diff --git a/Doc/library/datetime.rst b/Doc/library/datetime.rst
index 1905c9e1ca755d..047427d3269027 100644
--- a/Doc/library/datetime.rst
+++ b/Doc/library/datetime.rst
@@ -1079,6 +1079,24 @@ Other constructors, all class methods:
    time tuple.  See also :ref:`strftime-strptime-behavior` and
    :meth:`datetime.fromisoformat`.
 
+   .. versionchanged:: 3.13
+
+      If *format* specifies a day of month without a year a
+      :exc:`DeprecationWarning` is now emitted.  This is to avoid a quadrennial
+      leap year bug in code seeking to parse only a month and day as the
+      default year used in absence of one in the format is not a leap year.
+      Such *format* values may raise an error as of Python 3.15.  The
+      workaround is to always include a year in your *format*.  If parsing
+      *date_string* values that do not have a year, explicitly add a year that
+      is a leap year before parsing:
+
+      .. doctest::
+
+         >>> from datetime import datetime
+         >>> date_string = "02/29"
+         >>> when = datetime.strptime(f"{date_string};1984", "%m/%d;%Y")  # Avoids leap year bug.
+         >>> when.strftime("%B %d")  # doctest: +SKIP
+         'February 29'
 
 
 Class attributes:
@@ -2657,6 +2675,25 @@ Notes:
    for  formats ``%d``, ``%m``, ``%H``, ``%I``, ``%M``, ``%S``, ``%j``, ``%U``,
    ``%W``, and ``%V``. Format ``%y`` does require a leading zero.
 
+(10)
+   When parsing a month and day using :meth:`~.datetime.strptime`, always
+   include a year in the format.  If the value you need to parse lacks a year,
+   append an explicit dummy leap year.  Otherwise your code will raise an
+   exception when it encounters leap day because the default year used by the
+   parser is not a leap year.  Users run into this bug every four years...
+
+   .. doctest::
+
+      >>> month_day = "02/29"
+      >>> datetime.strptime(f"{month_day};1984", "%m/%d;%Y")  # No leap year bug.
+      datetime.datetime(1984, 2, 29, 0, 0)
+
+   .. deprecated-removed:: 3.13 3.15
+      :meth:`~.datetime.strptime` calls using a format string containing
+      a day of month without a year now emit a
+      :exc:`DeprecationWarning`. In 3.15 or later we may change this into
+      an error or change the default year to a leap year. See :gh:`70647`.
+
 .. rubric:: Footnotes
 
 .. [#] If, that is, we ignore the effects of Relativity
diff --git a/Include/internal/pycore_bytes_methods.h b/Include/internal/pycore_bytes_methods.h
index 11e8ab20e91367..b9c0a4e2b2f77d 100644
--- a/Include/internal/pycore_bytes_methods.h
+++ b/Include/internal/pycore_bytes_methods.h
@@ -32,8 +32,12 @@ extern PyObject *_Py_bytes_rfind(const char *str, Py_ssize_t len, PyObject *args
 extern PyObject *_Py_bytes_rindex(const char *str, Py_ssize_t len, PyObject *args);
 extern PyObject *_Py_bytes_count(const char *str, Py_ssize_t len, PyObject *args);
 extern int _Py_bytes_contains(const char *str, Py_ssize_t len, PyObject *arg);
-extern PyObject *_Py_bytes_startswith(const char *str, Py_ssize_t len, PyObject *args);
-extern PyObject *_Py_bytes_endswith(const char *str, Py_ssize_t len, PyObject *args);
+extern PyObject *_Py_bytes_startswith(const char *str, Py_ssize_t len,
+                                      PyObject *subobj, Py_ssize_t start,
+                                      Py_ssize_t end);
+extern PyObject *_Py_bytes_endswith(const char *str, Py_ssize_t len,
+                                    PyObject *subobj, Py_ssize_t start,
+                                    Py_ssize_t end);
 
 /* The maketrans() static method. */
 extern PyObject* _Py_bytes_maketrans(Py_buffer *frm, Py_buffer *to);
diff --git a/Lib/_strptime.py b/Lib/_strptime.py
index 798cf9f9d3fffe..e42af75af74bf5 100644
--- a/Lib/_strptime.py
+++ b/Lib/_strptime.py
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
     strptime -- Calculates the time struct represented by the passed-in string
 
