c-api/src/wasm_c_api/externals/memory.rs
+++ b/lib/c-api/src/wasm_c_api/externals/memory.rs
@@ -1,12 +1,23 @@
 use super::super::store::wasm_store_t;
 use super::super::types::wasm_memorytype_t;
+use super::CApiExternTag;
 use std::mem;
 use wasmer::{Memory, Pages};
 
 #[allow(non_camel_case_types)]
+#[repr(C)]
 pub struct wasm_memory_t {
-    // maybe needs to hold onto instance
-    pub(crate) inner: Memory,
+    pub(crate) tag: CApiExternTag,
+    pub(crate) inner: Box<Memory>,
+}
+
+impl wasm_memory_t {
+    pub(crate) fn new(memory: Memory) -> Self {
+        Self {
+            tag: CApiExternTag::Memory,
+            inner: Box::new(memory),
+        }
+    }
 }
 
 #[no_mangle]
diff --git a/lib/c-api/src/wasm_c_api/externals/mod.rs b/lib/c-api/src/wasm_c_api/externals/mod.rs
index 869ae4b6e..7548ff3c4 100644
--- a/lib/c-api/src/wasm_c_api/externals/mod.rs
+++ b/lib/c-api/src/wasm_c_api/externals/mod.rs
@@ -12,10 +12,94 @@ use wasmer::{Extern, Instance};
 
 #[allow(non_camel_case_types)]
 #[derive(Clone)]
+#[repr(transparent)]
 pub struct wasm_extern_t {
-    // this is how we ensure the instance stays alive
-    pub(crate) instance: Option<Arc<Instance>>,
-    pub(crate) inner: Extern,
+    pub(crate) inner: wasm_extern_inner,
+}
+
+/// All elements in this union must be `repr(C)` and have a
+/// `CApiExternTag` as their first element.
+pub(crate) union wasm_extern_inner {
+    function: wasm_func_t,
+    memory: wasm_memory_t,
+    global: wasm_global_t,
+    table: wasm_table_t,
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod extern_tests {
+    use super::*;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn externs_are_the_same_size() {
+        use std::mem::size_of;
+        assert_eq!(size_of::<wasm_extern_t>(), size_of::<wasm_func_t>());
+        assert_eq!(size_of::<wasm_extern_t>(), size_of::<wasm_memory_t>());
+        assert_eq!(size_of::<wasm_extern_t>(), size_of::<wasm_global_t>());
+        assert_eq!(size_of::<wasm_extern_t>(), size_of::<wasm_table_t>());
+    }
+}
+
+impl wasm_extern_t {
+    pub(crate) fn get_tag(&self) -> CApiExternTag {
+        unsafe { self.inner.function.tag }
+    }
+
+    pub(crate) fn ty(&self) -> ExternType {
+        match self.get_tag() {
+            CApiExternTag::Function => unsafe { self.inner.function.inner.ty() },
+            CApiExternTag::Memory => unsafe { self.inner.memory.inner.ty() },
+            CApiExternTag::Global => unsafe { self.inner.global.inner.ty() },
+            CApiExternTag::Table => unsafe { self.inner.table.inner.ty() },
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl From<Extern> for wasm_extern_t {
+    fn from(other: Extern) -> Self {
+        match other {
+            Extern::Function(function) => Self {
+                inner: wasm_extern_inner {
+                    function: wasm_func_t::new(function),
+                },
+            },
+            Extern::Memory(memory) => Self {
+                inner: wasm_extern_inner {
+                    memory: wasm_memory_t::new(memory),
+                },
+            },
+            Extern::Table(table) => Self {
+                inner: wasm_extern_inner {
+                    table: wasm_table_t::new(table),
+                },
+            },
+            Extern::Global(global) => Self {
+                inner: wasm_extern_inner {
+                    global: wasm_global_t::new(global),
+                },
+            },
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl From<wasm_extern_t> for Extern {
+    fn from(other: wasm_extern_t) -> Self {
+        match other.get_tag() {
+            CApiExternTag::Function => unsafe { self.inner.function.inner.clone().into() },
+            CApiExternTag::Memory => unsafe { self.inner.memory.inner.clone().into() },
+            CApiExternTag::Table => unsafe { self.inner.table.inner.clone().into() },
+            CApiExternTag::Global => unsafe { self.inner.global.inner.clone().into() },
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+#[derive(Clone, Copy, Debug)]
+#[repr(C)]
+pub(crate) enum CApiExternTag {
+    Function,
+    Global,
+    Table,
+    Memory,
 }
 
 wasm_declare_boxed_vec!(extern);
diff --git a/lib/c-api/src/wasm_c_api/externals/table.rs b/lib/c-api/src/wasm_c_api/externals/table.rs
index d2b23f5fa..775b84f63 100644
--- a/lib/c-api/src/wasm_c_api/externals/table.rs
+++ b/lib/c-api/src/wasm_c_api/externals/table.rs
@@ -1,11 +1,22 @@
 use super::super::store::wasm_store_t;
 use super::super::types::{wasm_ref_t, wasm_table_size_t, wasm_tabletype_t};
+use super::CApiExternTag;
 use wasmer::Table;
 
