diff --git a/psutil/_psutil_aix.c b/psutil/_psutil_aix.c

index 916254d..37a1fb2 100644

--- a/psutil/_psutil_aix.c

+++ b/psutil/_psutil_aix.c

@@ -158,8 +158,8 @@ psutil_proc_name_and_args(PyObject *self, PyObject *args) {

     py_retlist = Py_BuildValue("OO", py_name, py_args);

     if (!py_retlist)

         goto error;

-    Py_DECREF(py_name);

-    Py_DECREF(py_args);

+    Py_CLEAR(py_name);

+    Py_CLEAR(py_args);

     return py_retlist;

 error:

@@ -389,10 +389,10 @@ psutil_users(PyObject *self, PyObject *args) {

             goto error;

         if (PyList_Append(py_retlist, py_tuple))

             goto error;

-        Py_DECREF(py_username);

-        Py_DECREF(py_tty);

-        Py_DECREF(py_hostname);

-        Py_DECREF(py_tuple);

+        Py_CLEAR(py_username);

+        Py_CLEAR(py_tty);

+        Py_CLEAR(py_hostname);

+        Py_CLEAR(py_tuple);

     }

     endutxent();

@@ -449,9 +449,9 @@ psutil_disk_partitions(PyObject *self, PyObject *args) {

             goto error;

         if (PyList_Append(py_retlist, py_tuple))

             goto error;

-        Py_DECREF(py_dev);

-        Py_DECREF(py_mountp);

-        Py_DECREF(py_tuple);

+        Py_CLEAR(py_dev);

+        Py_CLEAR(py_mountp);

+        Py_CLEAR(py_tuple);

         mt = getmntent(file);

     }

     endmntent(file);

diff --git a/psutil/_psutil_bsd.c b/psutil/_psutil_bsd.c

index 9a2ed04..3dc04e0 100644

--- a/psutil/_psutil_bsd.c

+++ b/psutil/_psutil_bsd.c

@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ psutil_pids(PyObject *self, PyObject *args) {

                 goto error;

             if (PyList_Append(py_retlist, py_pid))

                 goto error;

-            Py_DECREF(py_pid);

+            Py_CLEAR(py_pid);

             proclist++;

         }

         free(orig_address);

@@ -507,8 +507,8 @@ psutil_proc_open_files(PyObject *self, PyObject *args) {

                 goto error;

             if (PyList_Append(py_retlist, py_tuple))

                 goto error;

-            Py_DECREF(py_path);

-            Py_DECREF(py_tuple);

+            Py_CLEAR(py_path);

+            Py_CLEAR(py_tuple);

         }

     }

     free(freep);

@@ -670,9 +670,9 @@ psutil_disk_partitions(PyObject *self, PyObject *args) {

             goto error;

         if (PyList_Append(py_retlist, py_tuple))

             goto error;

-        Py_DECREF(py_dev);

-        Py_DECREF(py_mountp);

-        Py_DECREF(py_tuple);

+        Py_CLEAR(py_dev);

+        Py_CLEAR(py_mountp);

+        Py_CLEAR(py_tuple);

     }

     free(fs);

@@ -765,7 +765,7 @@ psutil_net_io_counters(PyObject *self, PyObject *args) {

                 goto error;

             if (PyDict_SetItemString(py_retdict, ifc_name, py_ifc_info))

                 goto error;

-            Py_DECREF(py_ifc_info);

+            Py_CLEAR(py_ifc_info);

         }

         else {

             continue;

@@ -840,10 +840,10 @@ psutil_users(PyObject *self, PyObject *args) {

             fclose(fp);

             goto error;

         }

-        Py_DECREF(py_username);

-        Py_DECREF(py_tty);

-        Py_DECREF(py_hostname);

-        Py_DECREF(py_tuple);

+        Py_CLEAR(py_username);

+        Py_CLEAR(py_tty);

+        Py_CLEAR(py_hostname);

+        Py_CLEAR(py_tuple);

     }

     fclose(fp);

