diff --git a/ext/opencv/cvmat.cpp b/ext/opencv/cvmat.cpp
index 3e75c56..f6c157c 100644
--- a/ext/opencv/cvmat.cpp
+++ b/ext/opencv/cvmat.cpp
@@ -594,7 +594,8 @@ rb_to_IplConvKernel(VALUE self, VALUE anchor)
 {
   CvMat *src = CVMAT(self);
   CvPoint p = VALUE_TO_CVPOINT(anchor);
-  IplConvKernel *kernel = cvCreateStructuringElementEx(src->cols, src->rows, p.x, p.y, CV_SHAPE_CUSTOM, src->data.i);
+  IplConvKernel *kernel = rb_cvCreateStructuringElementEx(src->cols, src->rows, p.x, p.y,
+							  CV_SHAPE_CUSTOM, src->data.i);
   return DEPEND_OBJECT(cIplConvKernel::rb_class(), kernel, self);
 }
 
diff --git a/ext/opencv/iplconvkernel.cpp b/ext/opencv/iplconvkernel.cpp
index 317cd27..2346663 100644
--- a/ext/opencv/iplconvkernel.cpp
+++ b/ext/opencv/iplconvkernel.cpp
@@ -104,7 +104,8 @@ rb_initialize(int argc, VALUE *argv, VALUE self)
     for (int i = 0; i < num_values; i++)
       _values[i] = NUM2INT(values_ptr[i]);
   }
-  DATA_PTR(self) = cvCreateStructuringElementEx(_cols, _rows, NUM2INT(anchor_x), NUM2INT(anchor_y),shape_type, _values);
+  DATA_PTR(self) = rb_cvCreateStructuringElementEx(_cols, _rows, NUM2INT(anchor_x), NUM2INT(anchor_y),
+						   shape_type, _values);
   return self;
 }
 
diff --git a/ext/opencv/opencv.cpp b/ext/opencv/opencv.cpp
index 9ef5cdf..6b357b3 100644
--- a/ext/opencv/opencv.cpp
+++ b/ext/opencv/opencv.cpp
@@ -216,6 +216,37 @@ rb_cvCreateImage(CvSize size, int depth, int channels)
   return ptr;
 }
 
+/*
+ * Creates a structuring element
+ * When memory allocation is failed, run GC and retry it
+ */
+IplConvKernel *
+rb_cvCreateStructuringElementEx(int cols, int rows,
+				int anchorX, int anchorY,
+				int shape, int *values)
+{
+  IplConvKernel* ptr = NULL;
+  try {
+    ptr = cvCreateStructuringElementEx(cols, rows, anchorX, anchorY, shape, values);
+  }
+  catch(cv::Exception& e) {
+    if (e.code != CV_StsNoMem)
+      rb_raise(rb_eRuntimeError, "%s", e.what());
+
+    rb_gc_start();
+    try {
+      ptr = cvCreateStructuringElementEx(cols, rows, anchorX, anchorY, shape, values);
+    }
+    catch (cv::Exception& e) {
+      if (e.code == CV_StsNoMem)
+	rb_raise(rb_eNoMemError, "%s", e.what());
+      else
+	rb_raise(rb_eRuntimeError, "%s", e.what());
+    }
+  }
+  return ptr;
+}
+
 VALUE rb_module;
 VALUE rb_opencv_constants;
 
diff --git a/ext/opencv/opencv.h b/ext/opencv/opencv.h
index befa0f4..07dbfc4 100644
--- a/ext/opencv/opencv.h
+++ b/ext/opencv/opencv.h
@@ -188,6 +188,7 @@ void define_ruby_module();
 void* rb_cvAlloc(size_t size);
 CvMat* rb_cvCreateMat(int height, int width, int type);
 IplImage* rb_cvCreateImage(CvSize size, int depth, int channels);
+IplConvKernel* rb_cvCreateStructuringElementEx(int cols, int rows, int anchorX, int anchorY, int shape, int *values);
 
 // Ruby/OpenCV inline functions  
 inline CvArr*