diff --git a/artiq/compiler/builtins.py b/artiq/compiler/builtins.py
index 1d69bcbae..77e102d3b 100644
--- a/artiq/compiler/builtins.py
+++ b/artiq/compiler/builtins.py
@@ -311,11 +311,9 @@ def is_collection(typ):
         types.is_mono(typ, "list")
 
 def is_allocated(typ):
-    if types.is_tuple(typ):
-        return any(is_allocated(e.find()) for e in typ.elts)
     return not (is_none(typ) or is_bool(typ) or is_int(typ) or
                   is_float(typ) or is_range(typ) or
                   types._is_pointer(typ) or types.is_function(typ) or
                   types.is_c_function(typ) or types.is_rpc(typ) or
-                  types.is_method(typ) or
+                  types.is_method(typ) or types.is_tuple(typ) or
                   types.is_value(typ))
diff --git a/artiq/compiler/transforms/llvm_ir_generator.py b/artiq/compiler/transforms/llvm_ir_generator.py
index 25d7c6859..afbc6cbc9 100644
--- a/artiq/compiler/transforms/llvm_ir_generator.py
+++ b/artiq/compiler/transforms/llvm_ir_generator.py
@@ -1384,7 +1384,7 @@ class LLVMIRGenerator:
 
         self.llbuilder.position_at_end(lltail)
         llret = self.llbuilder.load(llslot, name="rpc.ret")
-        if not builtins.is_allocated(fun_type.ret):
+        if not fun_type.ret.fold(False, lambda r, t: r or builtins.is_allocated(t)):
             # We didn't allocate anything except the slot for the value itself.
             # Don't waste stack space.
             self.llbuilder.call(self.llbuiltin("llvm.stackrestore"), [llstackptr])
diff --git a/artiq/test/coredevice/test_embedding.py b/artiq/test/coredevice/test_embedding.py
index 23afc9a20..d8d85d5e0 100644
--- a/artiq/test/coredevice/test_embedding.py
+++ b/artiq/test/coredevice/test_embedding.py
@@ -58,6 +58,9 @@ class RoundtripTest(ExperimentCase):
     def test_object_list(self):
         self.assertRoundtrip([object(), object()])
 
+    def test_list_tuple(self):
+        self.assertRoundtrip(([1, 2], [3, 4]))
+
 
 class _DefaultArg(EnvExperiment):
     def build(self):
@@ -296,3 +299,40 @@ class LargePayloadTest(ExperimentCase):
     def test_1MB(self):
         exp = self.create(_Payload1MB)
         exp.run()
+
+
+class _ListTuple(EnvExperiment):
+    def build(self):
+        self.setattr_device("core")
+
+    @kernel
+    def run(self):
+        # Make sure lifetime for the array data in tuples of lists is managed
+        # correctly. This is written in a somewhat convoluted fashion to provoke
+        # memory corruption even in the face of compiler optimizations.
+        for _ in range(self.get_num_iters()):
+            a, b = self.get_values(0, 1, 32)
+            c, d = self.get_values(2, 3, 64)
+            self.verify(a)
+            self.verify(c)
+            self.verify(b)
+            self.verify(d)
+
+    @kernel
+    def verify(self, data):
+        for i in range(len(data)):
+            if data[i] != data[0] + i:
+                raise ValueError
+
+    def get_num_iters(self) -> TInt32:
+        return 2
+
+    def get_values(self, base_a, base_b, n) -> TTuple([TList(TInt32), TList(TInt32)]):
+        return [numpy.int32(base_a + i) for i in range(n)], \
+            [numpy.int32(base_b + i) for i in range(n)]
+
+
+class ListTupleTest(ExperimentCase):
+    def test_list_tuple(self):
+        exp = self.create(_ListTuple)
+        exp.run()