diff --git a/Objects/dictobject.c b/Objects/dictobject.c
index bfb891c7555..cd1338aed3e 100644
--- a/Objects/dictobject.c
+++ b/Objects/dictobject.c
@@ -270,7 +270,9 @@ lookdict(PyDictObject *mp, PyObject *key, register long hash)
 	else {
 		if (ep->me_hash == hash) {
 			startkey = ep->me_key;
+                        Py_INCREF(startkey);
 			cmp = PyObject_RichCompareBool(startkey, key, Py_EQ);
+                        Py_DECREF(startkey);
 			if (cmp < 0)
 				return NULL;
 			if (ep0 == mp->ma_table && ep->me_key == startkey) {
@@ -300,7 +302,9 @@ lookdict(PyDictObject *mp, PyObject *key, register long hash)
 			return ep;
 		if (ep->me_hash == hash && ep->me_key != dummy) {
 			startkey = ep->me_key;
+                        Py_INCREF(startkey);
 			cmp = PyObject_RichCompareBool(startkey, key, Py_EQ);
+                        Py_DECREF(startkey);
 			if (cmp < 0)
 				return NULL;
 			if (ep0 == mp->ma_table && ep->me_key == startkey) {