diff --git a/simplejson/_speedups.c b/simplejson/_speedups.c
index 4c8b383dce72ccd85ec1f0460b916839399ec106_c2ltcGxlanNvbi9fc3BlZWR1cHMuYw==..a966a202894fb8fbe5e0cbf3494cc558f606af7b_c2ltcGxlanNvbi9fc3BlZWR1cHMuYw== 100644
--- a/simplejson/_speedups.c
+++ b/simplejson/_speedups.c
@@ -3070,6 +3070,7 @@
 bail:
     Py_XDECREF(encoded);
     Py_XDECREF(items);
+    Py_XDECREF(item);
     Py_XDECREF(iter);
     Py_XDECREF(kstr);
     Py_XDECREF(ident);