diff --git a/system/include/emscripten/val.h b/system/include/emscripten/val.h
index 81e7c0d2e88f2..9721f66f7999e 100644
--- a/system/include/emscripten/val.h
+++ b/system/include/emscripten/val.h
@@ -49,7 +49,8 @@ enum {
   _EMVAL_UNDEFINED = 2,
   _EMVAL_NULL = 4,
   _EMVAL_TRUE = 6,
-  _EMVAL_FALSE = 8
+  _EMVAL_FALSE = 8,
+  _EMVAL_LAST_RESERVED_HANDLE = 8,
 };
 
 typedef struct _EM_DESTRUCTORS* EM_DESTRUCTORS;
@@ -385,11 +386,13 @@ class val {
   }
 
   val(const val& v) : val(v.as_handle()) {
-    internal::_emval_incref(handle);
+    if (uses_ref_count()) {
+      internal::_emval_incref(handle);
+    }
   }
 
   ~val() {
-    if (handle) {
+    if (uses_ref_count()) {
       internal::_emval_decref(as_handle());
       handle = 0;
     }
@@ -402,6 +405,13 @@ class val {
     return handle;
   }
 
+  // Takes ownership of the handle away from, and invalidates, this instance.
+  EM_VAL release_ownership() {
+    EM_VAL taken = as_handle();
+    handle = 0;
+    return taken;
+  }
+
   val& operator=(val&& v) & {
     val tmp(std::move(v));
     this->~val();
@@ -630,6 +640,12 @@ class val {
       : handle(handle), thread(pthread_self())
   {}
 
+  // Whether this value is a uses incref/decref (true) or is a special reserved
+  // value (false).
+  bool uses_ref_count() const {
+    return handle > reinterpret_cast<EM_VAL>(internal::_EMVAL_LAST_RESERVED_HANDLE);
+  }
+
   template<typename WrapperType>
   friend val internal::wrapped_extend(const std::string& , const val& );
 
@@ -786,9 +802,20 @@ template<typename T>
 struct BindingType<T, typename std::enable_if<std::is_base_of<val, T>::value &&
                                               !std::is_const<T>::value>::type> {
   typedef EM_VAL WireType;
+
+  // Marshall to JS with move semantics when we can invalidate the temporary val
+  // object.
+  static WireType toWireType(val&& v) {
+    return v.release_ownership();
+  }
+
+  // Marshal to JS with copy semantics when we cannot transfer the val objects
+  // reference count.
   static WireType toWireType(const val& v) {
     EM_VAL handle = v.as_handle();
-    _emval_incref(handle);
+    if (v.uses_ref_count()) {
+      _emval_incref(handle);
+    }
     return handle;
   }
   static T fromWireType(WireType v) {
diff --git a/test/code_size/embind_val_wasm.json b/test/code_size/embind_val_wasm.json
index 43f4200146319..8f7f51e0dd8ed 100644
--- a/test/code_size/embind_val_wasm.json
+++ b/test/code_size/embind_val_wasm.json
@@ -3,8 +3,8 @@
   "a.html.gz": 431,
   "a.js": 7080,
   "a.js.gz": 2999,
-  "a.wasm": 11428,
-  "a.wasm.gz": 5724,
-  "total": 19181,
-  "total_gz": 9154
+  "a.wasm": 11431,
+  "a.wasm.gz": 5727,
+  "total": 19184,
+  "total_gz": 9157
 }