diff --git a/Modules/_threadmodule.c b/Modules/_threadmodule.c
index ac49ee5c35d..72eda4917ab 100644
--- a/Modules/_threadmodule.c
+++ b/Modules/_threadmodule.c
@@ -1068,7 +1068,7 @@ thread_bootstate_free(struct bootstate *boot, int decref)
         Py_DECREF(boot->args);
         Py_XDECREF(boot->kwargs);
     }
-    PyMem_Free(boot);
+    PyMem_RawFree(boot);
 }
 
 
@@ -1164,13 +1164,16 @@ thread_PyThread_start_new_thread(PyObject *self, PyObject *fargs)
         return NULL;
     }
 
-    struct bootstate *boot = PyMem_NEW(struct bootstate, 1);
+    // gh-109795: Use PyMem_RawMalloc() instead of PyMem_Malloc(),
+    // because it should be possible to call thread_bootstate_free()
+    // without holding the GIL.
+    struct bootstate *boot = PyMem_RawMalloc(sizeof(struct bootstate));
     if (boot == NULL) {
         return PyErr_NoMemory();
     }
     boot->tstate = _PyThreadState_Prealloc(interp);
     if (boot->tstate == NULL) {
-        PyMem_Free(boot);
+        PyMem_RawFree(boot);
         return PyErr_NoMemory();
     }
     boot->func = Py_NewRef(func);