diff --git a/shell/platform/darwin/ios/ios_external_texture_gl.h b/shell/platform/darwin/ios/ios_external_texture_gl.h
index 88be5cc7c466a..35230be5cd5af 100644
--- a/shell/platform/darwin/ios/ios_external_texture_gl.h
+++ b/shell/platform/darwin/ios/ios_external_texture_gl.h
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 
 #include "flutter/flow/texture.h"
 #include "flutter/fml/platform/darwin/cf_utils.h"
+#include "flutter/fml/platform/darwin/scoped_nsobject.h"
 #include "flutter/shell/platform/darwin/ios/framework/Headers/FlutterTexture.h"
 
 namespace flutter {
@@ -33,7 +34,7 @@ class IOSExternalTextureGL : public flutter::Texture {
   bool NeedUpdateTexture(bool freeze);
 
   bool new_frame_ready_ = false;
-  NSObject<FlutterTexture>* external_texture_;
+  fml::scoped_nsobject<NSObject<FlutterTexture>> external_texture_;
   fml::CFRef<CVOpenGLESTextureCacheRef> cache_ref_;
   fml::CFRef<CVOpenGLESTextureRef> texture_ref_;
   fml::CFRef<CVPixelBufferRef> buffer_ref_;
diff --git a/shell/platform/darwin/ios/ios_external_texture_gl.mm b/shell/platform/darwin/ios/ios_external_texture_gl.mm
index a5e729195ce34..4167269bdabe0 100644
--- a/shell/platform/darwin/ios/ios_external_texture_gl.mm
+++ b/shell/platform/darwin/ios/ios_external_texture_gl.mm
@@ -16,7 +16,8 @@
 
 IOSExternalTextureGL::IOSExternalTextureGL(int64_t textureId,
                                            NSObject<FlutterTexture>* externalTexture)
-    : Texture(textureId), external_texture_(externalTexture) {
+    : Texture(textureId),
+      external_texture_(fml::scoped_nsobject<NSObject<FlutterTexture>>([externalTexture retain])) {
   FML_DCHECK(external_texture_);
 }
 
@@ -65,7 +66,7 @@
                                  GrContext* context) {
   EnsureTextureCacheExists();
   if (NeedUpdateTexture(freeze)) {
-    auto pixelBuffer = [external_texture_ copyPixelBuffer];
+    auto pixelBuffer = [external_texture_.get() copyPixelBuffer];
     if (pixelBuffer) {
       buffer_ref_.Reset(pixelBuffer);
     }