diff --git a/Misc/NEWS b/Misc/NEWS
index 6c016f34b02..0946553db70 100644
--- a/Misc/NEWS
+++ b/Misc/NEWS
@@ -42,6 +42,8 @@ Library
 - In the curses module, raise an error if window.getstr() or window.instr() is
   passed a negative value.
 
+- Issue #27783: Fix possible usage of uninitialized memory in operator.methodcaller.
+
 - Issue #27774: Fix possible Py_DECREF on unowned object in _sre.
 
 - Issue #27760: Fix possible integer overflow in binascii.b2a_qp.
diff --git a/Modules/_operator.c b/Modules/_operator.c
index eb4f3a34edb..dfff1d2faa1 100644
--- a/Modules/_operator.c
+++ b/Modules/_operator.c
@@ -931,7 +931,7 @@ static PyObject *
 methodcaller_new(PyTypeObject *type, PyObject *args, PyObject *kwds)
 {
     methodcallerobject *mc;
-    PyObject *name, *newargs;
+    PyObject *name;
 
     if (PyTuple_GET_SIZE(args) < 1) {
         PyErr_SetString(PyExc_TypeError, "methodcaller needs at least "
@@ -951,13 +951,7 @@ methodcaller_new(PyTypeObject *type, PyObject *args, PyObject *kwds)
     if (mc == NULL)
         return NULL;
 
-    newargs = PyTuple_GetSlice(args, 1, PyTuple_GET_SIZE(args));
-    if (newargs == NULL) {
-        Py_DECREF(mc);
-        return NULL;
-    }
-    mc->args = newargs;
-
+    name = PyTuple_GET_ITEM(args, 0);
     Py_INCREF(name);
     PyUnicode_InternInPlace(&name);
     mc->name = name;
@@ -965,6 +959,12 @@ methodcaller_new(PyTypeObject *type, PyObject *args, PyObject *kwds)
     Py_XINCREF(kwds);
     mc->kwds = kwds;
 
+    mc->args = PyTuple_GetSlice(args, 1, PyTuple_GET_SIZE(args));
+    if (mc->args == NULL) {
+        Py_DECREF(mc);
+        return NULL;
+    }
+
     PyObject_GC_Track(mc);
     return (PyObject *)mc;
 }