diff --git a/Include/cpython/pyatomic_gcc.h b/Include/cpython/pyatomic_gcc.h
index b179e4c9a185a9..1566b83b9f6a1b 100644
--- a/Include/cpython/pyatomic_gcc.h
+++ b/Include/cpython/pyatomic_gcc.h
@@ -519,7 +519,7 @@ _Py_atomic_store_ullong_relaxed(unsigned long long *obj,
 
 static inline void
 _Py_atomic_store_char_relaxed(char *obj, char value)
-{ __atomic_store_n(obj, value, __ATOMIC_RELEASE); }
+{ __atomic_store_n(obj, value, __ATOMIC_RELAXED); }
 
 static inline void
 _Py_atomic_store_uchar_relaxed(unsigned char *obj, unsigned char value)