diff --git a/kitty/data-types.h b/kitty/data-types.h
index 3a99a6355..ad089a236 100644
--- a/kitty/data-types.h
+++ b/kitty/data-types.h
@@ -47,8 +47,8 @@ void log_error(const char *fmt, ...) __attribute__ ((format (printf, 1, 2)));
 #define fatal(...) { log_error(__VA_ARGS__); exit(EXIT_FAILURE); }
 static inline void cleanup_free(void *p) { free(*(void**)p); }
 #define FREE_AFTER_FUNCTION __attribute__((cleanup(cleanup_free)))
-static inline void cleanup_clear(void *p) { Py_XDECREF((PyObject *)p); }
-#define DECREF_AFTER_FUNCTION __attribute__((cleanup(cleanup_clear)))
+static inline void cleanup_decref(PyObject **p) { if(*p) { Py_DECREF(*p); *p = NULL;} }
+#define DECREF_AFTER_FUNCTION __attribute__((cleanup(cleanup_decref)))
 #define FREE_BUFFER_AFTER_FUNCTION __attribute__((cleanup(PyBuffer_Release)))
 
 typedef unsigned long long id_type;