diff --git a/src/pyimport.c b/src/pyimport.c
index d5608b1b5..be093e416 100644
--- a/src/pyimport.c
+++ b/src/pyimport.c
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@ _pyimport(char* name)
 
   Py_DECREF(pyname);
   int idval = python2js(pyval);
-  Py_DECREF(pyval);
   return idval;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/python2js.c b/src/python2js.c
index ce6dd488d..158144634 100644
--- a/src/python2js.c
+++ b/src/python2js.c
@@ -297,7 +297,6 @@ _python2js_cache(PyObject* x, PyObject* map)
     if (result != HW_ERROR) {
       result = hiwire_incref(result);
     }
-    Py_DECREF(val);
   } else {
     result = _python2js(x, map);
   }
diff --git a/test/test_python.py b/test/test_python.py
index 7503badc6..763dd08fc 100644
--- a/test/test_python.py
+++ b/test/test_python.py
@@ -183,6 +183,13 @@ def test_import_js(selenium):
     assert result == 'Foo'
 
 
+def test_pyimport_multiple(selenium):
+    """See #1151"""
+    selenium.run("v = 0.123")
+    selenium.run_js("pyodide.pyimport('v')")
+    selenium.run_js("pyodide.pyimport('v')")
+
+
 def test_pyproxy(selenium):
     selenium.run(
         """