diff --git a/Misc/NEWS b/Misc/NEWS
index cc63521..db878aa 100644
--- a/Misc/NEWS
+++ b/Misc/NEWS
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@
 Library
 -------
 
+- Issue #6869: Fix a refcount problem in the _ctypes extension.
+
 - Issue5504 - ctypes should now work with systems where mmap can't be
   PROT_WRITE and PROT_EXEC.
 
diff --git a/Modules/_ctypes/_ctypes.c b/Modules/_ctypes/_ctypes.c
index 7d7d58c..4fc9d02 100644
--- a/Modules/_ctypes/_ctypes.c
+++ b/Modules/_ctypes/_ctypes.c
@@ -5541,36 +5541,42 @@
     Struct_Type.tp_base = &PyCData_Type;
     if (PyType_Ready(&Struct_Type) < 0)
         return;
+    Py_INCREF(&Struct_Type);
     PyModule_AddObject(m, "Structure", (PyObject *)&Struct_Type);
 
     Py_TYPE(&Union_Type) = &UnionType_Type;
     Union_Type.tp_base = &PyCData_Type;
     if (PyType_Ready(&Union_Type) < 0)
         return;
+    Py_INCREF(&Union_Type);
     PyModule_AddObject(m, "Union", (PyObject *)&Union_Type);
 
     Py_TYPE(&PyCPointer_Type) = &PyCPointerType_Type;
     PyCPointer_Type.tp_base = &PyCData_Type;
     if (PyType_Ready(&PyCPointer_Type) < 0)
         return;
+    Py_INCREF(&PyCPointer_Type);
     PyModule_AddObject(m, "_Pointer", (PyObject *)&PyCPointer_Type);
 
     Py_TYPE(&PyCArray_Type) = &PyCArrayType_Type;
     PyCArray_Type.tp_base = &PyCData_Type;
     if (PyType_Ready(&PyCArray_Type) < 0)
         return;
+    Py_INCREF(&PyCArray_Type);
     PyModule_AddObject(m, "Array", (PyObject *)&PyCArray_Type);
 
     Py_TYPE(&Simple_Type) = &PyCSimpleType_Type;
     Simple_Type.tp_base = &PyCData_Type;
     if (PyType_Ready(&Simple_Type) < 0)
         return;
+    Py_INCREF(&Simple_Type);
     PyModule_AddObject(m, "_SimpleCData", (PyObject *)&Simple_Type);
 
     Py_TYPE(&PyCFuncPtr_Type) = &PyCFuncPtrType_Type;
     PyCFuncPtr_Type.tp_base = &PyCData_Type;
     if (PyType_Ready(&PyCFuncPtr_Type) < 0)
         return;
+    Py_INCREF(&PyCFuncPtr_Type);
     PyModule_AddObject(m, "CFuncPtr", (PyObject *)&PyCFuncPtr_Type);
 
     /*************************************************