diff --git a/Include/internal/pycore_object.h b/Include/internal/pycore_object.h
index 7602248f956..f63e1da6fba 100644
--- a/Include/internal/pycore_object.h
+++ b/Include/internal/pycore_object.h
@@ -497,6 +497,9 @@ _Py_NewRefWithLock(PyObject *op)
     if (_Py_TryIncrefFast(op)) {
         return op;
     }
+#ifdef Py_REF_DEBUG
+    _Py_IncRefTotal(_PyThreadState_GET());
+#endif
     _Py_INCREF_STAT_INC();
     for (;;) {
         Py_ssize_t shared = _Py_atomic_load_ssize_relaxed(&op->ob_ref_shared);