@@ -883,10 +883,10 @@ psutil_users(PyObject *self, PyObject *args) {

             endutxent();

             goto error;

         }

-        Py_DECREF(py_username);

-        Py_DECREF(py_tty);

-        Py_DECREF(py_hostname);

-        Py_DECREF(py_tuple);

+        Py_CLEAR(py_username);

+        Py_CLEAR(py_tty);

+        Py_CLEAR(py_hostname);

+        Py_CLEAR(py_tuple);

     }

     endutxent();

diff --git a/psutil/_psutil_linux.c b/psutil/_psutil_linux.c

index d1f0d14..00212ba 100644

--- a/psutil/_psutil_linux.c

+++ b/psutil/_psutil_linux.c

@@ -232,9 +232,9 @@ psutil_disk_partitions(PyObject *self, PyObject *args) {

             goto error;

         if (PyList_Append(py_retlist, py_tuple))

             goto error;

-        Py_DECREF(py_dev);

-        Py_DECREF(py_mountp);

-        Py_DECREF(py_tuple);

+        Py_CLEAR(py_dev);

+        Py_CLEAR(py_mountp);

+        Py_CLEAR(py_tuple);

     }

     endmntent(file);

     return py_retlist;

@@ -488,10 +488,10 @@ psutil_users(PyObject *self, PyObject *args) {

             goto error;

         if (PyList_Append(py_retlist, py_tuple))

             goto error;

-        Py_DECREF(py_username);

-        Py_DECREF(py_tty);

-        Py_DECREF(py_hostname);

-        Py_DECREF(py_tuple);

+        Py_CLEAR(py_username);

+        Py_CLEAR(py_tty);

+        Py_CLEAR(py_hostname);

+        Py_CLEAR(py_tuple);

     }

     endutent();

     return py_retlist;

diff --git a/psutil/_psutil_osx.c b/psutil/_psutil_osx.c

index 55dd64c..37f5284 100644

--- a/psutil/_psutil_osx.c

+++ b/psutil/_psutil_osx.c

@@ -795,7 +795,7 @@ psutil_per_cpu_times(PyObject *self, PyObject *args) {

             goto error;

         if (PyList_Append(py_retlist, py_cputime))

             goto error;

-        Py_DECREF(py_cputime);

+        Py_CLEAR(py_cputime);

     }

     ret = vm_deallocate(mach_task_self(), (vm_address_t)info_array,

@@ -977,9 +977,9 @@ psutil_disk_partitions(PyObject *self, PyObject *args) {

             goto error;

         if (PyList_Append(py_retlist, py_tuple))

             goto error;

-        Py_DECREF(py_dev);

-        Py_DECREF(py_mountp);

-        Py_DECREF(py_tuple);

+        Py_CLEAR(py_dev);

+        Py_CLEAR(py_mountp);

+        Py_CLEAR(py_tuple);

     }

     free(fs);

@@ -1055,7 +1055,6 @@ psutil_proc_threads(PyObject *self, PyObject *args) {

     }

     for (j = 0; j < thread_count; j++) {

-        py_tuple = NULL;

         thread_info_count = THREAD_INFO_MAX;

         kr = thread_info(thread_list[j], THREAD_BASIC_INFO,

                          (thread_info_t)thinfo_basic, &thread_info_count);

@@ -1076,7 +1075,7 @@ psutil_proc_threads(PyObject *self, PyObject *args) {

             goto error;

         if (PyList_Append(py_retlist, py_tuple))

             goto error;

-        Py_DECREF(py_tuple);

+        Py_CLEAR(py_tuple);

     }

     ret = vm_deallocate(task, (vm_address_t)thread_list,

@@ -1185,10 +1184,8 @@ psutil_proc_open_files(PyObject *self, PyObject *args) {

                 goto error;

             if (PyList_Append(py_retlist, py_tuple))

                 goto error;

-            Py_DECREF(py_tuple);

-            py_tuple = NULL;

-            Py_DECREF(py_path);

-            py_path = NULL;

