diff --git a/src/_path_wrapper.cpp b/src/_path_wrapper.cpp
index 2fd90adb97f5..ab8c46c107e3 100644
--- a/src/_path_wrapper.cpp
+++ b/src/_path_wrapper.cpp
@@ -727,6 +727,7 @@ static PyObject *Py_convert_to_string(PyObject *self, PyObject *args, PyObject *
             return NULL;
         }
         codes[i] = PyBytes_AsString(item);
+        Py_DECREF(item);
         if (codes[i] == NULL) {
             return NULL;
         }
diff --git a/src/py_adaptors.h b/src/py_adaptors.h
index d5714db2d8bf..bb11276ebee1 100644
--- a/src/py_adaptors.h
+++ b/src/py_adaptors.h
@@ -240,6 +240,7 @@ class PathGenerator
             throw py::exception();
         }
         if (!convert_path(item, &path)) {
+            Py_DECREF(item);
             throw py::exception();
         }
         Py_DECREF(item);