diff --git a/source/blender/blenkernel/intern/object.c b/source/blender/blenkernel/intern/object.c
index a8bf87c966f..d92ec5d31b8 100644
--- a/source/blender/blenkernel/intern/object.c
+++ b/source/blender/blenkernel/intern/object.c
@@ -294,6 +294,14 @@ void unlink_object(Object *ob)
 		
 		if ELEM(obt->type, OB_CURVE, OB_FONT) {
 			cu= obt->data;
+			/* this test is for a bug in the Python API with Object.New():
+			 * objects can be created without any obdata; when deleted,
+			 * a segfault occurs since obt->data == NULL */
+			if (!cu) {
+				printf ("ERROR: found curve object with no obdata!\n");
+				break;
+			}
+
 			if(cu->bevobj==ob) {
 				cu->bevobj= NULL;
 				obt->recalc |= OB_RECALC;
diff --git a/source/blender/python/api2_2x/Object.c b/source/blender/python/api2_2x/Object.c
index 10952629e6b..46998dae42d 100644
--- a/source/blender/python/api2_2x/Object.c
+++ b/source/blender/python/api2_2x/Object.c
@@ -770,6 +770,18 @@ static int Object_compare( BPy_Object * a, BPy_Object * b );
 /* Function:			  M_Object_New				 */
 /* Python equivalent:	  Blender.Object.New				 */
 /*****************************************************************************/
+
+/*
+ * Note: if this method is called without later linking object data to it, 
+ * errors can be caused elsewhere in Blender.  Future versions of the API
+ * will designate obdata as a parameter to this method to prevent this, and
+ * eventually this method will be deprecated.
+ *
+ * When we can guarantee that objects will always have valid obdata, 
+ * unlink_object() should be edited to remove checks for NULL pointers and
+ * debugging messages.
+ */
+
 PyObject *M_Object_New( PyObject * self_unused, PyObject * args )
 {
 	struct Object *object;
@@ -3104,18 +3116,21 @@ Object *GetObjectByName( char *name )
 }
 
 /*****************************************************************************/
-/* Function:	Object_dealloc						 */
-/* Description: This is a callback function for the BlenObject type. It is  */
-/*		the destructor function.				 */
+/* Function:    Object_dealloc                                               */
+/* Description: This is a callback function for the BlenObject type. It is   */
+/*      the destructor function.                                             */
 /*****************************************************************************/
-static void Object_dealloc( BPy_Object * obj )
+static void Object_dealloc( BPy_Object * self )
 {
-#if 1	/* this just adjust the ID but doesn't delete zero-user objects */
-	obj->object->id.us--;
-#else	/* this will adjust the ID and if zero delete the object */
-	free_libblock_us( &G.main->object, obj->object );
+	if( self->object->data )
+		self->object->id.us--;
+	else
+		free_libblock_us( &G.main->object, self->object );
+
+#if 0	/* this will adjust the ID and if zero delete the object */
+	free_libblock_us( &G.main->object, self->object );
 #endif
-	PyObject_DEL( obj );
+	PyObject_DEL( self );
 }
 
 /*****************************************************************************/