+            Py_CLEAR(py_tuple);

+            Py_CLEAR(py_path);

             // --- /construct python list

         }

     }

@@ -1368,7 +1365,7 @@ psutil_proc_connections(PyObject *self, PyObject *args) {

                     goto error;

                 if (PyList_Append(py_retlist, py_tuple))

                     goto error;

-                Py_DECREF(py_tuple);

+                Py_CLEAR(py_tuple);

             }

             else if (family == AF_UNIX) {

                 py_laddr = PyUnicode_DecodeFSDefault(

@@ -1390,9 +1387,9 @@ psutil_proc_connections(PyObject *self, PyObject *args) {

                     goto error;

                 if (PyList_Append(py_retlist, py_tuple))

                     goto error;

-                Py_DECREF(py_tuple);

-                Py_DECREF(py_laddr);

-                Py_DECREF(py_raddr);

+                Py_CLEAR(py_tuple);

+                Py_CLEAR(py_laddr);

+                Py_CLEAR(py_raddr);

             }

         }

     }

@@ -1513,7 +1510,7 @@ psutil_net_io_counters(PyObject *self, PyObject *args) {

                 goto error;

             if (PyDict_SetItemString(py_retdict, ifc_name, py_ifc_info))

                 goto error;

-            Py_DECREF(py_ifc_info);

+            Py_CLEAR(py_ifc_info);

         }

         else {

             continue;

@@ -1686,7 +1683,7 @@ psutil_disk_io_counters(PyObject *self, PyObject *args) {

                 goto error;

             if (PyDict_SetItemString(py_retdict, disk_name, py_disk_info))

                 goto error;

-            Py_DECREF(py_disk_info);

+            Py_CLEAR(py_disk_info);

             CFRelease(parent_dict);

             IOObjectRelease(parent);

@@ -1748,10 +1745,10 @@ psutil_users(PyObject *self, PyObject *args) {

             endutxent();

             goto error;

         }

-        Py_DECREF(py_username);

-        Py_DECREF(py_tty);

-        Py_DECREF(py_hostname);

-        Py_DECREF(py_tuple);

+        Py_CLEAR(py_username);

+        Py_CLEAR(py_tty);

+        Py_CLEAR(py_hostname);

+        Py_CLEAR(py_tuple);

     }

     endutxent();

diff --git a/psutil/_psutil_posix.c b/psutil/_psutil_posix.c

index cc82727..6d9212a 100644

--- a/psutil/_psutil_posix.c

+++ b/psutil/_psutil_posix.c

@@ -324,11 +324,11 @@ psutil_net_if_addrs(PyObject* self, PyObject* args) {

             goto error;

         if (PyList_Append(py_retlist, py_tuple))

             goto error;

-        Py_DECREF(py_tuple);

-        Py_DECREF(py_address);

-        Py_DECREF(py_netmask);

-        Py_DECREF(py_broadcast);

-        Py_DECREF(py_ptp);

+        Py_CLEAR(py_tuple);

+        Py_CLEAR(py_address);

+        Py_CLEAR(py_netmask);

+        Py_CLEAR(py_broadcast);

+        Py_CLEAR(py_ptp);

     }

     freeifaddrs(ifaddr);

diff --git a/psutil/_psutil_sunos.c b/psutil/_psutil_sunos.c

index c667364..ff635f6 100644

--- a/psutil/_psutil_sunos.c

+++ b/psutil/_psutil_sunos.c

@@ -214,8 +214,8 @@ psutil_proc_environ(PyObject *self, PyObject *args) {

         if (PyDict_SetItem(py_retdict, py_envname, py_envval) < 0)

             goto error;

-        Py_DECREF(py_envname);

-        Py_DECREF(py_envval);

+        Py_CLEAR(py_envname);

+        Py_CLEAR(py_envval);

     }

     psutil_free_cstrings_array(env, env_count);

@@ -576,10 +576,10 @@ psutil_users(PyObject *self, PyObject *args) {

             goto error;

         if (PyList_Append(py_retlist, py_tuple))

             goto error;

