diff --git a/Objects/setobject.c b/Objects/setobject.c
index 2fd03af..f760b6a 100644
--- a/Objects/setobject.c
+++ b/Objects/setobject.c
@@ -96,7 +96,9 @@
 	else {
 		if (entry->hash == hash) {
 			startkey = entry->key;
+			Py_INCREF(startkey);
 			cmp = PyObject_RichCompareBool(startkey, key, Py_EQ);
+			Py_DECREF(startkey);
 			if (cmp < 0)
 				return NULL;
 			if (table == so->table && entry->key == startkey) {
@@ -127,7 +129,9 @@
 			break;
 		if (entry->hash == hash && entry->key != dummy) {
 			startkey = entry->key;
+			Py_INCREF(startkey);
 			cmp = PyObject_RichCompareBool(startkey, key, Py_EQ);
+			Py_DECREF(startkey);
 			if (cmp < 0)
 				return NULL;
 			if (table == so->table && entry->key == startkey) {