diff --git a/Python/pylifecycle.c b/Python/pylifecycle.c
index 5726a559cfcb73..2149d8928d596d 100644
--- a/Python/pylifecycle.c
+++ b/Python/pylifecycle.c
@@ -1575,19 +1575,19 @@ new_interpreter(PyThreadState **tstate_p, int isolated_subinterpreter)
     }
     interp->config._isolated_interpreter = isolated_subinterpreter;
 
-    status = pycore_interp_init(tstate);
+    status = init_interp_create_gil(tstate);
     if (_PyStatus_EXCEPTION(status)) {
         goto error;
     }
 
-    status = init_interp_main(tstate);
+    status = pycore_interp_init(tstate);
     if (_PyStatus_EXCEPTION(status)) {
         goto error;
     }
 
-    status = init_interp_create_gil(tstate);
+    status = init_interp_main(tstate);
     if (_PyStatus_EXCEPTION(status)) {
-        return status;
+        goto error;
     }
 
     *tstate_p = tstate;