diff --git a/Objects/abstract.c b/Objects/abstract.c
index 20d241ddc68..98d2dd00784 100644
--- a/Objects/abstract.c
+++ b/Objects/abstract.c
@@ -836,6 +836,7 @@ done1:
         }
         /* And call it. */
         result = PyObject_CallFunctionObjArgs(method, format_spec, NULL);
+        Py_DECREF(method);
     }
 
     if (result == NULL)