diff --git a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2018-09-25-11-04-12.bpo-34794.HGyLx-.rst b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2018-09-25-11-04-12.bpo-34794.HGyLx-.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..c58a37b10b8f04
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2018-09-25-11-04-12.bpo-34794.HGyLx-.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+Fixed a memory leak in :class:`Tkinter.Image` when set the *data* or
+*maskdata* options.
diff --git a/Modules/_tkinter.c b/Modules/_tkinter.c
index c71ffd016ad881..9b8a4044803290 100644
--- a/Modules/_tkinter.c
+++ b/Modules/_tkinter.c
@@ -3230,6 +3230,7 @@ Tkapp_CreateByteArray(PyObject *self, PyObject *args)
         return Tkinter_Error(self);
     }
     res = newPyTclObject(obj);
+    Tcl_DecrRefCount(obj);
     PyBuffer_Release(&view);
     return res;
 }