 """
+import os
 import time
 import locale
 import calendar
@@ -250,12 +251,30 @@ def pattern(self, format):
         format = regex_chars.sub(r"\\\1", format)
         whitespace_replacement = re_compile(r'\s+')
         format = whitespace_replacement.sub(r'\\s+', format)
+        year_in_format = False
+        day_of_month_in_format = False
         while '%' in format:
             directive_index = format.index('%')+1
+            format_char = format[directive_index]
             processed_format = "%s%s%s" % (processed_format,
                                            format[:directive_index-1],
-                                           self[format[directive_index]])
+                                           self[format_char])
             format = format[directive_index+1:]
+            match format_char:
+                case 'Y' | 'y' | 'G':
+                    year_in_format = True
+                case 'd':
+                    day_of_month_in_format = True
+        if day_of_month_in_format and not year_in_format:
+            import warnings
+            warnings.warn("""\
+Parsing dates involving a day of month without a year specified is ambiguious
+and fails to parse leap day. The default behavior will change in Python 3.15
+to either always raise an exception or to use a different default year (TBD).
+To avoid trouble, add a specific year to the input & format.
+See https://github.com/python/cpython/issues/70647.""",
+                          DeprecationWarning,
+                          skip_file_prefixes=(os.path.dirname(__file__),))
         return "%s%s" % (processed_format, format)
 
     def compile(self, format):
diff --git a/Lib/ntpath.py b/Lib/ntpath.py
index 0650f14f89f10b..f9f6c78566e8ed 100644
--- a/Lib/ntpath.py
+++ b/Lib/ntpath.py
@@ -857,9 +857,6 @@ def commonpath(paths):
         drivesplits = [splitroot(p.replace(altsep, sep).lower()) for p in paths]
         split_paths = [p.split(sep) for d, r, p in drivesplits]
 
-        if len({r for d, r, p in drivesplits}) != 1:
-            raise ValueError("Can't mix absolute and relative paths")
-
         # Check that all drive letters or UNC paths match. The check is made only
         # now otherwise type errors for mixing strings and bytes would not be
         # caught.
@@ -867,6 +864,12 @@ def commonpath(paths):
             raise ValueError("Paths don't have the same drive")
 
         drive, root, path = splitroot(paths[0].replace(altsep, sep))
+        if len({r for d, r, p in drivesplits}) != 1:
+            if drive:
+                raise ValueError("Can't mix absolute and relative paths")
+            else:
+                raise ValueError("Can't mix rooted and not-rooted paths")
+
         common = path.split(sep)
         common = [c for c in common if c and c != curdir]
 
diff --git a/Lib/test/datetimetester.py b/Lib/test/datetimetester.py
index 31fc383e29707a..c77263998c99f5 100644
--- a/Lib/test/datetimetester.py
+++ b/Lib/test/datetimetester.py
@@ -2793,6 +2793,19 @@ def test_strptime_single_digit(self):
                 newdate = strptime(string, format)
                 self.assertEqual(newdate, target, msg=reason)
 
+    def test_strptime_leap_year(self):
+        # GH-70647: warns if parsing a format with a day and no year.
+        with self.assertRaises(ValueError):
+            # The existing behavior that GH-70647 seeks to change.
+            self.theclass.strptime('02-29', '%m-%d')
+        with self.assertWarnsRegex(DeprecationWarning,
+                                   r'.*day of month without a year.*'):
+            self.theclass.strptime('03-14.159265', '%m-%d.%f')
+        with self._assertNotWarns(DeprecationWarning):
+            self.theclass.strptime('20-03-14.159265', '%y-%m-%d.%f')
+        with self._assertNotWarns(DeprecationWarning):
+            self.theclass.strptime('02-29,2024', '%m-%d,%Y')
+
     def test_more_timetuple(self):
         # This tests fields beyond those tested by the TestDate.test_timetuple.
         t = self.theclass(2004, 12, 31, 6, 22, 33)
diff --git a/Lib/test/string_tests.py b/Lib/test/string_tests.py
index cecf309dca9194..5ade7013328d63 100644
--- a/Lib/test/string_tests.py
+++ b/Lib/test/string_tests.py
@@ -1513,9 +1513,9 @@ def test_find_etc_raise_correct_error_messages(self):
                                 x, None, None, None)
         self.assertRaisesRegex(TypeError, r'^count\(', s.count,
                                 x, None, None, None)
-        self.assertRaisesRegex(TypeError, r'^startswith\(', s.startswith,
+        self.assertRaisesRegex(TypeError, r'^startswith\b', s.startswith,
                                 x, None, None, None)
-        self.assertRaisesRegex(TypeError, r'^endswith\(', s.endswith,
+        self.assertRaisesRegex(TypeError, r'^endswith\b', s.endswith,
                                 x, None, None, None)
 
