diff --git a/Include/internal/pycore_cell.h b/Include/internal/pycore_cell.h
index 1af8d0972ea07bb..d2f82e45ebaf801 100644
--- a/Include/internal/pycore_cell.h
+++ b/Include/internal/pycore_cell.h
@@ -19,8 +19,8 @@ PyCell_SwapTakeRef(PyCellObject *cell, PyObject *value)
 {
     PyObject *old_value;
     Py_BEGIN_CRITICAL_SECTION(cell);
-    old_value = cell->ob_ref;
-    cell->ob_ref = value;
+    FT_ATOMIC_STORE_PTR_RELAXED(old_value, cell->ob_ref);
+    FT_ATOMIC_STORE_PTR_RELAXED(cell->ob_ref, value);
     Py_END_CRITICAL_SECTION();
     return old_value;
 }