diff --git a/Modules/faulthandler.c b/Modules/faulthandler.c
index 563ffd9fbbdadb..d49ce794d88674 100644
--- a/Modules/faulthandler.c
+++ b/Modules/faulthandler.c
@@ -298,6 +298,7 @@ faulthandler_dump_c_stack_py(PyObject *self,
     }
 
     _Py_DumpStack(fd);
+    Py_XDECREF(file);
 
     if (PyErr_CheckSignals()) {
         return NULL;