         # issue #15534
diff --git a/Lib/test/support/__init__.py b/Lib/test/support/__init__.py
index 9640d5d831b874..d7bc416ab04086 100644
--- a/Lib/test/support/__init__.py
+++ b/Lib/test/support/__init__.py
@@ -1168,6 +1168,10 @@ def requires_limited_api(test):
         return unittest.skip('needs _testcapi and _testlimitedcapi modules')(test)
     return test
 
+
+TEST_MODULES_ENABLED = sysconfig.get_config_var('TEST_MODULES') == 'yes'
+
+
 def requires_specialization(test):
     return unittest.skipUnless(
         _opcode.ENABLE_SPECIALIZATION, "requires specialization")(test)
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_audit.py b/Lib/test/test_audit.py
index c24c8213924196..e163c7ad25cc7b 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_audit.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_audit.py
@@ -89,6 +89,7 @@ def test_excepthook(self):
         )
 
     def test_unraisablehook(self):
+        import_helper.import_module("_testcapi")
         returncode, events, stderr = self.run_python("test_unraisablehook")
         if returncode:
             self.fail(stderr)
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_call.py b/Lib/test/test_call.py
index eaf919584b4c64..d3f4d6c29c5536 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_call.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_call.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import unittest
 from test.support import (cpython_only, is_wasi, requires_limited_api, Py_DEBUG,
-                          set_recursion_limit, skip_on_s390x)
+                          set_recursion_limit, skip_on_s390x, import_helper)
 try:
     import _testcapi
 except ImportError:
@@ -244,6 +244,7 @@ def test_module_not_callable_suggestion(self):
         self.assertRaisesRegex(TypeError, msg, mod)
 
 
+@unittest.skipIf(_testcapi is None, "requires _testcapi")
 class TestCallingConventions(unittest.TestCase):
     """Test calling using various C calling conventions (METH_*) from Python
 
@@ -441,6 +442,7 @@ def static_method():
 
 NULL_OR_EMPTY = object()
 
+
 class FastCallTests(unittest.TestCase):
     """Test calling using various callables from C
     """
@@ -484,42 +486,43 @@ class FastCallTests(unittest.TestCase):
     ]
 
     # Add all the calling conventions and variants of C callables
-    _instance = _testcapi.MethInstance()
-    for obj, expected_self in (
-        (_testcapi, _testcapi),  # module-level function
-        (_instance, _instance),  # bound method
-        (_testcapi.MethClass, _testcapi.MethClass),  # class method on class
-        (_testcapi.MethClass(), _testcapi.MethClass),  # class method on inst.
-        (_testcapi.MethStatic, None),  # static method
-    ):
-        CALLS_POSARGS.extend([
-            (obj.meth_varargs, (1, 2), (expected_self, (1, 2))),
-            (obj.meth_varargs_keywords,
-                (1, 2), (expected_self, (1, 2), NULL_OR_EMPTY)),
-            (obj.meth_fastcall, (1, 2), (expected_self, (1, 2))),
-            (obj.meth_fastcall, (), (expected_self, ())),
-            (obj.meth_fastcall_keywords,
-                (1, 2), (expected_self, (1, 2), NULL_OR_EMPTY)),
-            (obj.meth_fastcall_keywords,
-                (), (expected_self, (), NULL_OR_EMPTY)),
-            (obj.meth_noargs, (), expected_self),
-            (obj.meth_o, (123, ), (expected_self, 123)),
-        ])
-
-        CALLS_KWARGS.extend([
-            (obj.meth_varargs_keywords,
-                (1, 2), {'x': 'y'}, (expected_self, (1, 2), {'x': 'y'})),
-            (obj.meth_varargs_keywords,
-                (), {'x': 'y'}, (expected_self, (), {'x': 'y'})),
-            (obj.meth_varargs_keywords,
-                (1, 2), {}, (expected_self, (1, 2), NULL_OR_EMPTY)),
-            (obj.meth_fastcall_keywords,
-                (1, 2), {'x': 'y'}, (expected_self, (1, 2), {'x': 'y'})),
-            (obj.meth_fastcall_keywords,
-                (), {'x': 'y'}, (expected_self, (), {'x': 'y'})),
-            (obj.meth_fastcall_keywords,
-                (1, 2), {}, (expected_self, (1, 2), NULL_OR_EMPTY)),
-        ])
+    if _testcapi:
+        _instance = _testcapi.MethInstance()
+        for obj, expected_self in (
+            (_testcapi, _testcapi),  # module-level function
+            (_instance, _instance),  # bound method
+            (_testcapi.MethClass, _testcapi.MethClass),  # class method on class
+            (_testcapi.MethClass(), _testcapi.MethClass),  # class method on inst.
+            (_testcapi.MethStatic, None),  # static method
+        ):
+            CALLS_POSARGS.extend([
+                (obj.meth_varargs, (1, 2), (expected_self, (1, 2))),
+                (obj.meth_varargs_keywords,
+                    (1, 2), (expected_self, (1, 2), NULL_OR_EMPTY)),
+                (obj.meth_fastcall, (1, 2), (expected_self, (1, 2))),
+                (obj.meth_fastcall, (), (expected_self, ())),
+                (obj.meth_fastcall_keywords,
+                    (1, 2), (expected_self, (1, 2), NULL_OR_EMPTY)),
+                (obj.meth_fastcall_keywords,
+                    (), (expected_self, (), NULL_OR_EMPTY)),
+                (obj.meth_noargs, (), expected_self),
+                (obj.meth_o, (123, ), (expected_self, 123)),
+            ])
+
+            CALLS_KWARGS.extend([
+                (obj.meth_varargs_keywords,
+                    (1, 2), {'x': 'y'}, (expected_self, (1, 2), {'x': 'y'})),
+                (obj.meth_varargs_keywords,
+                    (), {'x': 'y'}, (expected_self, (), {'x': 'y'})),
+                (obj.meth_varargs_keywords,
+                    (1, 2), {}, (expected_self, (1, 2), NULL_OR_EMPTY)),
+                (obj.meth_fastcall_keywords,
+                    (1, 2), {'x': 'y'}, (expected_self, (1, 2), {'x': 'y'})),
+                (obj.meth_fastcall_keywords,
+                    (), {'x': 'y'}, (expected_self, (), {'x': 'y'})),
+                (obj.meth_fastcall_keywords,
+                    (1, 2), {}, (expected_self, (1, 2), NULL_OR_EMPTY)),
+            ])
 
