diff --git a/Modules/_elementtree.c b/Modules/_elementtree.c
index b01167b..7a0aeda 100644
--- a/Modules/_elementtree.c
+++ b/Modules/_elementtree.c
@@ -1542,7 +1542,7 @@
         return res;
     } else if (strcmp(name, "text") == 0) {
         res = element_get_text(self);
-        Py_INCREF(res);
+        Py_XINCREF(res);
         return res;
     }