--- a/configmix/_py_helper.h	Thu Jan 06 18:50:09 2022 +0100
+++ b/configmix/_py_helper.h	Thu Jan 06 19:37:03 2022 +0100
@@ -13,6 +13,9 @@
 
 #if PY_VERSION_HEX < 0x030A0000
 
+/*
+ * Return a new owned reference to an object
+ */
 static inline
 PyObject *
 Py_NewRef(PyObject *obj)
@@ -22,6 +25,9 @@
 }
 
 
+/*
+ * Return a new owned reference to an object when the input can be NULL
+ */
 static inline
 PyObject *
 Py_XNewRef(PyObject *obj)
@@ -67,4 +73,74 @@
     return (obj1 != obj2);
 }
 
+
+/**
+ * Copy from source to destination and make an owned reference.
+ * Also safely clear the destination before.
+ */
+static inline
+void
+py_assign(PyObject **dest, PyObject *src)
+{
+    Py_XDECREF(*dest);
+    *dest = Py_NewRef(src);
+}
+
+
+/**
+ * Copy from source to destination and make an owned reference.
+ * Also safely clear the destination before. The source object may be NULL.
+ */
+static inline
+void
+py_assign_x(PyObject **dest, PyObject *src)
+{
+    Py_XDECREF(*dest);
+    *dest = Py_XNewRef(src);
+}
+
+
+/*
+ * Transfer from a borrowed reference to an owned one and clear the source.
+ * Also safely clear the destination before.
+ */
+static inline
+void
+py_transfer_borrowed(PyObject **dest, PyObject **src)
+{
+    Py_XDECREF(*dest);
+    *dest = Py_NewRef(*src);
+    *src = NULL;
+}
+
+
+/*
+ * Transfer from a borrowed reference to an owned one and clear the source.
+ * Also safely clear the destination before. The source object may be NULL.
+ */
+static inline
+void
+py_transfer_x_borrowed(PyObject **dest, PyObject **src)
+{
+    Py_XDECREF(*dest);
+    *dest = Py_XNewRef(*src);
+    *src = NULL;
+}
+
+
+/*
+ * Transfer ownership from a owned reference to an owned one and clear the
+ * source.
+ * Also safely clear the destination before.
+ */
+static inline
+void
+py_transfer_owned(PyObject **dest, PyObject **src)
+{
+    Py_XDECREF(*dest);
+    *dest = *src;
+    *src = NULL;
+}
+   
+
 #endif