diff --git a/Modules/_curses_panel.c b/Modules/_curses_panel.c
index 6831473b06f..74e6bfa2b17 100644
--- a/Modules/_curses_panel.c
+++ b/Modules/_curses_panel.c
@@ -178,12 +178,13 @@ PyCursesPanel_New(PANEL *pan, PyCursesWindowObject *wo)
     po = PyObject_NEW(PyCursesPanelObject, &PyCursesPanel_Type);
     if (po == NULL) return NULL;
     po->pan = pan;
-    po->wo = wo;
-    Py_INCREF(wo);
     if (insert_lop(po) < 0) {
-	PyObject_DEL(po);
+	po->wo = NULL;
+	Py_DECREF(po);
 	return NULL;
     }
+    po->wo = wo;
+    Py_INCREF(wo);
     return (PyObject *)po;
 }
 
@@ -191,8 +192,10 @@ static void
 PyCursesPanel_Dealloc(PyCursesPanelObject *po)
 {
     (void)del_panel(po->pan);
-    Py_DECREF(po->wo);
-    remove_lop(po);
+    if (po->wo != NULL) {
+	Py_DECREF(po->wo);
+	remove_lop(po);
+    }
     PyObject_DEL(po);
 }
 
diff --git a/Modules/threadmodule.c b/Modules/threadmodule.c
index ca47ebf7c5b..1f91197e4ba 100644
--- a/Modules/threadmodule.c
+++ b/Modules/threadmodule.c
@@ -25,12 +25,13 @@ typedef struct {
 static void
 lock_dealloc(lockobject *self)
 {
-	assert(self->lock_lock);
-	/* Unlock the lock so it's safe to free it */
-	PyThread_acquire_lock(self->lock_lock, 0);
-	PyThread_release_lock(self->lock_lock);
-	
-	PyThread_free_lock(self->lock_lock);
+	if (self->lock_lock != NULL) {
+		/* Unlock the lock so it's safe to free it */
+		PyThread_acquire_lock(self->lock_lock, 0);
+		PyThread_release_lock(self->lock_lock);
+		
+		PyThread_free_lock(self->lock_lock);
+	}
 	PyObject_Del(self);
 }
 
@@ -148,9 +149,9 @@ newlockobject(void)
 		return NULL;
 	self->lock_lock = PyThread_allocate_lock();
 	if (self->lock_lock == NULL) {
-		PyObject_Del(self);
-		self = NULL;
+		Py_DECREF(self);
 		PyErr_SetString(ThreadError, "can't allocate lock");
+		return NULL;
 	}
 	return self;
 }