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

index 8c055a4..9f58f60 100644

--- a/psutil/_psutil_aix.c

+++ b/psutil/_psutil_aix.c

@@ -265,8 +265,8 @@ psutil_proc_environ(PyObject *self, PyObject *args) {

                 goto error;

             if (PyDict_SetItem(py_retdict, py_key, py_val))

                 goto error;

-            Py_DECREF(py_key);

-            Py_DECREF(py_val);

+            Py_CLEAR(py_key);

+            Py_CLEAR(py_val);

         }

         curvar = strchr(curvar, '\0') + 1;

     }

@@ -510,10 +510,10 @@ 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();

@@ -570,9 +570,9 @@ 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 b4264ce..7f1c492 100644

--- a/psutil/_psutil_bsd.c

+++ b/psutil/_psutil_bsd.c

@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ 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 717723d..0d16eb4 100644

--- a/psutil/_psutil_linux.c

+++ b/psutil/_psutil_linux.c

@@ -241,9 +241,9 @@ 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;

@@ -454,10 +454,10 @@ 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 d2ca94b..76ec0ee 100644

--- a/psutil/_psutil_osx.c

+++ b/psutil/_psutil_osx.c

@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ 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);

@@ -653,7 +653,7 @@ 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,

@@ -841,9 +841,9 @@ 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);

@@ -911,7 +911,6 @@ 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);

@@ -934,7 +933,7 @@ 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,

@@ -1043,10 +1042,8 @@ 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

         }

     }

@@ -1226,7 +1223,7 @@ 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(

@@ -1248,9 +1245,9 @@ 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);

             }

         }

     }

@@ -1370,7 +1367,7 @@ 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;

@@ -1543,7 +1540,7 @@ 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);

@@ -1605,10 +1602,10 @@ 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 209e787..aa60084 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 919e76d..31d6f36 100644

--- a/psutil/_psutil_sunos.c

+++ b/psutil/_psutil_sunos.c

@@ -300,8 +300,8 @@ 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);

@@ -655,10 +655,10 @@ 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();

@@ -714,9 +714,9 @@ 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;

@@ -767,8 +767,7 @@ 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);

         }

     }

@@ -824,7 +823,7 @@ 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;

@@ -959,8 +958,8 @@ 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;

@@ -1075,7 +1074,7 @@ 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:

@@ -1273,7 +1272,7 @@ 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)

@@ -1287,7 +1286,7 @@ psutil_net_connections(PyObject *self, PyObject *args) {

 #ifdef NEW_MIB_COMPLIANT

                 processed_pid = tp6.tcp6ConnCreationProcess;

 #else

-        		processed_pid = 0;

+                        processed_pid = 0;

 #endif

                 if (pid != -1 && processed_pid != pid)

                     continue;

@@ -1316,14 +1315,14 @@ 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

         // UDPv4

         else if (mibhdr.level == MIB2_UDP || mibhdr.level == MIB2_UDP_ENTRY) {

             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++) {

                 memcpy(&ude, databuf.buf + i * sizeof ude, sizeof ude);

 #ifdef NEW_MIB_COMPLIANT

@@ -1355,7 +1354,7 @@ 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)

@@ -1388,7 +1387,7 @@ 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

@@ -1561,7 +1560,7 @@ 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 beaba18..08b208d 100644

--- a/psutil/_psutil_windows.c

+++ b/psutil/_psutil_windows.c

@@ -221,7 +221,7 @@ 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

@@ -1003,7 +1003,7 @@ 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);

@@ -1156,7 +1156,7 @@ 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);

         }

@@ -1580,7 +1580,7 @@ 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);

         }

         free(table);

@@ -1667,7 +1667,7 @@ 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);

         }

         free(table);

@@ -1730,7 +1730,7 @@ 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);

         }

         free(table);

@@ -1793,7 +1793,7 @@ 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);

         }

         free(table);

@@ -2188,8 +2188,8 @@ 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;

@@ -2304,7 +2304,7 @@ 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);

@@ -2461,7 +2461,7 @@ 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);

@@ -2486,7 +2486,7 @@ 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:

@@ -2610,9 +2610,9 @@ 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);

@@ -2838,8 +2838,8 @@ 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 = (ULONGLONG)basicInfo.AllocationBase;

         baseAddress = (PCHAR)baseAddress + basicInfo.RegionSize;

@@ -2889,8 +2889,8 @@ 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);;

     }

@@ -2993,8 +2993,8 @@ 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

@@ -3070,14 +3070,14 @@ 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;

     }

@@ -3197,8 +3197,8 @@ 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);