diff --git a/Objects/longobject.c b/Objects/longobject.c
index cc4ceec21aa..e1f6a640284 100644
--- a/Objects/longobject.c
+++ b/Objects/longobject.c
@@ -2744,7 +2744,7 @@ long_rem(PyLongObject *a, PyLongObject *b, PyLongObject **prem)
     }
     else {
         /* Slow path using divrem. */
-        x_divrem(a, b, prem);
+        Py_XDECREF(x_divrem(a, b, prem));
         if (*prem == NULL)
             return -1;
     }