diff --git a/Objects/obmalloc.c b/Objects/obmalloc.c
index c766ccd7d47..23bf0a97cd4 100644
--- a/Objects/obmalloc.c
+++ b/Objects/obmalloc.c
@@ -424,6 +424,7 @@ new_arena(void)
 
 error:
 	PyMem_FREE(bp);
+	nfreepools = 0;
 	return NULL;
 }