diff --git a/Modules/_sqlite/connection.c b/Modules/_sqlite/connection.c
index 64bd53aea7ea6a..63b0fb9784a0b5 100644
--- a/Modules/_sqlite/connection.c
+++ b/Modules/_sqlite/connection.c
@@ -1494,9 +1494,9 @@ pysqlite_collation_callback(
         goto finally; /* failed to allocate strings */
     }
 
-    retval = PyObject_CallFunctionObjArgs(callback, string1, string2, NULL);
-
-    if (!retval) {
+    PyObject *args[] = { string1, string2 };  // Borrowed refs.
+    retval = PyObject_Vectorcall(callback, args, 2, NULL);
+    if (retval == NULL) {
         /* execution failed */
         goto finally;
     }