diff --git a/imperative/python/src/common.cpp b/imperative/python/src/common.cpp
index 6947625d..5f0d1ffe 100644
--- a/imperative/python/src/common.cpp
+++ b/imperative/python/src/common.cpp
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ void init_common(py::module m) {
             .def("numpy", [](const DeviceTensorND& self) {
                 HostTensorND hv;
                 hv.copy_from(self).sync();
-                return py::handle(
+                return py::reinterpret_steal<py::object>(
                         npy::ndarray_from_tensor(hv, npy::ShareType::TRY_SHARE));
             });