diff --git a/Objects/listobject.c b/Objects/listobject.c
index 4a98c8e54ab03f..e2657f05945777 100644
--- a/Objects/listobject.c
+++ b/Objects/listobject.c
@@ -2771,11 +2771,12 @@ unsafe_object_compare(PyObject *v, PyObject *w, MergeState *ms)
 
     if (PyBool_Check(res_obj)) {
         res = (res_obj == Py_True);
+        assert(_Py_IsImmortal(res_obj));
     }
     else {
         res = PyObject_IsTrue(res_obj);
+        Py_DECREF(res_obj);
     }
-    Py_DECREF(res_obj);
 
     /* Note that we can't assert
      *     res == PyObject_RichCompareBool(v, w, Py_LT);