diff --git a/Lib/test/test_xml_etree_c.py b/Lib/test/test_xml_etree_c.py
index 25517a7..765652f 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_xml_etree_c.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_xml_etree_c.py
@@ -85,6 +85,38 @@
         # and so destroy the parser
         support.gc_collect()
 
+    def test_bpo_31728(self):
+        # A crash or an assertion failure shouldn't happen, in case garbage
+        # collection triggers a call to clear() or a reading of text or tail,
+        # while a setter or clear() or __setstate__() is already running.
+        elem = cET.Element('elem')
+        class X:
+            def __del__(self):
+                elem.text
+                elem.tail
+                elem.clear()
+
+        elem.text = X()
+        elem.clear()  # shouldn't crash
+
+        elem.tail = X()
+        elem.clear()  # shouldn't crash
+
+        elem.text = X()
+        elem.text = X()  # shouldn't crash
+        elem.clear()
+
+        elem.tail = X()
+        elem.tail = X()  # shouldn't crash
+        elem.clear()
+
+        elem.text = X()
+        elem.__setstate__({'tag': 42})  # shouldn't cause an assertion failure
+        elem.clear()
+
+        elem.tail = X()
+        elem.__setstate__({'tag': 42})  # shouldn't cause an assertion failure
+
 
 @unittest.skipUnless(cET, 'requires _elementtree')
 class TestAliasWorking(unittest.TestCase):
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2017-10-08-23-28-30.bpo-31728.XrVMME.rst b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2017-10-08-23-28-30.bpo-31728.XrVMME.rst
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b317d9f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2017-10-08-23-28-30.bpo-31728.XrVMME.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+Prevent crashes in `_elementtree` due to unsafe cleanup of `Element.text`
+and `Element.tail`. Patch by Oren Milman.
diff --git a/Modules/_elementtree.c b/Modules/_elementtree.c
index bddac85..b4c0f4c 100644
--- a/Modules/_elementtree.c
+++ b/Modules/_elementtree.c
@@ -61,15 +61,22 @@
 #define JOIN_SET(p, flag) ((void*) ((uintptr_t) (JOIN_OBJ(p)) | (flag)))
 #define JOIN_OBJ(p) ((PyObject*) ((uintptr_t) (p) & ~(uintptr_t)1))
 
+/* Py_SETREF for a PyObject* that uses a join flag. */
+Py_LOCAL_INLINE(void)
+_set_joined_ptr(PyObject **p, PyObject *new_joined_ptr)
+{
+    PyObject *tmp = JOIN_OBJ(*p);
+    *p = new_joined_ptr;
+    Py_DECREF(tmp);
+}
+
 /* Py_CLEAR for a PyObject* that uses a join flag. Pass the pointer by
  * reference since this function sets it to NULL.
 */
 static void _clear_joined_ptr(PyObject **p)
 {
     if (*p) {
-        PyObject *tmp = JOIN_OBJ(*p);
-        *p = NULL;
-        Py_DECREF(tmp);
+        _set_joined_ptr(p, NULL);
     }
 }
 
@@ -356,7 +363,6 @@
 element_init(PyObject *self, PyObject *args, PyObject *kwds)
 {
     PyObject *tag;
-    PyObject *tmp;
     PyObject *attrib = NULL;
     ElementObject *self_elem;
 
@@ -397,15 +403,11 @@
     Py_INCREF(tag);
     Py_XSETREF(self_elem->tag, tag);
 
-    tmp = self_elem->text;
     Py_INCREF(Py_None);
-    self_elem->text = Py_None;
-    Py_DECREF(JOIN_OBJ(tmp));
+    _set_joined_ptr(&self_elem->text, Py_None);
 
-    tmp = self_elem->tail;
     Py_INCREF(Py_None);
-    self_elem->tail = Py_None;
-    Py_DECREF(JOIN_OBJ(tmp));
+    _set_joined_ptr(&self_elem->tail, Py_None);
 
     return 0;
 }
@@ -675,12 +677,10 @@
     dealloc_extra(self);
 
     Py_INCREF(Py_None);
-    Py_DECREF(JOIN_OBJ(self->text));
-    self->text = Py_None;
+    _set_joined_ptr(&self->text, Py_None);
 
     Py_INCREF(Py_None);
-    Py_DECREF(JOIN_OBJ(self->tail));
-    self->tail = Py_None;
+    _set_joined_ptr(&self->tail, Py_None);
 
     Py_RETURN_NONE;
 }
@@ -702,13 +702,11 @@
     if (!element)
         return NULL;
 
-    Py_DECREF(JOIN_OBJ(element->text));
-    element->text = self->text;
-    Py_INCREF(JOIN_OBJ(element->text));
+    Py_INCREF(JOIN_OBJ(self->text));
+    _set_joined_ptr(&element->text, self->text);
 
-    Py_DECREF(JOIN_OBJ(element->tail));
-    element->tail = self->tail;
-    Py_INCREF(JOIN_OBJ(element->tail));
+    Py_INCREF(JOIN_OBJ(self->tail));
+    _set_joined_ptr(&element->tail, self->tail);
 
     if (self->extra) {
         if (element_resize(element, self->extra->length) < 0) {
@@ -776,14 +774,12 @@
     text = deepcopy(JOIN_OBJ(self->text), memo);
     if (!text)
         goto error;
-    Py_DECREF(element->text);
-    element->text = JOIN_SET(text, JOIN_GET(self->text));
+    _set_joined_ptr(&element->text, JOIN_SET(text, JOIN_GET(self->text)));
 
     tail = deepcopy(JOIN_OBJ(self->tail), memo);
     if (!tail)
         goto error;
-    Py_DECREF(element->tail);
-    element->tail = JOIN_SET(tail, JOIN_GET(self->tail));
+    _set_joined_ptr(&element->tail, JOIN_SET(tail, JOIN_GET(self->tail)));
 
     if (self->extra) {
         if (element_resize(element, self->extra->length) < 0)
@@ -968,13 +964,13 @@
     Py_INCREF(tag);
     Py_XSETREF(self->tag, tag);
 
-    _clear_joined_ptr(&self->text);
-    self->text = text ? JOIN_SET(text, PyList_CheckExact(text)) : Py_None;
-    Py_INCREF(JOIN_OBJ(self->text));
+    text = text ? JOIN_SET(text, PyList_CheckExact(text)) : Py_None;
+    Py_INCREF(JOIN_OBJ(text));
+    _set_joined_ptr(&self->text, text);
 
-    _clear_joined_ptr(&self->tail);
-    self->tail = tail ? JOIN_SET(tail, PyList_CheckExact(tail)) : Py_None;
-    Py_INCREF(JOIN_OBJ(self->tail));
+    tail = tail ? JOIN_SET(tail, PyList_CheckExact(tail)) : Py_None;
+    Py_INCREF(JOIN_OBJ(tail));
+    _set_joined_ptr(&self->tail, tail);
 
     /* Handle ATTRIB and CHILDREN. */
     if (!children && !attrib)
@@ -2009,8 +2005,7 @@
 {
     _VALIDATE_ATTR_VALUE(value);
     Py_INCREF(value);
-    Py_DECREF(JOIN_OBJ(self->text));
-    self->text = value;
+    _set_joined_ptr(&self->text, value);
     return 0;
 }
 
@@ -2019,8 +2014,7 @@
 {
     _VALIDATE_ATTR_VALUE(value);
     Py_INCREF(value);
-    Py_DECREF(JOIN_OBJ(self->tail));
-    self->tail = value;
+    _set_joined_ptr(&self->tail, value);
     return 0;
 }