diff --git a/Python/exceptions.c b/Python/exceptions.c
index 690af7e..b441f51 100644
--- a/Python/exceptions.c
+++ b/Python/exceptions.c
@@ -647,6 +647,7 @@
 static int
 SyntaxError__classinit__(PyObject *klass)
 {
+    int retval = 0;
     PyObject *emptystring = PyString_FromString("");
 
     /* Additional class-creation time initializations */
@@ -657,11 +658,10 @@
 	PyObject_SetAttrString(klass, "offset", Py_None) ||
 	PyObject_SetAttrString(klass, "text", Py_None))
     {
-	Py_XDECREF(emptystring);
-	return -1;
+	retval = -1;
     }
-    Py_DECREF(emptystring);
-    return 0;
+    Py_XDECREF(emptystring);
+    return retval;
 }