diff --git a/Misc/NEWS b/Misc/NEWS
index 4c512466714..2b69b5b3150 100644
--- a/Misc/NEWS
+++ b/Misc/NEWS
@@ -7,6 +7,11 @@ What's New in Python 3.3 Alpha 1?
 
 *Release date: XX-XXX-20XX*
 
+Core and Builtins
+-----------------
+
+- Check for NULL result in PyType_FromSpec.
+
 
 What's New in Python 3.2?
 =========================
diff --git a/Objects/typeobject.c b/Objects/typeobject.c
index b1fe44ebe48..7a1aa77e3f7 100644
--- a/Objects/typeobject.c
+++ b/Objects/typeobject.c
@@ -2330,6 +2330,8 @@ PyObject* PyType_FromSpec(PyType_Spec *spec)
     char *res_start = (char*)res;
     PyType_Slot *slot;
 
+    if (res == NULL)
+      return NULL;
     res->ht_name = PyUnicode_FromString(spec->name);
     if (!res->ht_name)
 	goto fail;