 #[allow(non_camel_case_types)]
+#[repr(C)]
 pub struct wasm_table_t {
-    // maybe needs to hold onto instance
-    pub(crate) inner: Table,
+    pub(crate) tag: CApiExternTag,
+    pub(crate) inner: Box<Table>,
+}
+
+impl wasm_table_t {
+    pub(crate) fn new(table: Table) -> Self {
+        Self {
+            tag: CApiExternTag::Table,
+            inner: Box::new(table),
+        }
+    }
 }
 
 #[no_mangle]
diff --git a/lib/c-api/src/wasm_c_api/instance.rs b/lib/c-api/src/wasm_c_api/instance.rs
index 9f7bc3842..d440d81d7 100644
--- a/lib/c-api/src/wasm_c_api/instance.rs
+++ b/lib/c-api/src/wasm_c_api/instance.rs
@@ -192,10 +192,7 @@ pub unsafe extern "C" fn wasm_instance_exports(
                 None
             };
 
-            Box::into_raw(Box::new(wasm_extern_t {
-                instance: Some(Arc::clone(instance)),
-                inner: r#extern.clone(),
-            }))
+            Box::into_raw(Box::new(r#extern.clone().into()))
         })
         .collect::<Vec<*mut wasm_extern_t>>();
     extern_vec.shrink_to_fit();
diff --git a/lib/c-api/src/wasm_c_api/types/extern_.rs b/lib/c-api/src/wasm_c_api/types/extern_.rs
index 4ef1f8cb6..cdf2abca9 100644
--- a/lib/c-api/src/wasm_c_api/types/extern_.rs
+++ b/lib/c-api/src/wasm_c_api/types/extern_.rs
@@ -85,12 +85,12 @@ impl From<&ExternType> for wasm_externtype_t {
 
 #[no_mangle]
 pub unsafe extern "C" fn wasm_extern_type(r#extern: &wasm_extern_t) -> Box<wasm_externtype_t> {
-    Box::new(wasm_externtype_t::new(r#extern.inner.ty()))
+    Box::new(wasm_externtype_t::new(r#extern.ty()))
 }
 
 #[no_mangle]
 pub unsafe extern "C" fn wasm_extern_kind(r#extern: &wasm_extern_t) -> wasm_externkind_t {
-    wasm_externkind_enum::from(r#extern.inner.ty()) as wasm_externkind_t
+    wasm_externkind_enum::from(r#extern.ty()) as wasm_externkind_t
 }
 
 #[no_mangle]
diff --git a/lib/c-api/src/wasm_c_api/unstable/wasi.rs b/lib/c-api/src/wasm_c_api/unstable/wasi.rs
index 8eb0a5fa2..53aa8173b 100644
--- a/lib/c-api/src/wasm_c_api/unstable/wasi.rs
+++ b/lib/c-api/src/wasm_c_api/unstable/wasi.rs
@@ -186,10 +186,7 @@ fn wasi_get_unordered_imports_inner(
             Box::new(wasmer_named_extern_t {
                 module,
                 name,
-                r#extern: Box::new(wasm_extern_t {
-                    instance: None,
-                    inner: extern_inner,
-                }),
+                r#extern: Box::new(extern_inner.into()),
             })
         })
         .collect::<Vec<_>>()
diff --git a/lib/c-api/src/wasm_c_api/wasi/mod.rs b/lib/c-api/src/wasm_c_api/wasi/mod.rs
index 5d16fabb0..190c6cbac 100644
--- a/lib/c-api/src/wasm_c_api/wasi/mod.rs
+++ b/lib/c-api/src/wasm_c_api/wasi/mod.rs
@@ -390,10 +390,7 @@ fn wasi_get_imports_inner(
                 }));
             let inner = Extern::from_vm_export(store, export);
 
-            Some(Box::new(wasm_extern_t {
-                instance: None,
-                inner,
-            }))
+            Some(Box::new(inner.into()))
         })
         .collect::<Option<Vec<_>>>()?
         .into();
@@ -407,10 +404,7 @@ pub unsafe extern "C" fn wasi_get_start_function(
 ) -> Option<Box<wasm_func_t>> {
     let start = c_try!(instance.inner.exports.get_function("_start"));
 
-    Some(Box::new(wasm_func_t {
-        inner: start.clone(),
-        instance: Some(instance.inner.clone()),
-    }))
+    Some(Box::new(wasm_func_t::new(start.clone())))
 }
 
 #[cfg(test)]