diff --git a/Modules/_csv.c b/Modules/_csv.c
index 79870c04908..da5ae0d238d 100644
--- a/Modules/_csv.c
+++ b/Modules/_csv.c
@@ -1587,6 +1587,7 @@ init_csv(void)
 	}
 
         /* Add the Dialect type */
+	Py_INCREF(&Dialect_Type);
         if (PyModule_AddObject(module, "Dialect", (PyObject *)&Dialect_Type))
                 return;