diff --git a/extra/python/ffi/ffi.factor b/extra/python/ffi/ffi.factor
index 19b6b76cac..a9c394a6a7 100644
--- a/extra/python/ffi/ffi.factor
+++ b/extra/python/ffi/ffi.factor
@@ -17,6 +17,9 @@ IN: python.ffi
     "python" prepend find-library
 ] map-find drop cdecl add-library >>
 
+! Functions that return borrowed references needs to be called like this:
+! Py_Func dup Py_IncRef &Py_DecRef
+
 LIBRARY: python
 
 C-TYPE: PyObject
@@ -51,13 +54,15 @@ FUNCTION: int PyDict_SetItem ( PyObject* d, PyObject* k, PyObject* o ) ;
 FUNCTION: PyObject* PyDict_Items ( PyObject *d ) ;
 
 ! Tuples
+! Borrowed reference
 FUNCTION: PyObject* PyTuple_GetItem ( PyObject* t, int pos ) ;
 FUNCTION: PyObject* PyTuple_New ( int len ) ;
 ! Steals the reference
 FUNCTION: int PyTuple_SetItem ( PyObject* t, int pos, PyObject* o ) ;
 FUNCTION: int PyTuple_Size ( PyObject* t ) ;
 
-! Lists (sequences)
+! Lists
+! Borrowed reference
 FUNCTION: PyObject* PyList_GetItem ( PyObject* l, int pos ) ;
 FUNCTION: int PyList_Size ( PyObject* t ) ;
 
@@ -75,6 +80,7 @@ FUNCTION: PyObject* PyObject_Call ( PyObject* callable,
 FUNCTION: PyObject* PyObject_GetAttrString ( PyObject* callable,
                                              c-string attr_name ) ;
 FUNCTION: PyObject* PyObject_Str ( PyObject* o ) ;
+FUNCTION: int PyObject_IsTrue ( PyObject* o ) ;
 
 ! Strings
 FUNCTION: c-string PyString_AsString ( PyObject* string ) ;
diff --git a/extra/python/python-tests.factor b/extra/python/python-tests.factor
index 28529acbad..b757dbb790 100644
--- a/extra/python/python-tests.factor
+++ b/extra/python/python-tests.factor
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ USING:
     fry kernel
     math
     namespaces
-    python python.ffi python.stdlib.sys
+    python python.ffi python.stdlib.builtin python.stdlib.sys
     sequences
     strings tools.test ;
 IN: python.tests
@@ -128,3 +128,17 @@ SYMBOLS: year month day ;
     ]
     [ "foo" py-dict-get-item-string getrefcount >factor ] tri -
 ] py-test
+
+[ -2 ] [
+    "abcd" >py <1py-tuple>
+    [ 0 py-tuple-get-item getrefcount >factor ]
+    [
+        [ 100 [ swap 0 py-tuple-get-item drop ] with times ] with-destructors
+    ]
+    [ 0 py-tuple-get-item getrefcount >factor ] tri -
+] py-test
+
+! Tests for builtins
+[ 10 ] [ 10 range >factor length ] py-test
+
+[ t ] [ "os" import "getpid" getattr callable >factor ] py-test
diff --git a/extra/python/python.factor b/extra/python/python.factor
index aff339bb75..c5467d415d 100644
--- a/extra/python/python.factor
+++ b/extra/python/python.factor
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ ERROR: python-error type message ;
     dup Py_IncRef PyTuple_SetItem check-return-code ;
 
 : py-tuple-get-item ( obj pos -- val )
-    PyTuple_GetItem check-return ;
+    PyTuple_GetItem dup Py_IncRef check-return ;
 
 : py-tuple-size ( obj -- len )
     PyTuple_Size ;
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ ERROR: python-error type message ;
     PyList_Size ;
 
 : py-list-get-item ( obj pos -- val )
-    PyList_GetItem check-return ;
+    PyList_GetItem dup Py_IncRef check-return ;
 
 ! Unicodes
 : py-ucs-size ( -- n )
@@ -135,6 +135,7 @@ DEFER: >factor
 : init-py-type-dispatch ( -- table )
     H{
         { "NoneType" [ drop f ] }
+        { "bool" [ PyObject_IsTrue 1 = ] }
         { "dict" [ PyDict_Items (check-return) >factor >hashtable ] }
         { "int" [ PyInt_AsLong ] }
         { "list" [
diff --git a/extra/python/stdlib/builtin/builtin.factor b/extra/python/stdlib/builtin/builtin.factor
index 54dd556acb..cc070aa307 100644
--- a/extra/python/stdlib/builtin/builtin.factor
+++ b/extra/python/stdlib/builtin/builtin.factor
@@ -7,9 +7,20 @@ SYMBOL: builtin
 
 builtin [ "__builtin__" import ] initialize
 
+: simple-call ( arg func-name -- return )
+    builtin get swap getattr swap <1py-tuple> call-object ;
+
 : repr ( alien/factor -- py-str )
-    dup alien? [ >py ] unless
-    <1py-tuple> builtin get "repr" getattr swap call-object ;
+    dup alien? [ >py ] unless "repr" simple-call ;
 
 : range ( n -- py-list )
-    builtin get "range" getattr swap 1array >py call-object ;
+    >py "range" simple-call ;
+
+: dir ( obj -- py-list )
+    "dir" simple-call ;
+
+: type ( obj -- py-obj )
+    "type" simple-call ;
+
+: callable ( obj -- py-obj )
+    "callable" simple-call ;