diff --git a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2026-10-21-21-26-10.gh-issue-159739.JIqZRY.rst b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2026-10-21-21-26-10.gh-issue-159739.JIqZRY.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..fa000802ef713b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2026-10-21-21-26-10.gh-issue-159739.JIqZRY.rst
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Fix a possible crash when a list of :mod:`sqlite3` parameters is modified concurrently on a free-threaded build.
diff --git a/Modules/_sqlite/cursor.c b/Modules/_sqlite/cursor.c
index 4e6f46261b10bc..04b22f113b2b64 100644
--- a/Modules/_sqlite/cursor.c
+++ b/Modules/_sqlite/cursor.c
@@ -686,8 +686,7 @@ bind_parameters(pysqlite_state *state, pysqlite_Statement *self,
                 PyObject *item = PyTuple_GET_ITEM(parameters, i);
                 current_param = Py_NewRef(item);
             } else if (PyList_CheckExact(parameters)) {
-                PyObject *item = PyList_GetItem(parameters, i);
-                current_param = Py_XNewRef(item);
+                current_param = PyList_GetItemRef(parameters, i);
             } else {
                 current_param = PySequence_GetItem(parameters, i);
             }