diff --git a/Modules/_testcapimodule.c b/Modules/_testcapimodule.c
index a1b367a6d98..159970267f9 100644
--- a/Modules/_testcapimodule.c
+++ b/Modules/_testcapimodule.c
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ test_dict_iteration(PyObject* self)
  *   PyType_Ready if it hasn't already been called
  */
 static PyTypeObject _HashInheritanceTester_Type = {
-	PyVarObject_HEAD_INIT(&PyType_Type, 0)
+	PyVarObject_HEAD_INIT(NULL, 0)
 	"hashinheritancetester",	/* Name of this type */
 	sizeof(PyObject),	/* Basic object size */
 	0,			/* Item size for varobject */
@@ -1339,6 +1339,8 @@ PyInit__testcapi(void)
 	if (m == NULL)
 		return NULL;
 
+	Py_TYPE(&_HashInheritanceTester_Type)=&PyType_Type;
+
 	Py_TYPE(&test_structmembersType)=&PyType_Type;
 	Py_INCREF(&test_structmembersType);
 	PyModule_AddObject(m, "test_structmembersType", (PyObject *)&test_structmembersType);