diff --git a/numpy/core/src/multiarray/buffer.c b/numpy/core/src/multiarray/buffer.c
index d14f87abb843..13d7038d3448 100644
--- a/numpy/core/src/multiarray/buffer.c
+++ b/numpy/core/src/multiarray/buffer.c
@@ -1057,7 +1057,7 @@ _descriptor_from_pep3118_format_fast(char const *s, PyObject **result)
     else {
         *result = (PyObject*)PyArray_DescrNewByteorder(descr, byte_order);
         Py_DECREF(descr);
-        if (result == NULL) {
+        if (*result == NULL) {
             return 0;
         }
     }
diff --git a/numpy/core/src/multiarray/ctors.c b/numpy/core/src/multiarray/ctors.c
index 2535569a68f6..4464d7ead51d 100644
--- a/numpy/core/src/multiarray/ctors.c
+++ b/numpy/core/src/multiarray/ctors.c
@@ -1881,6 +1881,9 @@ PyArray_CheckFromAny(PyObject *op, PyArray_Descr *descr, int min_depth,
         if (!descr && PyArray_Check(op) &&
                 PyArray_ISBYTESWAPPED((PyArrayObject* )op)) {
             descr = PyArray_DescrNew(PyArray_DESCR((PyArrayObject *)op));
+            if (descr == NULL) {
+                return NULL;
+            }
         }
         else if (descr && !PyArray_ISNBO(descr->byteorder)) {
             PyArray_DESCR_REPLACE(descr);
diff --git a/numpy/core/src/multiarray/descriptor.c b/numpy/core/src/multiarray/descriptor.c
index a5cb6a9fcad0..07abc755fab3 100644
--- a/numpy/core/src/multiarray/descriptor.c
+++ b/numpy/core/src/multiarray/descriptor.c
@@ -597,9 +597,7 @@ _convert_from_array_descr(PyObject *obj, int align)
 
     PyArray_Descr *new = PyArray_DescrNewFromType(NPY_VOID);
     if (new == NULL) {
-        Py_XDECREF(fields);
-        Py_XDECREF(nameslist);
-        return NULL;
+        goto fail;
     }
     new->fields = fields;
     new->names = nameslist;
@@ -703,6 +701,9 @@ _convert_from_list(PyObject *obj, int align)
         totalsize += conv->elsize;
     }
     PyArray_Descr *new = PyArray_DescrNewFromType(NPY_VOID);
+    if (new == NULL) {
+        goto fail;
+    }
     new->fields = fields;
     new->names = nameslist;
     new->flags = dtypeflags;
diff --git a/numpy/core/src/multiarray/methods.c b/numpy/core/src/multiarray/methods.c
index 20a70a37e862..8fa9bf2ca357 100644
--- a/numpy/core/src/multiarray/methods.c
+++ b/numpy/core/src/multiarray/methods.c
@@ -1396,6 +1396,10 @@ array_partition(PyArrayObject *self,
             return NULL;
         }
         newd = PyArray_DescrNew(saved);
+        if (newd == NULL) {
+            Py_DECREF(new_name);
+            return NULL;
+        }
         Py_DECREF(newd->names);
         newd->names = new_name;
         ((PyArrayObject_fields *)self)->descr = newd;
diff --git a/tools/swig/pyfragments.swg b/tools/swig/pyfragments.swg
index 558633733da3..eac817322242 100644
--- a/tools/swig/pyfragments.swg
+++ b/tools/swig/pyfragments.swg
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@
     }
 %#endif
     if (!PyArray_IsScalar(obj,Integer)) return SWIG_TypeError;
-    PyArray_Descr * longDescr = PyArray_DescrNewFromType(NPY_LONG);
+    PyArray_Descr * longDescr = PyArray_DescrFromType(NPY_LONG);
     PyArray_CastScalarToCtype(obj, (void*)val, longDescr);
     Py_DECREF(longDescr);
     return SWIG_OK;
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@
     }
 %#endif
     if (!PyArray_IsScalar(obj,Integer)) return SWIG_TypeError;
-    PyArray_Descr * ulongDescr = PyArray_DescrNewFromType(NPY_ULONG);
+    PyArray_Descr * ulongDescr = PyArray_DescrFromType(NPY_ULONG);
     PyArray_CastScalarToCtype(obj, (void*)val, ulongDescr);
     Py_DECREF(ulongDescr);
     return SWIG_OK;