diff --git a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Core_and_Builtins/2026-02-28-16-46-17.gh-issue-145376.lG5u1a.rst b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Core_and_Builtins/2026-02-28-16-46-17.gh-issue-145376.lG5u1a.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..a5a6908757e458
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Core_and_Builtins/2026-02-28-16-46-17.gh-issue-145376.lG5u1a.rst
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Fix reference leaks in various unusual error scenarios.
diff --git a/Modules/main.c b/Modules/main.c
index 9b2ee103d52662..15f51acbcf551f 100644
--- a/Modules/main.c
+++ b/Modules/main.c
@@ -509,6 +509,7 @@ pymain_run_interactive_hook(int *exitcode)
     }
 
     if (PySys_Audit("cpython.run_interactivehook", "O", hook) < 0) {
+        Py_DECREF(hook);
         goto error;
     }
 
diff --git a/Python/crossinterp.c b/Python/crossinterp.c
index 80772fcedb46e6..3b6c0c6e1eda4b 100644
--- a/Python/crossinterp.c
+++ b/Python/crossinterp.c
@@ -609,6 +609,7 @@ check_missing___main___attr(PyObject *exc)
     // Get the error message.
     PyObject *args = PyException_GetArgs(exc);
     if (args == NULL || args == Py_None || PyObject_Size(args) < 1) {
+        Py_XDECREF(args);
         assert(!PyErr_Occurred());
         return 0;
     }
diff --git a/Python/pythonrun.c b/Python/pythonrun.c
index e005a509f6f061..91c81ac0d8d237 100644
--- a/Python/pythonrun.c
+++ b/Python/pythonrun.c
@@ -1151,6 +1151,7 @@ _PyErr_Display(PyObject *file, PyObject *unused, PyObject *value, PyObject *tb)
         "traceback",
         "_print_exception_bltin");
     if (print_exception_fn == NULL || !PyCallable_Check(print_exception_fn)) {
+        Py_XDECREF(print_exception_fn);
         goto fallback;
     }
 
diff --git a/Python/sysmodule.c b/Python/sysmodule.c
index 545b130836e26c..c97042c99fa71e 100644
--- a/Python/sysmodule.c
+++ b/Python/sysmodule.c
@@ -1759,7 +1759,7 @@ sys_getwindowsversion_impl(PyObject *module)
     PyObject *realVersion = _sys_getwindowsversion_from_kernel32();
     if (!realVersion) {
         if (!PyErr_ExceptionMatches(PyExc_WindowsError)) {
-            return NULL;
+            goto error;
         }
 
         PyErr_Clear();