diff --git a/Python/import.c b/Python/import.c
index 9f094c0..5f84ac2 100644
--- a/Python/import.c
+++ b/Python/import.c
@@ -1785,6 +1785,9 @@
     else
         return 0;
 
+    if (PyUnicode_READY(path_unicode))
+        return -1;
+
     len = PyUnicode_GET_LENGTH(path_unicode);
     if (!PyUnicode_AsUCS4(path_unicode, buf, Py_ARRAY_LENGTH(buf), 1)) {
         Py_DECREF(path_unicode);