diff --git a/src/Mod/Spreadsheet/Gui/ViewProviderSpreadsheet.cpp b/src/Mod/Spreadsheet/Gui/ViewProviderSpreadsheet.cpp
index c5cd42a055..f98b8d9710 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Spreadsheet/Gui/ViewProviderSpreadsheet.cpp
+++ b/src/Mod/Spreadsheet/Gui/ViewProviderSpreadsheet.cpp
@@ -185,11 +185,10 @@ void ViewProviderSheet::updateData(const App::Property* prop)
 
 PyObject *ViewProviderSheet::getPyObject()
 {
-    if (PythonObject.is(Py::_None())){
-        // ref counter is set to 1
-        PythonObject = Py::Object(new ViewProviderSpreadsheetPy(this), true);
-    }
-    return Py::new_reference_to(PythonObject);
+    if (!pyViewObject)
+        pyViewObject = new ViewProviderSpreadsheetPy(this);
+    pyViewObject->IncRef();
+    return pyViewObject;
 }
 
 // Python feature -----------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/src/Mod/Spreadsheet/Gui/ViewProviderSpreadsheet.h b/src/Mod/Spreadsheet/Gui/ViewProviderSpreadsheet.h
index 63510cf11b..beffa9ecb1 100644
--- a/src/Mod/Spreadsheet/Gui/ViewProviderSpreadsheet.h
+++ b/src/Mod/Spreadsheet/Gui/ViewProviderSpreadsheet.h
@@ -77,8 +77,6 @@ protected:
     void updateData(const App::Property *prop) override;
 private:
     QPointer<SheetView> view;
-
-    Py::Object PythonObject;
 };
 
 typedef Gui::ViewProviderPythonFeatureT<ViewProviderSheet> ViewProviderSheetPython;