diff --git a/Objects/classobject.c b/Objects/classobject.c
index 0e131eb..3c2bc3d 100644
--- a/Objects/classobject.c
+++ b/Objects/classobject.c
@@ -501,8 +501,10 @@
 static PyObject *
 instancemethod_descr_get(PyObject *descr, PyObject *obj, PyObject *type) {
 	register PyObject *func = PyInstanceMethod_GET_FUNCTION(descr);
-	if (obj == NULL)
+	if (obj == NULL) {
+		Py_INCREF(func);
 		return func;
+	}
 	else
 		return PyMethod_New(func, obj);
 }