diff --git a/Modules/zipimport.c b/Modules/zipimport.c
index fc6c0e4dc241..bfac46233db0 100644
--- a/Modules/zipimport.c
+++ b/Modules/zipimport.c
@@ -958,8 +958,10 @@ safely_reopen_archive(ZipImporter *self)
             }
             Py_XDECREF(self->files);  /* free the old value. */
             self->files = files;
+        } else {
+            /* No problem, discard the new stat data. */
+            Py_DECREF(stat_now);
         }
-        Py_DECREF(stat_now);
     }  /* stat succeeded */
 
     return fp;