diff --git a/Modules/_sqlite/connection.c b/Modules/_sqlite/connection.c
index 5813e34d57afed..2cc5f53a30bc0c 100644
--- a/Modules/_sqlite/connection.c
+++ b/Modules/_sqlite/connection.c
@@ -87,6 +87,7 @@ pysqlite_connection_init(pysqlite_Connection *self, PyObject *args,
     }
 
     if (PySys_Audit("sqlite3.connect", "O", database_obj) < 0) {
+        Py_DECREF(database_obj);
         return -1;
     }