An illustrative embodiment of a computer-implemented process for single pass marking of finalizable objects marks strong roots, marks finalizable roots and determines whether a strong work stack is empty. Responsive to a determination the strong work stack is empty the computer-implemented process determines whether a finalizable work stack is empty. Responsive to a determination the finalizable work stack is empty, synchronize threads, the computer-implemented process finalizes finalizable roots and merges mark maps to finish parallel marking.