diff --git a/Modules/_ctypes/_ctypes.c b/Modules/_ctypes/_ctypes.c
index a6df55cad72..aaf46eac68b 100644
--- a/Modules/_ctypes/_ctypes.c
+++ b/Modules/_ctypes/_ctypes.c
@@ -5120,6 +5120,7 @@ create_comerror(void)
     PyComError_Type.tp_base = (PyTypeObject*)PyExc_Exception;
     if (PyType_Ready(&PyComError_Type) < 0)
         return -1;
+    Py_INCREF(&PyComError_Type);
     ComError = (PyObject*)&PyComError_Type;
     return 0;
 }