diff --git a/Lib/test/test_curses.py b/Lib/test/test_curses.py
index f582336fae17344..7ce093492f035a9 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_curses.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_curses.py
@@ -3166,6 +3166,44 @@ def test_use_prescr_screen(self):
         # The current screen is unchanged.
         screen.stdscr.refresh()
 
+    @unittest.skipUnless(hasattr(curses, 'new_prescr'),
+                         'requires curses.new_prescr()')
+    def test_new_prescr_returns_existing_screen(self):
+        pre1 = curses.new_prescr()
+        pre2 = curses.new_prescr()
+        self.assertIs(pre1, pre2)
+
+    @unittest.skipUnless(hasattr(curses, 'new_prescr'),
+                         'requires curses.new_prescr()')
+    def test_newterm_after_new_prescr_keeps_screen_alive(self):
+        # newterm() adopts the SCREEN created by new_prescr().  Dropping the
+        # pre-screen wrapper must not delete the live screen.
+        s = self.make_pty()
+        pre = curses.new_prescr()
+        screen = curses.newterm('xterm', s, s)
+        del pre
+        gc_collect()
+        screen.stdscr.addstr(0, 0, 'x')
+        screen.stdscr.refresh()
+
+    @unittest.skipUnless(hasattr(curses, 'new_prescr'),
+                         'requires curses.new_prescr()')
+    def test_initscr_after_new_prescr_keeps_screen_alive(self):
+        # initscr() adopts the SCREEN created by new_prescr().  Dropping the
+        # pre-screen wrapper must not delete the live screen.
+        s = self.make_pty()
+        saved = os.dup(1)
+        self.addCleanup(os.close, saved)
+        self.addCleanup(os.dup2, saved, 1)
+        os.dup2(s, 1)
+
+        pre = curses.new_prescr()
+        stdscr = curses.initscr()
+        del pre
+        gc_collect()
+        stdscr.addstr(0, 0, 'x')
+        stdscr.refresh()
+
     def test_initscr_after_newterm_keeps_screen_alive(self):
         # initscr() called while a newterm() screen is current returns that
         # screen's own standard window, so the window keeps the screen alive.
diff --git a/Modules/_cursesmodule.c b/Modules/_cursesmodule.c
index 006e27d55d8925d..28a63f61debf3c4 100644
--- a/Modules/_cursesmodule.c
+++ b/Modules/_cursesmodule.c
@@ -159,6 +159,8 @@ typedef struct {
     PyTypeObject *complexstr_type;  // _curses.complexstr
     PyObject *topscreen;            // owned ref to the current screen object,
                                     // or NULL for the initscr() screen
+    PyObject *prescreen;            // owned ref to the pending new_prescr() screen,
+                                    // or NULL if there is no pending pre-screen
 } cursesmodule_state;
 
 static inline cursesmodule_state *
@@ -6619,13 +6621,21 @@ _curses_initscr_impl(PyObject *module)
         return NULL;
     }
 
+    cursesmodule_state *state = get_cursesmodule_state(module);
+    if (state->prescreen != NULL) {
+        PyCursesScreenObject *prescreen =
+            _PyCursesScreenObject_CAST(state->prescreen);
+        assert(prescreen->screen != NULL);
+        prescreen->screen = NULL;
+        Py_CLEAR(state->prescreen);
+    }
+
     curses_initscr_called = curses_setupterm_called = TRUE;
 
     if (curses_init_dict(module) < 0) {
         return NULL;
     }
 
-    cursesmodule_state *state = get_cursesmodule_state(module);
     PyObject *winobj = PyCursesWindow_New(state, win, NULL, NULL, NULL);
     if (winobj == NULL) {
         return NULL;
@@ -6801,6 +6811,13 @@ _curses_newterm_impl(PyObject *module, const char *type, PyObject *fd,
     cursesmodule_state *state = get_cursesmodule_state(module);
     /* The screen object owns the SCREEN and the streams; deleting it (when it
        is no longer referenced) calls delscreen() and closes the streams. */
+    if (state->prescreen != NULL) {
+        PyCursesScreenObject *prescreen =
+            _PyCursesScreenObject_CAST(state->prescreen);
+        assert(prescreen->screen == screen);
+        prescreen->screen = NULL;
+        Py_CLEAR(state->prescreen);
+    }
     PyObject *screenobj = PyCursesScreen_New(state, screen, outfp, infp, NULL);
     if (screenobj == NULL) {
         delscreen(screen);
@@ -6892,13 +6909,25 @@ static PyObject *
 _curses_new_prescr_impl(PyObject *module)
 /*[clinic end generated code: output=e7de5031da7511e2 input=1a3a89d630b641c3]*/
 {
+    cursesmodule_state *state = get_cursesmodule_state(module);
+    if (state->prescreen != NULL) {
+        return Py_NewRef(state->prescreen);
+    }
+
     SCREEN *screen = new_prescr();
     if (screen == NULL) {
         curses_set_null_error(module, "new_prescr", NULL);
         return NULL;
     }
-    cursesmodule_state *state = get_cursesmodule_state(module);
-    return PyCursesScreen_New(state, screen, NULL, NULL, NULL);
+
+    PyObject *screenobj = PyCursesScreen_New(state, screen, NULL, NULL, NULL);
+    if (screenobj == NULL) {
+        delscreen(screen);
+        return NULL;
+    }
+
+    state->prescreen = Py_NewRef(screenobj);
+    return screenobj;
 }
 #endif /* HAVE_CURSES_NEW_PRESCR */
 
@@ -8894,6 +8923,7 @@ cursesmodule_traverse(PyObject *mod, visitproc visit, void *arg)
     Py_VISIT(state->complexchar_type);
     Py_VISIT(state->complexstr_type);
     Py_VISIT(state->topscreen);
+    Py_VISIT(state->prescreen);
     return 0;
 }
 
@@ -8907,6 +8937,7 @@ cursesmodule_clear(PyObject *mod)
     Py_CLEAR(state->complexchar_type);
     Py_CLEAR(state->complexstr_type);
     Py_CLEAR(state->topscreen);
+    Py_CLEAR(state->prescreen);
     return 0;
 }