diff --git a/Modules/mathmodule.c b/Modules/mathmodule.c
index 1066702f1a9..e0da0114cfa 100644
--- a/Modules/mathmodule.c
+++ b/Modules/mathmodule.c
@@ -559,7 +559,6 @@ math_factorial(PyObject *self, PyObject *arg)
 
 error:
 	Py_DECREF(result);
-	Py_XDECREF(iobj);
 	return NULL;
 }