     def check_result(self, result, expected):
         if isinstance(expected, tuple) and expected[-1] is NULL_OR_EMPTY:
@@ -527,6 +530,7 @@ def check_result(self, result, expected):
                 expected = (*expected[:-1], result[-1])
         self.assertEqual(result, expected)
 
+    @unittest.skipIf(_testcapi is None, "requires _testcapi")
     def test_vectorcall_dict(self):
         # Test PyObject_VectorcallDict()
 
@@ -546,6 +550,7 @@ def test_vectorcall_dict(self):
                 result = _testcapi.pyobject_fastcalldict(func, args, kwargs)
                 self.check_result(result, expected)
 
+    @unittest.skipIf(_testcapi is None, "requires _testcapi")
     def test_vectorcall(self):
         # Test PyObject_Vectorcall()
 
@@ -610,6 +615,7 @@ def testfunction_kw(self, *, kw):
 ADAPTIVE_WARMUP_DELAY = 2
 
 
+@unittest.skipIf(_testcapi is None, "requires _testcapi")
 class TestPEP590(unittest.TestCase):
 
     def test_method_descriptor_flag(self):
@@ -1022,6 +1028,7 @@ class TestRecursion(unittest.TestCase):
 
     @skip_on_s390x
     @unittest.skipIf(is_wasi and Py_DEBUG, "requires deep stack")
+    @unittest.skipIf(_testcapi is None, "requires _testcapi")
     def test_super_deep(self):
 
         def recurse(n):
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_capi/__init__.py b/Lib/test/test_capi/__init__.py
index 4b16ecc31156a5..5a8ba6845399e0 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_capi/__init__.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_capi/__init__.py
@@ -1,5 +1,12 @@
 import os
+import unittest
 from test.support import load_package_tests
+from test.support import TEST_MODULES_ENABLED
+
+
+if not TEST_MODULES_ENABLED:
+    raise unittest.SkipTest("requires test modules")
+
 
 def load_tests(*args):
     return load_package_tests(os.path.dirname(__file__), *args)
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_code.py b/Lib/test/test_code.py
index 46bebfc7af675b..ecd1e82a6dbef9 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_code.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_code.py
@@ -143,9 +143,8 @@
                           check_impl_detail, requires_debug_ranges,
                           gc_collect)
 from test.support.script_helper import assert_python_ok
-from test.support import threading_helper
-from test.support.bytecode_helper import (BytecodeTestCase,
-                                          instructions_with_positions)
+from test.support import threading_helper, import_helper
+from test.support.bytecode_helper import instructions_with_positions
 from opcode import opmap, opname
 COPY_FREE_VARS = opmap['COPY_FREE_VARS']
 