-        Py_DECREF(py_username);

-        Py_DECREF(py_tty);

-        Py_DECREF(py_hostname);

-        Py_DECREF(py_tuple);

+        Py_CLEAR(py_username);

+        Py_CLEAR(py_tty);

+        Py_CLEAR(py_hostname);

+        Py_CLEAR(py_tuple);

     }

     endutxent();

@@ -635,9 +635,9 @@ psutil_disk_partitions(PyObject *self, PyObject *args) {

             goto error;

         if (PyList_Append(py_retlist, py_tuple))

             goto error;

-        Py_DECREF(py_dev);

-        Py_DECREF(py_mountp);

-        Py_DECREF(py_tuple);

+        Py_CLEAR(py_dev);

+        Py_CLEAR(py_mountp);

+        Py_CLEAR(py_tuple);

     }

     fclose(file);

     return py_retlist;

@@ -688,8 +688,7 @@ psutil_per_cpu_times(PyObject *self, PyObject *args) {

                 goto error;

             if (PyList_Append(py_retlist, py_cputime))

                 goto error;

-            Py_DECREF(py_cputime);

-            py_cputime = NULL;

+            Py_CLEAR(py_cputime);

         }

     }

@@ -745,7 +744,7 @@ psutil_disk_io_counters(PyObject *self, PyObject *args) {

                 if (PyDict_SetItemString(py_retdict, ksp->ks_name,

                                          py_disk_info))

                     goto error;

-                Py_DECREF(py_disk_info);

+                Py_CLEAR(py_disk_info);

             }

         }

         ksp = ksp->ks_next;

@@ -880,8 +879,8 @@ psutil_proc_memory_maps(PyObject *self, PyObject *args) {

             goto error;

         if (PyList_Append(py_retlist, py_tuple))

             goto error;

-        Py_DECREF(py_path);

-        Py_DECREF(py_tuple);

+        Py_CLEAR(py_path);

+        Py_CLEAR(py_tuple);

         // increment pointer

         p += 1;

@@ -996,7 +995,7 @@ psutil_net_io_counters(PyObject *self, PyObject *args) {

             goto error;

         if (PyDict_SetItemString(py_retdict, ksp->ks_name, py_ifc_info))

             goto error;

-        Py_DECREF(py_ifc_info);

+        Py_CLEAR(py_ifc_info);

         goto next;

 next:

@@ -1189,7 +1188,7 @@ psutil_net_connections(PyObject *self, PyObject *args) {

                     goto error;

                 if (PyList_Append(py_retlist, py_tuple))

                     goto error;

-                Py_DECREF(py_tuple);

+                Py_CLEAR(py_tuple);

             }

         }

 #if defined(AF_INET6)

@@ -1232,7 +1231,7 @@ psutil_net_connections(PyObject *self, PyObject *args) {

                     goto error;

                 if (PyList_Append(py_retlist, py_tuple))

                     goto error;

-                Py_DECREF(py_tuple);

+                Py_CLEAR(py_tuple);

             }

         }

 #endif

@@ -1240,7 +1239,7 @@ psutil_net_connections(PyObject *self, PyObject *args) {

         else if (mibhdr->level == MIB2_UDP || mibhdr->level == MIB2_UDP_ENTRY) {

             ude = (mib2_udpEntry_t *)databuf.buf;

             num_ent = mibhdr->len / sizeof(mib2_udpEntry_t);

-	    assert(num_ent * sizeof(mib2_udpEntry_t) == mibhdr->len);

+	        assert(num_ent * sizeof(mib2_udpEntry_t) == mibhdr.len);

             for (i = 0; i < num_ent; i++, ude++) {

 #ifdef NEW_MIB_COMPLIANT

                 processed_pid = ude->udpCreationProcess;

@@ -1271,7 +1270,7 @@ psutil_net_connections(PyObject *self, PyObject *args) {

                     goto error;

                 if (PyList_Append(py_retlist, py_tuple))

                     goto error;

