Thank you for your hints. This workes for me: a=PyImport_AddModule("xyz"); b=PyModule_GetDict(a); // no Py_DECREF(a) a=PyDict_GetItemString(b,"foo"); // no Py_DECREF(b) b=Py_BuildValue("(s)",_ptemp); c=PyObject_CallObject(a, b); Py_DECREF(b); // c holds xyz.foo("test") with refcount 1 bye joerg