diff --git a/distributed/scheduler.py b/distributed/scheduler.py
index dc64e3cc953..97f61a0e381 100644
--- a/distributed/scheduler.py
+++ b/distributed/scheduler.py
@@ -144,6 +144,15 @@ def nogil(func):
         return func
 
 
+@cfunc
+@inline
+def sys_intern(s):
+    if compiled:
+        return intern(s)
+    else:
+        return sys.intern(s)
+
+
 if sys.version_info < (3, 8):
     try:
         import pickle5 as pickle
@@ -1606,7 +1615,6 @@ class SchedulerState:
     _task_metadata: dict
     _total_nthreads: Py_ssize_t
     _total_occupancy: double
-    _transitions_table: dict
     _unknown_durations: dict
     _unrunnable: set
     _validate: bint
@@ -1659,23 +1667,6 @@ def __init__(
         self._task_metadata = dict()
         self._total_nthreads = 0
         self._total_occupancy = 0
-        self._transitions_table = {
-            ("released", "waiting"): self.transition_released_waiting,
-            ("waiting", "released"): self.transition_waiting_released,
-            ("waiting", "processing"): self.transition_waiting_processing,
-            ("waiting", "memory"): self.transition_waiting_memory,
-            ("processing", "released"): self.transition_processing_released,
-            ("processing", "memory"): self.transition_processing_memory,
-            ("processing", "erred"): self.transition_processing_erred,
-            ("no-worker", "released"): self.transition_no_worker_released,
-            ("no-worker", "waiting"): self.transition_no_worker_waiting,
-            ("released", "forgotten"): self.transition_released_forgotten,
-            ("memory", "forgotten"): self.transition_memory_forgotten,
-            ("erred", "forgotten"): self.transition_released_forgotten,
-            ("erred", "released"): self.transition_erred_released,
-            ("memory", "released"): self.transition_memory_released,
-            ("released", "erred"): self.transition_released_erred,
-        }
         self._unknown_durations = dict()
         if unrunnable is not None:
             self._unrunnable = unrunnable
@@ -1826,6 +1817,50 @@ def new_task(self, key: str, spec: object, state: str) -> TaskState:
     # State Transitions #
     #####################
 
+    def _transition_dispatch(self, start: str, finish: str, *args, **kwargs):
+        start = sys_intern(start)
+        finish = sys_intern(finish)
+
+        result: tuple = None
+        if start is "released":  # noqa: F632
+            if finish is "waiting":  # noqa: F632
+                result = self.transition_released_waiting(*args, **kwargs)
+            elif finish is "forgotten":  # noqa: F632
+                result = self.transition_released_forgotten(*args, **kwargs)
+            elif finish is "erred":  # noqa: F632
+                result = self.transition_released_erred(*args, **kwargs)
+        elif start is "waiting":  # noqa: F632
+            if finish is "released":  # noqa: F632
+                result = self.transition_waiting_released(*args, **kwargs)
+            elif finish is "processing":  # noqa: F632
+                result = self.transition_waiting_processing(*args, **kwargs)
+            elif finish is "memory":  # noqa: F632
+                result = self.transition_waiting_memory(*args, **kwargs)
+        elif start is "processing":  # noqa: F632
+            if finish is "released":  # noqa: F632
+                result = self.transition_processing_released(*args, **kwargs)
+            elif finish is "memory":  # noqa: F632
+                result = self.transition_processing_memory(*args, **kwargs)
+            elif finish is "erred":  # noqa: F632
+                result = self.transition_processing_erred(*args, **kwargs)
+        elif start is "no-worker":  # noqa: F632
+            if finish is "released":  # noqa: F632
+                result = self.transition_no_worker_released(*args, **kwargs)
+            elif finish is "waiting":  # noqa: F632
+                result = self.transition_no_worker_waiting(*args, **kwargs)
+        elif start is "memory":  # noqa: F632
+            if finish is "released":  # noqa: F632
+                result = self.transition_memory_released(*args, **kwargs)
+            elif finish is "forgotten":  # noqa: F632
+                result = self.transition_memory_forgotten(*args, **kwargs)
+        elif start is "erred":  # noqa: F632
+            if finish is "released":  # noqa: F632
+                result = self.transition_erred_released(*args, **kwargs)
+            elif finish is "forgotten":  # noqa: F632
+                result = self.transition_released_forgotten(*args, **kwargs)
+
+        return result
+
     def _transition(
         self,
         key,
@@ -1854,7 +1889,6 @@ def _transition(
         parent: SchedulerState = cast(SchedulerState, self)
         ts: TaskState
         start: str
-        start_finish: tuple
         finish2: str
         recommendations: dict
         worker_msgs: dict
@@ -1879,12 +1913,10 @@ def _transition(
                 dependents = set(ts._dependents)
                 dependencies = set(ts._dependencies)
 
-            start_finish = (start, finish)
-            func = self._transitions_table.get(start_finish)
-            if func is not None:
-                a: tuple = func(key, *args, **kwargs)
+            a: tuple = self._transition_dispatch(start, finish, key, *args, **kwargs)
+            if a is not None:
                 recommendations, client_msgs, worker_msgs = a
-            elif "released" not in start_finish:
+            elif start != "released" and finish != "released":
                 assert not args and not kwargs
                 a_recs: dict
                 a_cmsgs: dict
@@ -1893,11 +1925,12 @@ def _transition(
                 a_recs, a_cmsgs, a_wmsgs = a
 
                 v = a_recs.get(key, finish)
-                func = self._transitions_table["released", v]
                 b_recs: dict
                 b_cmsgs: dict
                 b_wmsgs: dict
-                b: tuple = func(key)
+                b: tuple = self._transition_dispatch(
+                    "released", v, key, *args, **kwargs
+                )
                 b_recs, b_cmsgs, b_wmsgs = b
 
                 recommendations.update(a_recs)
@@ -1930,7 +1963,7 @@ def _transition(
 
                 start = "released"
             else:
-                raise RuntimeError("Impossible transition from %r to %r" % start_finish)
+                raise RuntimeError(f"Impossible transition from {start} to {finish}")
 
             finish2 = ts._state
             self.transition_log.append((key, start, finish2, recommendations, time()))