diff --git a/Modules/_struct.c b/Modules/_struct.c
index c95c76f8ae0..1a5e0ae28e8 100644
--- a/Modules/_struct.c
+++ b/Modules/_struct.c
@@ -1442,8 +1442,7 @@ s_new(PyTypeObject *type, PyObject *args, PyObject *kwds)
     self = alloc_func(type, 0);
     if (self != NULL) {
         PyStructObject *s = (PyStructObject*)self;
-        Py_INCREF(Py_None);
-        s->s_format = Py_None;
+        s->s_format = Py_NewRef(Py_None);
         s->s_codes = NULL;
         s->s_size = -1;
         s->s_len = -1;