diff --git a/src/python/recoll/pyrecoll.cpp b/src/python/recoll/pyrecoll.cpp
index e5bbcd48..5bf5ec73 100644
--- a/src/python/recoll/pyrecoll.cpp
+++ b/src/python/recoll/pyrecoll.cpp
@@ -1122,6 +1122,7 @@ Query_fetchmany(PyObject* _self, PyObject *args, PyObject *kwargs)
             break;
         }
         PyList_Append(reslist,  (PyObject*)docobj);
+        Py_DECREF(docobj);
     }
 
     if (PyErr_Occurred()) {