diff --git a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2024-11-03-09-42-42.gh-issue-126313.EFP6Dl.rst b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2024-11-03-09-42-42.gh-issue-126313.EFP6Dl.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..dad348d8898f13
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2024-11-03-09-42-42.gh-issue-126313.EFP6Dl.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+Fix an issue in :func:`curses.napms` when :func:`curses.initscr` has not yet
+been called. Patch by Bénédikt Tran.
diff --git a/Modules/_cursesmodule.c b/Modules/_cursesmodule.c
index f926fa2f9c0093..55038cf09c2876 100644
--- a/Modules/_cursesmodule.c
+++ b/Modules/_cursesmodule.c
@@ -3688,7 +3688,10 @@ static int
 _curses_napms_impl(PyObject *module, int ms)
 /*[clinic end generated code: output=5f292a6a724491bd input=c6d6e01f2f1df9f7]*/
 {
-    PyCursesInitialised;
+    if (initialised != TRUE) {
+        PyErr_SetString(PyCursesError, "must call initscr() first");
+        return -1;
+    }
 
     return napms(ms);
 }