diff --git a/Python/bltinmodule.c b/Python/bltinmodule.c
index 7d5de27101c..1667d37742a 100644
--- a/Python/bltinmodule.c
+++ b/Python/bltinmodule.c
@@ -2121,12 +2121,14 @@ builtin_sum(PyObject *self, PyObject *args)
 				PyFPE_START_PROTECT("add", return 0)
 				f_result += PyFloat_AS_DOUBLE(item);
 				PyFPE_END_PROTECT(f_result)
+				Py_DECREF(item);
 				continue;
 			}
         		if (PyInt_CheckExact(item)) {
 				PyFPE_START_PROTECT("add", return 0)
 				f_result += (double)PyInt_AS_LONG(item);
 				PyFPE_END_PROTECT(f_result)
+				Py_DECREF(item);
 				continue;
 			}
 			result = PyFloat_FromDouble(f_result);