diff --git a/include/boost/python/detail/module_base.hpp b/include/boost/python/detail/module_base.hpp
index 043a6f47..ecd13aa4 100644
--- a/include/boost/python/detail/module_base.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/python/detail/module_base.hpp
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ class BOOST_PYTHON_DECL module_base
     inline ref object() const;
 
  protected:
-    void generic_add_class(ref class_obj);
+    void add_class(ref const& class_obj);
 
  private:
     ref m_module;
diff --git a/src/module.cpp b/src/module.cpp
index 5020170c..e958c6d8 100644
--- a/src/module.cpp
+++ b/src/module.cpp
@@ -45,15 +45,20 @@ void module_base::add_type(ref x)
     add((PyTypeObject*)x.release());
 }
 
-void module_base::generic_add_class(ref class_obj)
+void module_base::add_class(ref const& class_obj)
 {
-    Py_INCREF(class_obj.get());
     this->add_type(class_obj);
-    ref module_name(PyObject_GetAttrString(m_module.get(),
-      const_cast<char*>("__name__")));
-    int status = PyObject_SetAttrString(class_obj.get(),
-      const_cast<char*>("__module__"), module_name.get());
-    if (status == -1) throw_error_already_set();
+    
+    ref module_name(
+        PyObject_GetAttrString(
+            m_module.get(), const_cast<char*>("__name__"))
+        );
+    
+    int status = PyObject_SetAttrString(
+        class_obj.get(), const_cast<char*>("__module__"), module_name.get());
+    
+    if (status == -1)
+        throw_error_already_set();
 }
 
 PyMethodDef module_base::initial_methods[] = { { 0, 0, 0, 0 } };