diff --git a/scsh/bsd/time_dep1.c b/scsh/bsd/time_dep1.c
index 77fbbfc..0b52fdb 100644
--- a/scsh/bsd/time_dep1.c
+++ b/scsh/bsd/time_dep1.c
@@ -16,9 +16,23 @@ s48_value time_plus_ticks()
 {
     struct timeval t;
     struct timezone tz;
-
+    s48_value sch_tv_sec = S48_UNSPECIFIC;
+    s48_value sch_tv_usec = S48_UNSPECIFIC;
+    s48_value sch_listval = S48_UNSPECIFIC;
+    s48_value sch_retval
+    S48_DECLARE_GC_PROTECT(3);
+    
     if( gettimeofday(&t, &tz) ) s48_raise_os_error (errno);
 
-    return   s48_cons (s48_enter_integer (t.tv_sec),
-		       s48_cons (s48_enter_integer (t.tv_usec), S48_NULL));
+    S48_GC_PROTECT_3(sch_tv_sec, sch_tv_usec, sch_listval);
+
+    sch_tv_sec = s48_enter_integer(t.tv_sec);
+    sch_tv_usec = s48_enter_integer(t.tv_usec);
+    sch_listval = s48_cons (sch_tv_usec, S48_NULL);
+    sch_retval = s48_cons (sch_tv_sec, sch_listval);
+    
+    S48_GC_UNPROTECT;
+
+    return sch_retval;
+
 }