diff --git a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2019-11-16-22-56-51.bpo-36589.0Io76D.rst b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2019-11-16-22-56-51.bpo-36589.0Io76D.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..3c1221b2034
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2019-11-16-22-56-51.bpo-36589.0Io76D.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+The :func:`curses.update_lines_cols` function now returns ``None`` instead
+of ``1`` on success.
diff --git a/Modules/_cursesmodule.c b/Modules/_cursesmodule.c
index 29840b52ffd..c2ce3a968fa 100644
--- a/Modules/_cursesmodule.c
+++ b/Modules/_cursesmodule.c
@@ -3837,15 +3837,18 @@ update_lines_cols(void)
 }
 
 /*[clinic input]
-_curses.update_lines_cols -> int
+_curses.update_lines_cols
 
 [clinic start generated code]*/
 
-static int
+static PyObject *
 _curses_update_lines_cols_impl(PyObject *module)
-/*[clinic end generated code: output=0345e7f072ea711a input=3a87760f7d5197f0]*/
+/*[clinic end generated code: output=423f2b1e63ed0f75 input=5f065ab7a28a5d90]*/
 {
-  return update_lines_cols();
+    if (!update_lines_cols()) {
+        return NULL;
+    }
+    Py_RETURN_NONE;
 }
 
 #endif
@@ -3929,8 +3932,10 @@ _curses_resizeterm_impl(PyObject *module, int nlines, int ncols)
     result = PyCursesCheckERR(resizeterm(nlines, ncols), "resizeterm");
     if (!result)
         return NULL;
-    if (!update_lines_cols())
+    if (!update_lines_cols()) {
+        Py_DECREF(result);
         return NULL;
+    }
     return result;
 }
 
@@ -3966,8 +3971,10 @@ _curses_resize_term_impl(PyObject *module, int nlines, int ncols)
     result = PyCursesCheckERR(resize_term(nlines, ncols), "resize_term");
     if (!result)
         return NULL;
-    if (!update_lines_cols())
+    if (!update_lines_cols()) {
+        Py_DECREF(result);
         return NULL;
+    }
     return result;
 }
 #endif /* HAVE_CURSES_RESIZE_TERM */
@@ -4038,12 +4045,18 @@ _curses_start_color_impl(PyObject *module)
         c = PyLong_FromLong((long) COLORS);
         if (c == NULL)
             return NULL;
-        PyDict_SetItemString(ModDict, "COLORS", c);
+        if (PyDict_SetItemString(ModDict, "COLORS", c) < 0) {
+            Py_DECREF(c);
+            return NULL;
+        }
         Py_DECREF(c);
         cp = PyLong_FromLong((long) COLOR_PAIRS);
         if (cp == NULL)
             return NULL;
-        PyDict_SetItemString(ModDict, "COLOR_PAIRS", cp);
+        if (PyDict_SetItemString(ModDict, "COLOR_PAIRS", cp) < 0) {
+            Py_DECREF(cp);
+            return NULL;
+        }
         Py_DECREF(cp);
         Py_RETURN_NONE;
     } else {
diff --git a/Modules/clinic/_cursesmodule.c.h b/Modules/clinic/_cursesmodule.c.h
index 7b30a49182f..f3780f8e012 100644
--- a/Modules/clinic/_cursesmodule.c.h
+++ b/Modules/clinic/_cursesmodule.c.h
@@ -3921,23 +3921,13 @@ PyDoc_STRVAR(_curses_update_lines_cols__doc__,
 #define _CURSES_UPDATE_LINES_COLS_METHODDEF    \
     {"update_lines_cols", (PyCFunction)_curses_update_lines_cols, METH_NOARGS, _curses_update_lines_cols__doc__},
 
-static int
+static PyObject *
 _curses_update_lines_cols_impl(PyObject *module);
 
 static PyObject *
 _curses_update_lines_cols(PyObject *module, PyObject *Py_UNUSED(ignored))
 {
-    PyObject *return_value = NULL;
-    int _return_value;
-
-    _return_value = _curses_update_lines_cols_impl(module);
-    if ((_return_value == -1) && PyErr_Occurred()) {
-        goto exit;
-    }
-    return_value = PyLong_FromLong((long)_return_value);
-
-exit:
-    return return_value;
+    return _curses_update_lines_cols_impl(module);
 }
 
 #endif /* (defined(HAVE_CURSES_RESIZETERM) || defined(HAVE_CURSES_RESIZE_TERM)) */
@@ -4691,4 +4681,4 @@ _curses_use_default_colors(PyObject *module, PyObject *Py_UNUSED(ignored))
 #ifndef _CURSES_USE_DEFAULT_COLORS_METHODDEF
     #define _CURSES_USE_DEFAULT_COLORS_METHODDEF
 #endif /* !defined(_CURSES_USE_DEFAULT_COLORS_METHODDEF) */
-/*[clinic end generated code: output=985c0849e841acec input=a9049054013a1b77]*/
+/*[clinic end generated code: output=0ca4f95323c5d585 input=a9049054013a1b77]*/