diff --git a/include/boost/python/opaque_pointer_converter.hpp b/include/boost/python/opaque_pointer_converter.hpp
index 745a5cd4..10eb4234 100644
--- a/include/boost/python/opaque_pointer_converter.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/python/opaque_pointer_converter.hpp
@@ -121,8 +121,7 @@ opaque<Pointee> opaque<Pointee>::instance;
 template <class Pointee>
 PyTypeObject opaque<Pointee>::type_object =
 {
-    PyObject_HEAD_INIT(0)
-    0,
+    PyVarObject_HEAD_INIT(NULL, 0)
     0,
     sizeof( BOOST_DEDUCED_TYPENAME opaque<Pointee>::python_instance ),
     0,