diff --git a/src/_contour.cpp b/src/_contour.cpp
index 0856a043afd7..0f5176b84041 100644
--- a/src/_contour.cpp
+++ b/src/_contour.cpp
@@ -396,7 +396,7 @@ void QuadContourGenerator::append_contour_line_to_vertices(
         line(i, 0) = point->x;
         line(i, 1) = point->y;
     }
-    if (PyList_Append(vertices_list, line.pyobj())) {
+    if (PyList_Append(vertices_list, line.pyobj_steal())) {
         Py_XDECREF(vertices_list);
         throw "Unable to add contour line to vertices_list";
     }
@@ -470,8 +470,8 @@ void QuadContourGenerator::append_contour_to_vertices_and_codes(
                 child.clear_parent();  // To indicate it can be deleted.
             }
 
-            if (PyList_Append(vertices_list, vertices.pyobj()) ||
-                PyList_Append(codes_list, codes.pyobj())) {
+            if (PyList_Append(vertices_list, vertices.pyobj_steal()) ||
+                PyList_Append(codes_list, codes.pyobj_steal())) {
                 Py_XDECREF(vertices_list);
                 Py_XDECREF(codes_list);
                 contour.delete_contour_lines();
diff --git a/src/numpy_cpp.h b/src/numpy_cpp.h
index d68a637bc117..26cba4fbf2fd 100644
--- a/src/numpy_cpp.h
+++ b/src/numpy_cpp.h
@@ -525,12 +525,19 @@ class array_view : public detail::array_view_accessors<array_view, T, ND>
         return (T *)m_data;
     }
 
+    // Return a new reference.
     PyObject *pyobj()
     {
         Py_XINCREF(m_arr);
         return (PyObject *)m_arr;
     }
 
+    // Steal a reference.
+    PyObject *pyobj_steal()
+    {
+        return (PyObject *)m_arr;
+    }
+
     static int converter(PyObject *obj, void *arrp)
     {
         array_view<T, ND> *arr = (array_view<T, ND> *)arrp;