diff --git a/Include/internal/pycore_list.h b/Include/internal/pycore_list.h
index 0717a1f956..bcadbaecc0 100644
--- a/Include/internal/pycore_list.h
+++ b/Include/internal/pycore_list.h
@@ -37,6 +37,8 @@ struct _Py_list_state {
 
 #define _PyList_ITEMS(op) (_PyList_CAST(op)->ob_item)
 
+PyAPI_FUNC(int)
+_PyList_AppendTakeRef(PyListObject *self, PyObject *newitem);
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
diff --git a/Objects/listobject.c b/Objects/listobject.c
index d50633d2b3..3463bcc18e 100644
--- a/Objects/listobject.c
+++ b/Objects/listobject.c
@@ -301,26 +301,34 @@ PyList_Insert(PyObject *op, Py_ssize_t where, PyObject *newitem)
     return ins1((PyListObject *)op, where, newitem);
 }
 
-static int
-app1(PyListObject *self, PyObject *v)
+int
+_PyList_AppendTakeRef(PyListObject *self, PyObject *newitem)
 {
-    Py_ssize_t n = PyList_GET_SIZE(self);
-
-    assert (v != NULL);
-    assert((size_t)n + 1 < PY_SSIZE_T_MAX);
-    if (list_resize(self, n+1) < 0)
+    assert(self != NULL && newitem != NULL);
+    assert(PyList_Check(self));
+    Py_ssize_t len = PyList_GET_SIZE(self);
+    Py_ssize_t allocated = self->allocated;
+    assert((size_t)len + 1 < PY_SSIZE_T_MAX);
+    if (allocated > len) {
+        PyList_SET_ITEM(self, len, newitem);
+        Py_SET_SIZE(self, len + 1);
+        return 0;
+    }
+    if (list_resize(self, len + 1) < 0) {
+        Py_DECREF(newitem);
         return -1;
-
-    Py_INCREF(v);
-    PyList_SET_ITEM(self, n, v);
+    }
+    PyList_SET_ITEM(self, len, newitem);
     return 0;
 }
 
 int
 PyList_Append(PyObject *op, PyObject *newitem)
 {
-    if (PyList_Check(op) && (newitem != NULL))
-        return app1((PyListObject *)op, newitem);
+    if (PyList_Check(op) && (newitem != NULL)) {
+        Py_INCREF(newitem);
+        return _PyList_AppendTakeRef((PyListObject *)op, newitem);
+    }
     PyErr_BadInternalCall();
     return -1;
 }
@@ -844,7 +852,7 @@ static PyObject *
 list_append(PyListObject *self, PyObject *object)
 /*[clinic end generated code: output=7c096003a29c0eae input=43a3fe48a7066e91]*/
 {
-    if (app1(self, object) == 0)
+    if (_PyList_AppendTakeRef(self, Py_NewRef(object)) == 0)
         Py_RETURN_NONE;
     return NULL;
 }
@@ -963,9 +971,7 @@ list_extend(PyListObject *self, PyObject *iterable)
             Py_SET_SIZE(self, Py_SIZE(self) + 1);
         }
         else {
-            int status = app1(self, item);
-            Py_DECREF(item);  /* append creates a new ref */
-            if (status < 0)
+            if (_PyList_AppendTakeRef(self, item) < 0)
                 goto error;
         }
     }
diff --git a/Python/ceval.c b/Python/ceval.c
index f751479664..7039a10c1a 100644
--- a/Python/ceval.c
+++ b/Python/ceval.c
@@ -2234,10 +2234,7 @@ _PyEval_EvalFrameDefault(PyThreadState *tstate, _PyInterpreterFrame *frame, int
         TARGET(LIST_APPEND) {
             PyObject *v = POP();
             PyObject *list = PEEK(oparg);
-            int err;
-            err = PyList_Append(list, v);
-            Py_DECREF(v);
-            if (err != 0)
+            if (_PyList_AppendTakeRef((PyListObject *)list, v) < 0)
                 goto error;
             PREDICT(JUMP_ABSOLUTE);
             DISPATCH();
@@ -5070,14 +5067,12 @@ _PyEval_EvalFrameDefault(PyThreadState *tstate, _PyInterpreterFrame *frame, int
             DEOPT_IF(!PyList_Check(list), PRECALL);
             STAT_INC(PRECALL, hit);
             SKIP_CALL();
-            PyObject *arg = TOP();
-            int err = PyList_Append(list, arg);
-            if (err) {
+            PyObject *arg = POP();
+            if (_PyList_AppendTakeRef((PyListObject *)list, arg) < 0) {
                 goto error;
             }
-            Py_DECREF(arg);
             Py_DECREF(list);
-            STACK_SHRINK(2);
+            STACK_SHRINK(1);
             Py_INCREF(Py_None);
             SET_TOP(Py_None);
             Py_DECREF(callable);