diff --git a/Modules/_threadmodule.c b/Modules/_threadmodule.c
index afcf646e3bc..99f97eb6d0a 100644
--- a/Modules/_threadmodule.c
+++ b/Modules/_threadmodule.c
@@ -901,6 +901,7 @@ local_new(PyTypeObject *type, PyObject *args, PyObject *kw)
     }
 
     PyObject *module = PyType_GetModuleByDef(type, &thread_module);
+    assert(module != NULL);
     thread_module_state *state = get_thread_state(module);
 
     localobject *self = (localobject *)type->tp_alloc(type, 0);
@@ -1042,6 +1043,7 @@ static int
 local_setattro(localobject *self, PyObject *name, PyObject *v)
 {
     PyObject *module = PyType_GetModuleByDef(Py_TYPE(self), &thread_module);
+    assert(module != NULL);
     thread_module_state *state = get_thread_state(module);
 
     PyObject *ldict = _ldict(self, state);
@@ -1094,6 +1096,7 @@ static PyObject *
 local_getattro(localobject *self, PyObject *name)
 {
     PyObject *module = PyType_GetModuleByDef(Py_TYPE(self), &thread_module);
+    assert(module != NULL);
     thread_module_state *state = get_thread_state(module);
 
     PyObject *ldict = _ldict(self, state);