diff --git a/Modules/_struct.c b/Modules/_struct.c
index 0116b03ea95115..6a8d52e55988be 100644
--- a/Modules/_struct.c
+++ b/Modules/_struct.c
@@ -2250,14 +2250,13 @@ cache_struct_converter(PyObject *module, PyObject *fmt, PyStructObject **ptr)
         return 1;
     }
 
-    s_object = PyDict_GetItemWithError(state->cache, fmt);
+    if (PyDict_GetItemRef(state->cache, fmt, &s_object) < 0) {
+        return 0;
+    }
     if (s_object != NULL) {
-        *ptr = (PyStructObject *)Py_NewRef(s_object);
+        *ptr = (PyStructObject *)s_object;
         return Py_CLEANUP_SUPPORTED;
     }
-    else if (PyErr_Occurred()) {
-        return 0;
-    }
 
     s_object = PyObject_CallOneArg(state->PyStructType, fmt);
     if (s_object != NULL) {