diff --git a/mypyc/lib-rt/dict_ops.c b/mypyc/lib-rt/dict_ops.c
index 5c6f31bf6f152..3680ce905aa11 100644
--- a/mypyc/lib-rt/dict_ops.c
+++ b/mypyc/lib-rt/dict_ops.c
@@ -274,6 +274,7 @@ char CPyDict_Clear(PyObject *dict) {
         if (res == NULL) {
             return 0;
         }
+        Py_DECREF(res);
     }
     return 1;
 }
diff --git a/mypyc/lib-rt/list_ops.c b/mypyc/lib-rt/list_ops.c
index ebfdafdb2ef41..ae1bc0cb1e6ec 100644
--- a/mypyc/lib-rt/list_ops.c
+++ b/mypyc/lib-rt/list_ops.c
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ char CPyList_Clear(PyObject *list) {
         if (res == NULL) {
             return 0;
         }
+        Py_DECREF(res);
     }
     return 1;
 }