diff --git a/Modules/main.c b/Modules/main.c
index f82bab2cb1b89e..45148dc983910c 100644
--- a/Modules/main.c
+++ b/Modules/main.c
@@ -1236,10 +1236,13 @@ copy_wstrlist(int len, wchar_t **list)
     assert((len > 0 && list != NULL) || len == 0);
     size_t size = len * sizeof(list[0]);
     wchar_t **list_copy = PyMem_RawMalloc(size);
+    if (list_copy == NULL) {
+        return NULL;
+    }
     for (int i=0; i < len; i++) {
         wchar_t* arg = _PyMem_RawWcsdup(list[i]);
         if (arg == NULL) {
-            clear_wstrlist(i, list);
+            clear_wstrlist(i, list_copy);
             return NULL;
         }
         list_copy[i] = arg;