diff --git a/Doc/c-api/init_config.rst b/Doc/c-api/init_config.rst
index b59be98608a158..8f79201189e179 100644
--- a/Doc/c-api/init_config.rst
+++ b/Doc/c-api/init_config.rst
@@ -1617,6 +1617,8 @@ Create Config
 
    Free memory of the initialization configuration *config*.
 
+   If *config* is ``NULL``, no operation is performed.
+
 
 Error Handling
 --------------
diff --git a/Programs/_testembed.c b/Programs/_testembed.c
index 13f1db1cc708b5..54ac1eb4bdea56 100644
--- a/Programs/_testembed.c
+++ b/Programs/_testembed.c
@@ -1849,6 +1849,7 @@ static int test_initconfig_api(void)
         goto error;
     }
     PyInitConfig_Free(config);
+    PyInitConfig_Free(NULL);
 
     dump_config();
     Py_Finalize();
diff --git a/Python/initconfig.c b/Python/initconfig.c
index d2bb46062209da..767c035afc7cfb 100644
--- a/Python/initconfig.c
+++ b/Python/initconfig.c
@@ -3452,6 +3452,9 @@ PyInitConfig_Create(void)
 void
 PyInitConfig_Free(PyInitConfig *config)
 {
+    if (config == NULL) {
+        return;
+    }
     free(config->err_msg);
     free(config);
 }