diff -r f7eda8165e6f Objects/bytesobject.c
--- a/Objects/bytesobject.c	Sat Jan 26 12:14:02 2013 +0200
+++ b/Objects/bytesobject.c	Sat Jan 26 12:23:20 2013 +0200
@@ -29,8 +29,8 @@
 Py_ssize_t null_strings, one_strings;
 #endif
 
-static PyBytesObject *characters[UCHAR_MAX + 1];
-static PyBytesObject *nullstring;
+static PyBytesObject *characters[UCHAR_MAX + 1] = {NULL};
+static PyBytesObject *nullstring = NULL;
 
 /* PyBytesObject_SIZE gives the basic size of a string; any memory allocation
    for a string of length n should request PyBytesObject_SIZE + n bytes.
@@ -3008,12 +3008,9 @@
 PyBytes_Fini(void)
 {
     int i;
-    for (i = 0; i < UCHAR_MAX + 1; i++) {
-        Py_XDECREF(characters[i]);
-        characters[i] = NULL;
-    }
-    Py_XDECREF(nullstring);
-    nullstring = NULL;
+    for (i = 0; i < UCHAR_MAX + 1; i++)
+        Py_CLEAR(characters[i]);
+    Py_CLEAR(nullstring);
 }
 
 /*********************** Bytes Iterator ****************************/