diff --git a/Modules/_tkinter.c b/Modules/_tkinter.c
index 03f1453..b85e158 100644
--- a/Modules/_tkinter.c
+++ b/Modules/_tkinter.c
@@ -686,8 +686,11 @@
 		ckfree(args);
 	}
 
-	if (Tcl_AppInit(v->interp) != TCL_OK)
-		return (TkappObject *)Tkinter_Error((PyObject *)v);
+	if (Tcl_AppInit(v->interp) != TCL_OK) {
+		PyObject *result = Tkinter_Error((PyObject *)v);
+		Py_DECREF((PyObject *)v);
+		return (TkappObject *)result;
+	}
 
 	EnableEventHook();