-                Py_DECREF(py_tuple);

+                Py_CLEAR(py_tuple);

             }

         }

 #if defined(AF_INET6)

@@ -1304,7 +1303,7 @@ psutil_net_connections(PyObject *self, PyObject *args) {

                     goto error;

                 if (PyList_Append(py_retlist, py_tuple))

                     goto error;

-                Py_DECREF(py_tuple);

+                Py_CLEAR(py_tuple);

             }

         }

 #endif

@@ -1477,7 +1476,7 @@ psutil_net_if_stats(PyObject* self, PyObject* args) {

                 goto error;

             if (PyDict_SetItemString(py_retdict, ksp->ks_name, py_ifc_info))

                 goto error;

-            Py_DECREF(py_ifc_info);

+            Py_CLEAR(py_ifc_info);

         }

     }

diff --git a/psutil/_psutil_windows.c b/psutil/_psutil_windows.c

index 81d1b4a..adef70c 100644

--- a/psutil/_psutil_windows.c

+++ b/psutil/_psutil_windows.c

@@ -307,7 +307,7 @@ psutil_pids(PyObject *self, PyObject *args) {

             goto error;

         if (PyList_Append(py_retlist, py_pid))

             goto error;

-        Py_DECREF(py_pid);

+        Py_CLEAR(py_pid);

     }

     // free C array allocated for PIDs

@@ -1019,7 +1019,7 @@ psutil_per_cpu_times(PyObject *self, PyObject *args) {

             goto error;

         if (PyList_Append(py_retlist, py_tuple))

             goto error;

-        Py_DECREF(py_tuple);

+        Py_CLEAR(py_tuple);

     }

     free(sppi);

@@ -1237,7 +1237,7 @@ psutil_proc_threads(PyObject *self, PyObject *args) {

                 goto error;

             if (PyList_Append(py_retlist, py_tuple))

                 goto error;

-            Py_DECREF(py_tuple);

+            Py_CLEAR(py_tuple);

             CloseHandle(hThread);

         }

@@ -1695,7 +1695,7 @@ psutil_net_connections(PyObject *self, PyObject *args) {

                     goto error;

                 if (PyList_Append(py_retlist, py_conn_tuple))

                     goto error;

-                Py_DECREF(py_conn_tuple);

+                Py_CLEAR(py_conn_tuple);

             }

         }

         else {

@@ -1792,7 +1792,7 @@ psutil_net_connections(PyObject *self, PyObject *args) {

                     goto error;

                 if (PyList_Append(py_retlist, py_conn_tuple))

                     goto error;

-                Py_DECREF(py_conn_tuple);

+                Py_CLEAR(py_conn_tuple);

             }

         }

         else {

@@ -1866,7 +1866,7 @@ psutil_net_connections(PyObject *self, PyObject *args) {

                     goto error;

                 if (PyList_Append(py_retlist, py_conn_tuple))

                     goto error;

-                Py_DECREF(py_conn_tuple);

+                Py_CLEAR(py_conn_tuple);

             }

         }

         else {

@@ -1939,7 +1939,7 @@ psutil_net_connections(PyObject *self, PyObject *args) {

                     goto error;

                 if (PyList_Append(py_retlist, py_conn_tuple))

                     goto error;

-                Py_DECREF(py_conn_tuple);

+                Py_CLEAR(py_conn_tuple);

             }

         }

         else {

@@ -2331,8 +2331,8 @@ psutil_net_io_counters(PyObject *self, PyObject *args) {

             goto error;

         if (PyDict_SetItem(py_retdict, py_nic_name, py_nic_info))

             goto error;

-        Py_XDECREF(py_nic_name);

-        Py_XDECREF(py_nic_info);

+        Py_CLEAR(py_nic_name);

+        Py_CLEAR(py_nic_info);

         free(pIfRow);

         pCurrAddresses = pCurrAddresses->Next;

@@ -2446,7 +2446,7 @@ psutil_disk_io_counters(PyObject *self, PyObject *args) {

             goto error;

         if (PyDict_SetItemString(py_retdict, szDeviceDisplay, py_tuple))

             goto error;

