diff --git a/Modules/_pickle.c b/Modules/_pickle.c
index 38598c5..b3d9b91 100644
--- a/Modules/_pickle.c
+++ b/Modules/_pickle.c
@@ -5152,6 +5152,7 @@
     if ((j - i) % 2 != 0) {
         PickleState *st = _Pickle_GetGlobalState();
         PyErr_SetString(st->UnpicklingError, "odd number of items for DICT");
+        Py_DECREF(dict);
         return -1;
     }