diff --git a/pkg/winacl/api/acl.go b/pkg/winacl/api/acl.go
index c5063a4a..9776550a 100644
--- a/pkg/winacl/api/acl.go
+++ b/pkg/winacl/api/acl.go
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@
 package api
 
 import (
-	"runtime"
 	"syscall"
 	"unsafe"
 
@@ -92,24 +91,6 @@ func SetEntriesInAcl(entries []ExplicitAccess, oldAcl windows.Handle, newAcl *wi
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	// Pin every pointer the kernel will dereference *transitively* through
-	// the entries slice. The unsafe.Pointer->uintptr pinning rule inside
-	// syscall.SyscallN only pins what is passed directly as a uintptr arg
-	// (here, &entries[0]). The kernel also reads through
-	// entries[i].Trustee.Name -- a *uint16 that, depending on TrusteeForm,
-	// is either a UTF-16 string or a SID pointer (cast via
-	// (*uint16)(unsafe.Pointer(sid))). Those targets are NOT covered by
-	// the inline pinning rule, and the typed-as-*uint16 cast obscures the
-	// true allocation from escape analysis, which has been the source of
-	// delayed memory-corruption crashes on long-running Windows scanners.
-	var pinner runtime.Pinner
-	defer pinner.Unpin()
-	for i := range entries {
-		if entries[i].Trustee.Name != nil {
-			pinner.Pin(entries[i].Trustee.Name)
-		}
-	}
-
 	ret, _, _ := syscall.SyscallN(
 		procSetEntriesInAclW.Addr(),
 		uintptr(len(entries)),
diff --git a/pkg/winacl/apply.go b/pkg/winacl/apply.go
index 1294c7ec..2a07c302 100644
--- a/pkg/winacl/apply.go
+++ b/pkg/winacl/apply.go
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@
 package winacl
 
 import (
+	"runtime"
+
 	"github.com/runZeroInc/go-rod/pkg/winacl/api"
 	"golang.org/x/sys/windows"
 )
@@ -26,6 +28,28 @@ func Apply(name string, replace, inherit bool, entries ...api.ExplicitAccess) er
 		)
 		defer windows.LocalFree(secDesc)
 	}
+
+	// Pin every pointer the kernel will dereference *transitively* through
+	// the entries slice. The unsafe.Pointer->uintptr pinning rule inside
+	// syscall.SyscallN only pins what is passed directly as a uintptr arg
+	// (here, &entries[0]). The kernel also reads through
+	// entries[i].Trustee.Name -- a *uint16 that, depending on TrusteeForm,
+	// is either a UTF-16 string or a SID pointer (cast via
+	// (*uint16)(unsafe.Pointer(sid))). Those targets are NOT covered by
+	// the inline pinning rule, and the typed-as-*uint16 cast obscures the
+	// true allocation from escape analysis, which has been the source of
+	// delayed memory-corruption crashes on long-running Windows scanners.
+	var pinner runtime.Pinner
+	defer pinner.Unpin()
+	if len(entries) > 0 {
+		pinner.Pin(&entries[0])
+	}
+	for i := range entries {
+		if entries[i].Trustee.Name != nil {
+			pinner.Pin(entries[i].Trustee.Name)
+		}
+	}
+
 	var acl windows.Handle
 	if err := api.SetEntriesInAcl(
 		entries,
@@ -35,6 +59,7 @@ func Apply(name string, replace, inherit bool, entries ...api.ExplicitAccess) er
 		return err
 	}
 	defer windows.LocalFree(acl)
+
 	var secInfo uint32
 	if !inherit {
 		secInfo = api.PROTECTED_DACL_SECURITY_INFORMATION
diff --git a/pkg/winaclx/helpers.go b/pkg/winaclx/helpers.go
index 4ad3b9cb..3856c414 100644
--- a/pkg/winaclx/helpers.go
+++ b/pkg/winaclx/helpers.go
@@ -235,6 +235,24 @@ func osWindowsApplyACL(name string, replace, inherit bool, entries ...ExplicitAc
 		)
 		defer windows.LocalFree(secDesc)
 	}
+
+	// Pin every pointer the kernel will dereference *transitively* through
+	// entries[i].Trustee.Name. The unsafe.Pointer->uintptr pinning rule in
+	// syscall.SyscallN only pins direct arguments (&entries[0]); pointers
+	// nested inside that struct -- here, the SID or UTF-16 buffer cast to
+	// *uint16 -- are NOT covered, and the cast through a smaller type
+	// obscures the true allocation from escape analysis.
+	var pinner runtime.Pinner
+	defer pinner.Unpin()
+	if len(entries) > 0 {
+		pinner.Pin(&entries[0])
+	}
+	for i := range entries {
+		if entries[i].Trustee.Name != nil {
+			pinner.Pin(entries[i].Trustee.Name)
+		}
+	}
+
 	var acl windows.Handle
 	if err := SetEntriesInAcl(
 		entries,
@@ -244,6 +262,7 @@ func osWindowsApplyACL(name string, replace, inherit bool, entries ...ExplicitAc
 		return err
 	}
 	defer windows.LocalFree(acl)
+
 	var secInfo uint32
 	if !inherit {
 		secInfo = PROTECTED_DACL_SECURITY_INFORMATION
@@ -299,20 +318,6 @@ func SetEntriesInAcl(entries []ExplicitAccess, oldAcl windows.Handle, newAcl *wi
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	// Pin every pointer the kernel will dereference *transitively* through
-	// entries[i].Trustee.Name. The unsafe.Pointer->uintptr pinning rule in
-	// syscall.SyscallN only pins direct arguments (&entries[0]); pointers
-	// nested inside that struct -- here, the SID or UTF-16 buffer cast to
-	// *uint16 -- are NOT covered, and the cast through a smaller type
-	// obscures the true allocation from escape analysis.
-	var pinner runtime.Pinner
-	defer pinner.Unpin()
-	for i := range entries {
-		if entries[i].Trustee.Name != nil {
-			pinner.Pin(entries[i].Trustee.Name)
-		}
-	}
-
 	ret, _, _ := syscall.SyscallN(
 		procSetEntriesInAclW.Addr(),
 		uintptr(len(entries)),