diff --git a/Objects/object.c b/Objects/object.c
index 072b50b..04e1ede 100644
--- a/Objects/object.c
+++ b/Objects/object.c
@@ -406,12 +406,13 @@
 DELREF(op)
 	object *op;
 {
+	destructor dealloc = op->ob_type->tp_dealloc;
 	UNREF(op);
 #ifdef COUNT_ALLOCS
 	op->ob_type->tp_free++;
 #endif
-	(*(op)->ob_type->tp_dealloc)(op);
 	op->ob_type = NULL;
+	(*dealloc)(op);
 }
 
 printrefs(fp)