diff --git a/Objects/dictobject.c b/Objects/dictobject.c
index ce6760fdbd6..907ccf24206 100644
--- a/Objects/dictobject.c
+++ b/Objects/dictobject.c
@@ -714,10 +714,12 @@ PyDict_GetItem(PyObject *op, PyObject *key)
 		}
 	}
 
-	/* We can arrive here with a NULL tstate during initialization:
-	   try running "python -Wi" for an example related to string
-	   interning.  Let's just hope that no exception occurs then... */
-	tstate = PyThreadState_GET();
+	/* We can arrive here with a NULL tstate during initialization: try
+	   running "python -Wi" for an example related to string interning.
+	   Let's just hope that no exception occurs then...  This must be
+	   _PyThreadState_Current and not PyThreadState_GET() because in debug
+	   mode, it complains if tstate is NULL. */
+	tstate = _PyThreadState_Current;
 	if (tstate != NULL && tstate->curexc_type != NULL) {
 		/* preserve the existing exception */
 		PyObject *err_type, *err_value, *err_tb;