diff --git a/Lib/subprocess.py b/Lib/subprocess.py
--- a/Lib/subprocess.py
+++ b/Lib/subprocess.py
@@ -800,7 +800,7 @@
         self.wait()
 
     def __del__(self, _maxsize=sys.maxsize, _active=_active):
-        if not self._child_created:
+        if not getattr(self, '_child_created', False):
             # We didn't get to successfully create a child process.
             return
         # In case the child hasn't been waited on, check if it's done.