diff --git a/src/ieee1284module.c b/src/ieee1284module.c
index 30972f8..265ab4b 100644
--- a/src/ieee1284module.c
+++ b/src/ieee1284module.c
@@ -28,6 +28,17 @@ typedef struct {
 	struct parport *port;
 } ParportObject;
 
+static PyObject *
+Parport_new (PyTypeObject *type, PyObject *args, PyObject *kwds)
+{
+  ParportObject *self;
+  self = (ParportObject *) type->tp_alloc (type, 0);
+  if (self != NULL)
+    self->port = NULL;
+
+  return (PyObject *) self;
+}
+
 static int
 Parport_init (ParportObject *self, PyObject *args, PyObject *kwds)
 {
@@ -562,6 +573,23 @@ static PyTypeObject ParportType = {
 	0,					/* tp_as_buffer */
 	Py_TPFLAGS_DEFAULT,			/* tp_flags */
 	"parallel port object",			/* tp_doc */
+	0,					/* tp_traverse */
+	0,					/* tp_clear */
+	0,					/* tp_richcompare */
+	0,					/* tp_weaklistoffset */
+	0,					/* tp_iter */
+	0,					/* tp_iternext */
+	Parport_methods,			/* tp_methods */
+	0,					/* tp_members */
+	Parport_getseters,			/* tp_getset */
+	0,					/* tp_base */
+	0,					/* tp_dict */
+	0,					/* tp_descr_get */
+	0,					/* tp_descr_set */
+	0,					/* tp_dictoffset */
+	(initproc)Parport_init,			/* tp_init */
+	0,					/* tp_alloc */
+	Parport_new,		                /* tp_new */
 };
 
 static PyObject *
@@ -625,14 +653,9 @@ initieee1284 (void)
 	PyObject *d = PyModule_GetDict (m);
 	PyObject *c;
 
-	ParportType.tp_new = PyType_GenericNew;
-	ParportType.tp_init = (initproc) Parport_init;
-	ParportType.tp_getset = Parport_getseters;
-	ParportType.tp_methods = Parport_methods;
 	if (PyType_Ready (&ParportType) < 0)
 		return;
 
-	Py_INCREF (&ParportType);
 	PyModule_AddObject (m, "Parport", (PyObject *) &ParportType);
 
 	pyieee1284_error = PyErr_NewException("ieee1284.error", NULL, NULL);