-        Py_XDECREF(py_tuple);

+        Py_CLEAR(py_tuple);

 next:

         CloseHandle(hDevice);

@@ -2603,7 +2603,7 @@ psutil_disk_partitions(PyObject *self, PyObject *args) {

                             goto error;

                         }

-                        Py_DECREF(py_tuple);

+                        Py_CLEAR(py_tuple);

                         // Continue looking for more mount points

                         mp_flag = FindNextVolumeMountPoint(mp_h, mp_buf, MAX_PATH);

@@ -2628,7 +2628,7 @@ psutil_disk_partitions(PyObject *self, PyObject *args) {

             goto error;

         if (PyList_Append(py_retlist, py_tuple))

             goto error;

-        Py_DECREF(py_tuple);

+        Py_CLEAR(py_tuple);

         goto next;

 next:

@@ -2758,9 +2758,9 @@ psutil_users(PyObject *self, PyObject *args) {

             goto error;

         if (PyList_Append(py_retlist, py_tuple))

             goto error;

-        Py_XDECREF(py_username);

-        Py_XDECREF(py_address);

-        Py_XDECREF(py_tuple);

+        Py_CLEAR(py_username);

+        Py_CLEAR(py_address);

+        Py_CLEAR(py_tuple);

     }

     WTSFreeMemory(sessions);

@@ -2992,8 +2992,8 @@ psutil_proc_memory_maps(PyObject *self, PyObject *args) {

                 goto error;

             if (PyList_Append(py_retlist, py_tuple))

                 goto error;

-            Py_DECREF(py_tuple);

-            Py_DECREF(py_str);

+            Py_CLEAR(py_tuple);

+            Py_CLEAR(py_str);

         }

         previousAllocationBase = basicInfo.AllocationBase;

         baseAddress = (PCHAR)baseAddress + basicInfo.RegionSize;

@@ -3043,8 +3043,8 @@ psutil_ppid_map(PyObject *self, PyObject *args) {

                 goto error;

             if (PyDict_SetItem(py_retdict, py_pid, py_ppid))

                 goto error;

-            Py_DECREF(py_pid);

-            Py_DECREF(py_ppid);

+            Py_CLEAR(py_pid);

+            Py_CLEAR(py_ppid);

         } while (Process32Next(handle, &pe);;

     }

@@ -3147,8 +3147,8 @@ psutil_net_if_addrs(PyObject *self, PyObject *args) {

                 goto error;

             if (PyList_Append(py_retlist, py_tuple))

                 goto error;

-            Py_DECREF(py_tuple);

-            Py_DECREF(py_mac_address);

+            Py_CLEAR(py_tuple);

+            Py_CLEAR(py_mac_address);

         }

         // find out the IP address associated with the NIC

@@ -3224,14 +3224,14 @@ psutil_net_if_addrs(PyObject *self, PyObject *args) {

                     goto error;

                 if (PyList_Append(py_retlist, py_tuple))

                     goto error;

-                Py_DECREF(py_tuple);

-                Py_DECREF(py_address);

-                Py_DECREF(py_netmask);

+                Py_CLEAR(py_tuple);

+                Py_CLEAR(py_address);

+                Py_CLEAR(py_netmask);

                 pUnicast = pUnicast->Next;

             }

         }

-        Py_DECREF(py_nic_name);

+        Py_CLEAR(py_nic_name);

         pCurrAddresses = pCurrAddresses->Next;

     }

@@ -3351,8 +3351,8 @@ psutil_net_if_stats(PyObject *self, PyObject *args) {

             goto error;

         if (PyDict_SetItem(py_retdict, py_nic_name, py_ifc_info))

             goto error;

-        Py_DECREF(py_nic_name);

-        Py_DECREF(py_ifc_info);

+        Py_CLEAR(py_nic_name);

+        Py_CLEAR(py_ifc_info);

     }

     free(pIfTable);