diff --git a/Python/compile.c b/Python/compile.c
index d857239690e7b5..6b17f3bcaf2264 100644
--- a/Python/compile.c
+++ b/Python/compile.c
@@ -921,11 +921,10 @@ dict_add_o(PyObject *dict, PyObject *o)
     PyObject *v;
     Py_ssize_t arg;
 
-    v = PyDict_GetItemWithError(dict, o);
+    if (PyDict_GetItemRef(dict, o, &v) < 0) {
+        return ERROR;
+    }
     if (!v) {
-        if (PyErr_Occurred()) {
-            return ERROR;
-        }
         arg = PyDict_GET_SIZE(dict);
         v = PyLong_FromSsize_t(arg);
         if (!v) {
@@ -935,10 +934,10 @@ dict_add_o(PyObject *dict, PyObject *o)
             Py_DECREF(v);
             return ERROR;
         }
-        Py_DECREF(v);
     }
     else
         arg = PyLong_AsLong(v);
+    Py_DECREF(v);
     return arg;
 }