diff --git a/crates/runtime/src/instance/allocator.rs b/crates/runtime/src/instance/allocator.rs
index 0826eecd8b..fead139467 100644
--- a/crates/runtime/src/instance/allocator.rs
+++ b/crates/runtime/src/instance/allocator.rs
@@ -92,12 +92,10 @@ impl StorePtr {
     pub fn new(ptr: *mut dyn Store) -> Self {
         Self(Some(ptr))
     }
-    /*
-    /// Update an empty StorePtr to point to a Store.
-    pub fn set(&mut self, ptr: *mut dyn Store) {
-        self.0 = Some(ptr)
+    /// The raw contents of this struct
+    pub fn as_raw(&self) -> Option<*mut dyn Store> {
+        self.0.clone()
     }
-    */
     /// Use the StorePtr as a mut ref to the Store.
     // XXX should this be an unsafe fn? is it always safe at a use site?
     pub(crate) fn get(&mut self) -> Option<&mut dyn Store> {
@@ -461,7 +459,7 @@ fn initialize_instance(
 }
 
 unsafe fn initialize_vmcontext(instance: &mut Instance, req: InstanceAllocationRequest) {
-    if let Some(store) = req.store.0 {
+    if let Some(store) = req.store.as_raw() {
         *instance.interrupts() = (*store).vminterrupts();
         *instance.externref_activations_table() = (*store).externref_activations_table().0;
         instance.set_store(store);
diff --git a/crates/runtime/src/instance/allocator/pooling.rs b/crates/runtime/src/instance/allocator/pooling.rs
index b99986a498..76614137d5 100644
--- a/crates/runtime/src/instance/allocator/pooling.rs
+++ b/crates/runtime/src/instance/allocator/pooling.rs
@@ -384,6 +384,12 @@ impl InstancePool {
         instance.host_state = std::mem::replace(&mut req.host_state, Box::new(()));
         instance.wasm_data = &*req.wasm_data;
 
+        // set_instance_memories and _tables will need the store before we can completely
+        // initialize the vmcontext.
+        if let Some(store) = req.store.as_raw() {
+            instance.set_store(store);
+        }
+
         Self::set_instance_memories(
             instance,
             self.memories.get(index),