diff --git a/CHANGES.current b/CHANGES.current
index ef6fe9fde..bd591d430 100644
--- a/CHANGES.current
+++ b/CHANGES.current
@@ -7,6 +7,10 @@ the issue number to the end of the URL: https://github.com/swig/swig/issues/
 Version 4.1.0 (in progress)
 ===========================
 
+2022-10-05: benjamin-sch
+            [Python] added an interpreter counter to fix deinitialization
+            issues if multiple subinterpreters are used
+
 2022-10-05: olly, wsfulton
             #672 Add support for parsing C++11 final classes such as:
 
diff --git a/Lib/python/pyrun.swg b/Lib/python/pyrun.swg
index 0dcbc1ce5..eb8ae1673 100644
--- a/Lib/python/pyrun.swg
+++ b/Lib/python/pyrun.swg
@@ -1656,28 +1656,33 @@ SWIG_Python_TypeCache(void) {
 
 SWIGRUNTIME swig_module_info *
 SWIG_Python_GetModule(void *SWIGUNUSEDPARM(clientdata)) {
+#ifdef SWIG_LINK_RUNTIME
   static void *type_pointer = (void *)0;
   /* first check if module already created */
   if (!type_pointer) {
-#ifdef SWIG_LINK_RUNTIME
     type_pointer = SWIG_ReturnGlobalTypeList((void *)0);
-#else
-    type_pointer = PyCapsule_Import(SWIGPY_CAPSULE_NAME, 0);
-    if (PyErr_Occurred()) {
-      PyErr_Clear();
-      type_pointer = (void *)0;
-    }
-#endif
   }
+#else
+  void *type_pointer = PyCapsule_Import(SWIGPY_CAPSULE_NAME, 0);
+  if (PyErr_Occurred()) {
+    PyErr_Clear();
+    type_pointer = (void *)0;
+  }
+#endif
   return (swig_module_info *) type_pointer;
 }
 
+
+static int interpreter_counter = 0; // how many (sub-)interpreters are using swig_module's types
+
 SWIGRUNTIME void
 SWIG_Python_DestroyModule(PyObject *obj)
 {
   swig_module_info *swig_module = (swig_module_info *) PyCapsule_GetPointer(obj, SWIGPY_CAPSULE_NAME);
   swig_type_info **types = swig_module->types;
   size_t i;
+  if (--interpreter_counter != 0) // another sub-interpreter may still be using the swig_module's types
+    return;
   for (i =0; i < swig_module->size; ++i) {
     swig_type_info *ty = types[i];
     if (ty->owndata) {
@@ -1707,6 +1712,7 @@ SWIG_Python_SetModule(swig_module_info *swig_module) {
   PyObject *pointer = PyCapsule_New((void *) swig_module, SWIGPY_CAPSULE_NAME, SWIG_Python_DestroyModule);
   if (pointer && module) {
     if (PyModule_AddObject(module, SWIGPY_CAPSULE_ATTR_NAME, pointer) == 0) {
+      ++interpreter_counter;
       Swig_Capsule_global = pointer;
     } else {
       Py_DECREF(pointer);