diff --git a/source/blender/python/BPY_interface.c b/source/blender/python/BPY_interface.c
index 226657655fa..7120e97a62f 100644
--- a/source/blender/python/BPY_interface.c
+++ b/source/blender/python/BPY_interface.c
@@ -410,12 +410,14 @@ void BPY_rebuild_syspath( void )
 	mod = PyImport_ImportModule( "sys" );	
 	if (!mod) {
 		printf("error: could not import python sys module. some modules may not import.\n");
+		PyGILState_Release(gilstate);
 		return;
 	}
 	
 	if (!bpy_orig_syspath_List) { /* should never happen */
 		printf("error refershing python path\n");
 		Py_DECREF(mod);
+		PyGILState_Release(gilstate);
 		return;
 	}
 	
diff --git a/source/blender/python/api2_2x/sceneRender.c b/source/blender/python/api2_2x/sceneRender.c
index d382d450970..8f251fc8452 100644
--- a/source/blender/python/api2_2x/sceneRender.c
+++ b/source/blender/python/api2_2x/sceneRender.c
@@ -565,6 +565,8 @@ PyObject *RenderData_SaveRenderedImage ( BPy_RenderData * self, PyObject *args )
 PyObject *RenderData_RenderAnim( BPy_RenderData * self )
 {
 	Scene *oldsce;
+	/* this prevents a deadlock when there are pynodes: */
+	PyThreadState *tstate = PyEval_SaveThread();
 
 	if (!G.background) {
 		oldsce = G.scene;
@@ -582,9 +584,9 @@ PyObject *RenderData_RenderAnim( BPy_RenderData * self )
 		if (G.scene->r.sfra > G.scene->r.efra)
 			return EXPP_ReturnPyObjError (PyExc_RuntimeError,
 				"start frame must be less or equal to end frame");
-		
 		RE_BlenderAnim(re, G.scene, G.scene->r.sfra, G.scene->r.efra);
 	}
+	PyEval_RestoreThread(tstate);
 	Py_RETURN_NONE;
 }