diff --git a/Modules/_testsinglephase.c b/Modules/_testsinglephase.c
index a16157702ae789..8e6973f0b052cc 100644
--- a/Modules/_testsinglephase.c
+++ b/Modules/_testsinglephase.c
@@ -140,7 +140,9 @@ init_module(PyObject *module, module_state *state)
     if (initialized == NULL) {
         return -1;
     }
-    if (PyModule_AddObjectRef(module, "_module_initialized", initialized) != 0) {
+    int rc = PyModule_AddObjectRef(module, "_module_initialized", initialized);
+    Py_DECREF(initialized);
+    if (rc < 0) {
         return -1;
     }