diff --git a/Python/symtable.c b/Python/symtable.c
index f0f1d4d..7611b3d 100644
--- a/Python/symtable.c
+++ b/Python/symtable.c
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@
     if (ste == NULL)
         goto fail;
     ste->ste_table = st;
-    ste->ste_id = k;
+    ste->ste_id = k; /* ste owns reference to k */
 
     ste->ste_name = name;
     Py_INCREF(name);
@@ -75,7 +75,6 @@
 
     return ste;
  fail:
-    Py_XDECREF(k);
     Py_XDECREF(ste);
     return NULL;
 }