diff --git a/Objects/typeobject.c b/Objects/typeobject.c
index a190e7a..9d77a5d 100644
--- a/Objects/typeobject.c
+++ b/Objects/typeobject.c
@@ -1442,8 +1442,10 @@
 
     va_end(va);
 
-    if (args == NULL)
+    if (args == NULL) {
+        Py_DECREF(func);
         return NULL;
+    }
 
     assert(PyTuple_Check(args));
     retval = PyObject_Call(func, args, NULL);