diff --git a/Python/sysmodule.c b/Python/sysmodule.c
index df9dfb1..880385c 100644
--- a/Python/sysmodule.c
+++ b/Python/sysmodule.c
@@ -1404,6 +1404,7 @@
 #undef SetFlag
 
     if (PyErr_Occurred()) {
+        Py_DECREF(seq);
         return NULL;
     }
     return seq;