System and method for reducing memory leaks in virtual machine programs

A system and method is provided for reducing memory leaks in virtual machine programs, such as those encountered in programs running in the Java Virtual Machine (JVM) environment. A compiler, such as a Java Just-In-Time (JIT) compiler, is used to identify the last use of an variable and, subsequent to the program statement where the last use occurs, insert a nullification statement. The nullification statement nullifies the variable so that it no longer references an object stored in a garbage collected heap. Variables in a program are identified in the activation records of the program. The nullification statement, when executed, severs the link between the program and the objects stored in the garbage-collected heap so that the program is no longer seen as a "root" for the object, often enabling the garbage collector to reclaim memory occupied by the object sooner.