diff --git a/mypyc/lib-rt/vecs/vec_nested.c b/mypyc/lib-rt/vecs/vec_nested.c
index f877566c17e2..6743935b96da 100644
--- a/mypyc/lib-rt/vecs/vec_nested.c
+++ b/mypyc/lib-rt/vecs/vec_nested.c
@@ -265,8 +265,15 @@ VecNested VecNested_Append(VecNested vec, VecNestedBufItem x) {
         memcpy(new.buf->items, vec.buf->items, sizeof(VecNestedBufItem) * vec.len);
         // TODO: How to safely represent deleted items?
         memset(new.buf->items + vec.len, 0, sizeof(VecNestedBufItem) * (new_size - vec.len));
-        // Clear the items in the old vec. We avoid reference count manipulation.
-        memset(vec.buf->items, 0, sizeof(VecNestedBufItem) * vec.len);
+        if (Py_REFCNT(vec.buf) > 1) {
+            // Other references to old buffer exist; INCREF items in new buffer
+            // so old buffer keeps valid references for aliases.
+            for (Py_ssize_t i = 0; i < vec.len; i++)
+                Py_XINCREF(new.buf->items[i].buf);
+        } else {
+            // No aliases; transfer ownership by clearing old buffer items.
+            memset(vec.buf->items, 0, sizeof(VecNestedBufItem) * vec.len);
+        }
         new.buf->items[vec.len] = x;
         new.len = vec.len + 1;
         VEC_DECREF(vec);
diff --git a/mypyc/lib-rt/vecs/vec_t.c b/mypyc/lib-rt/vecs/vec_t.c
index 56188a42410e..a68712d69b7b 100644
--- a/mypyc/lib-rt/vecs/vec_t.c
+++ b/mypyc/lib-rt/vecs/vec_t.c
@@ -279,8 +279,15 @@ VecT VecT_Append(VecT vec, PyObject *x, size_t item_type) {
         // Copy items to new vec.
         memcpy(new.buf->items, vec.buf->items, sizeof(PyObject *) * vec.len);
         memset(new.buf->items + vec.len, 0, sizeof(PyObject *) * (new_size - vec.len));
-        // Clear the items in the old vec. We avoid reference count manipulation.
-        memset(vec.buf->items, 0, sizeof(PyObject *) * vec.len);
+        if (Py_REFCNT(vec.buf) > 1) {
+            // Other references to old buffer exist; INCREF items in new buffer
+            // so old buffer keeps valid references for aliases.
+            for (Py_ssize_t i = 0; i < vec.len; i++)
+                Py_XINCREF(new.buf->items[i]);
+        } else {
+            // No aliases; transfer ownership by clearing old buffer items.
+            memset(vec.buf->items, 0, sizeof(PyObject *) * vec.len);
+        }
         new.buf->items[vec.len] = x;
         new.len = vec.len + 1;
         VEC_DECREF(vec);
diff --git a/mypyc/test-data/run-vecs-nested-interp.test b/mypyc/test-data/run-vecs-nested-interp.test
index 50f8bca600b9..d4b0af15aa18 100644
--- a/mypyc/test-data/run-vecs-nested-interp.test
+++ b/mypyc/test-data/run-vecs-nested-interp.test
@@ -455,3 +455,15 @@ def test_contains_deeply_nested() -> None:
     assert vec[vec[str]]([vec[str](['a'])]) in v
     assert vec[vec[str]]([vec[str](['b'])]) not in v
     assert vec[vec[str]]() not in v
+
+def test_append_with_alias() -> None:
+    v = vec[vec[i64]]()
+    v = append(v, vec[i64]([1, 2, 3]))
+    alias = v
+    v = append(v, vec[i64]([4, 5]))
+    v = append(v, vec[i64]([6]))
+    v = append(v, vec[i64]([7]))
+    assert alias[0] == vec[i64]([1, 2, 3])
+    assert len(alias) == 1
+    assert v[0] == vec[i64]([1, 2, 3])
+    assert len(v) == 4
diff --git a/mypyc/test-data/run-vecs-nested.test b/mypyc/test-data/run-vecs-nested.test
index 0cf430d9c06c..49a6b892f20b 100644
--- a/mypyc/test-data/run-vecs-nested.test
+++ b/mypyc/test-data/run-vecs-nested.test
@@ -506,3 +506,15 @@ def test_union_of_nested_vecs() -> None:
     with assertRaises(TypeError):
         a5: Any = vec[vec[vec[i64]]]()
         len_union(a5)
+
+def test_append_with_alias() -> None:
+    v = vec[vec[i64]]()
+    v = append(v, vec[i64]([1, 2, 3]))
+    alias = v
+    v = append(v, vec[i64]([4, 5]))
+    v = append(v, vec[i64]([6]))
+    v = append(v, vec[i64]([7]))
+    assert alias[0] == vec[i64]([1, 2, 3])
+    assert len(alias) == 1
+    assert v[0] == vec[i64]([1, 2, 3])
+    assert len(v) == 4
diff --git a/mypyc/test-data/run-vecs-t-interp.test b/mypyc/test-data/run-vecs-t-interp.test
index 76bb57bfdd57..aab522acc9ce 100644
--- a/mypyc/test-data/run-vecs-t-interp.test
+++ b/mypyc/test-data/run-vecs-t-interp.test
@@ -533,6 +533,18 @@ def test_pop_index() -> None:
     assert item == '15'
     assert v == vec[str]()
 
+def test_append_with_alias() -> None:
+    v = vec[str]()
+    v = append(v, 'a')
+    alias = v
+    v = append(v, 'b')
+    v = append(v, 'c')
+    v = append(v, 'd')
+    assert alias[0] == 'a'
+    assert len(alias) == 1
+    assert v[0] == 'a'
+    assert len(v) == 4
+
 [file helpers.py]
 # Test helper classes
 
diff --git a/mypyc/test-data/run-vecs-t.test b/mypyc/test-data/run-vecs-t.test
index 2b69e3140820..6855aba68d57 100644
--- a/mypyc/test-data/run-vecs-t.test
+++ b/mypyc/test-data/run-vecs-t.test
@@ -436,3 +436,15 @@ def test_union_of_vecs() -> None:
     with assertRaises(TypeError):
         a4: Any = vec[Foo]()
         len_union(a4)
+
+def test_append_with_alias() -> None:
+    v = vec[str]()
+    v = append(v, 'a')
+    alias = v
+    v = append(v, 'b')
+    v = append(v, 'c')
+    v = append(v, 'd')
+    assert alias[0] == 'a'
+    assert len(alias) == 1
+    assert v[0] == 'a'
+    assert len(v) == 4