diff --git a/bob/math/main.cpp b/bob/math/main.cpp
index 44452cb38404280de57ba0279440e8dd4ade3e13..762d283c2a8316d24334b6cdceb00a8953211a56 100644
--- a/bob/math/main.cpp
+++ b/bob/math/main.cpp
@@ -116,11 +116,13 @@ static PyObject* create_module (void) {
 
 # if PY_VERSION_HEX >= 0x03000000
   PyObject* m = PyModule_Create(&module_definition);
+  auto m_ = make_xsafe(m);
+  const char* ret = "O";
 # else
   PyObject* m = Py_InitModule3(BOB_EXT_MODULE_NAME, module_methods, module_docstr);
+  const char* ret = "N";
 # endif
   if (!m) return 0;
-  auto m_ = make_safe(m); ///< protects against early returns
 
   /* register the types to python */
   if (!init_BobMathLpInteriorPoint(m)) return 0;
@@ -129,7 +131,7 @@ static PyObject* create_module (void) {
   if (import_bob_blitz() < 0) return 0;
   if (import_bob_core_logging() < 0) return 0;
 
-  return Py_BuildValue("O", m);
+  return Py_BuildValue(ret, m);
 }
 
 PyMODINIT_FUNC BOB_EXT_ENTRY_NAME (void) {
diff --git a/bob/math/version.cpp b/bob/math/version.cpp
index 537bae6420d6ac38b9c52486c2cc2a6625638b1d..0e9cf8af57b42d2cc8bdd57fa0f785189ad5737f 100644
--- a/bob/math/version.cpp
+++ b/bob/math/version.cpp
@@ -51,11 +51,13 @@ static PyObject* create_module (void) {
 
 # if PY_VERSION_HEX >= 0x03000000
   PyObject* m = PyModule_Create(&module_definition);
+  auto m_ = make_xsafe(m);
+  const char* ret = "O";
 # else
   PyObject* m = Py_InitModule3(BOB_EXT_MODULE_NAME, module_methods, module_docstr);
+  const char* ret = "N";
 # endif
   if (!m) return 0;
-  auto m_ = make_safe(m); ///< protects against early returns
 
   /* register version numbers and constants */
   if (PyModule_AddStringConstant(m, "module", BOB_EXT_MODULE_VERSION) < 0) return 0;
@@ -65,7 +67,7 @@ static PyObject* create_module (void) {
   if (!externals) return 0;
   if (PyModule_AddObject(m, "externals", externals) < 0) return 0;
 
-  return Py_BuildValue("O", m);
+  return Py_BuildValue(ret, m);
 }
 
 PyMODINIT_FUNC BOB_EXT_ENTRY_NAME (void) {