Matthew McConaughey‘s decision to ensure the safety of his fans paid off — proactively getting a restraining order against an obsessive woman — and allowing cops to intervene when she showed up at a recent meet-and-greet event.

Sources close to the actor tell us the woman, who has been bothering him for years, showed up over the weekend where McConaughey was promoting his new book.

We’re told she was greeted by police, informed of the restraining order, and escorted off the property without incident.

Our sources say McConaughey understood the potential risks the woman could pose if she showed up, and wanted to make sure his fans — including young kids — were safe … so that’s why he decided to go to court before the event.

The woman’s allegedly been an issue for a long time — with bizarre emails, concerning letters and frivolous lawsuits. Matthew has been able to ignore the woman, but things recently came to a head when she allegedly stated she was planning on attending Matthew’s event to promote his new book.