@@ -176,7 +175,7 @@ class CodeTest(unittest.TestCase):
 
     @cpython_only
     def test_newempty(self):
-        import _testcapi
+        _testcapi = import_helper.import_module("_testcapi")
         co = _testcapi.code_newempty("filename", "funcname", 15)
         self.assertEqual(co.co_filename, "filename")
         self.assertEqual(co.co_name, "funcname")
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_coroutines.py b/Lib/test/test_coroutines.py
index d848bfbd46c83b..f705f4f5bfbd88 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_coroutines.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_coroutines.py
@@ -11,6 +11,10 @@
 from test.support import import_helper
 from test.support import warnings_helper
 from test.support.script_helper import assert_python_ok
+try:
+    import _testcapi
+except ImportError:
+    _testcapi = None
 
 
 class AsyncYieldFrom:
@@ -2445,6 +2449,7 @@ def test_unawaited_warning_during_shutdown(self):
 
 
 @support.cpython_only
+@unittest.skipIf(_testcapi is None, "requires _testcapi")
 class CAPITest(unittest.TestCase):
 
     def test_tp_await_1(self):
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_as_parameter.py b/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_as_parameter.py
index ca75e748256083..cc62b1a22a3b06 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_as_parameter.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_as_parameter.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-import _ctypes_test
 import ctypes
 import unittest
 from ctypes import (Structure, CDLL, CFUNCTYPE,
@@ -6,6 +5,8 @@
                     c_short, c_int, c_long, c_longlong,
                     c_byte, c_wchar, c_float, c_double,
                     ArgumentError)
+from test.support import import_helper
+_ctypes_test = import_helper.import_module("_ctypes_test")
 
 
 dll = CDLL(_ctypes_test.__file__)
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_bitfields.py b/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_bitfields.py
index d43c56ad371fbd..0332544b5827e6 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_bitfields.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_bitfields.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-import _ctypes_test
 import os
 import unittest
 from ctypes import (CDLL, Structure, sizeof, POINTER, byref, alignment,
@@ -7,6 +6,8 @@
                     c_uint32, c_uint64,
                     c_short, c_ushort, c_int, c_uint, c_long, c_ulong, c_longlong, c_ulonglong)
 from test import support
+from test.support import import_helper
+_ctypes_test = import_helper.import_module("_ctypes_test")
 
 
 class BITS(Structure):
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_callbacks.py b/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_callbacks.py
index 8038169afe4304..8f483dfe1db801 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_callbacks.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_callbacks.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-import _ctypes_test
 import ctypes
 import functools
 import gc
@@ -14,6 +13,8 @@
                     c_float, c_double, c_longdouble, py_object)
 from ctypes.util import find_library
 from test import support
+from test.support import import_helper
+_ctypes_test = import_helper.import_module("_ctypes_test")
 
 
 class Callbacks(unittest.TestCase):
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_cfuncs.py b/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_cfuncs.py
index 6ff0878a35da2f..48330c4b0a763b 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_cfuncs.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_cfuncs.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-import _ctypes_test
 import ctypes
 import unittest
 from ctypes import (CDLL,
@@ -6,6 +5,8 @@
                     c_short, c_ushort, c_int, c_uint,
                     c_long, c_ulong, c_longlong, c_ulonglong,
                     c_float, c_double, c_longdouble)
+from test.support import import_helper
+_ctypes_test = import_helper.import_module("_ctypes_test")
 
 
 class CFunctions(unittest.TestCase):
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_checkretval.py b/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_checkretval.py
index 5dc9e25aa38226..9d6bfdb845e6c7 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_checkretval.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_checkretval.py
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
-import _ctypes_test
 import ctypes
 import unittest
 from ctypes import CDLL, c_int
+from test.support import import_helper
+_ctypes_test = import_helper.import_module("_ctypes_test")
 
 
 class CHECKED(c_int):
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_funcptr.py b/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_funcptr.py
index 03cfddea6ea61a..8362fb16d94dcd 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_funcptr.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_funcptr.py
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
-import _ctypes_test
 import ctypes
 import unittest
 from ctypes import (CDLL, Structure, CFUNCTYPE, sizeof, _CFuncPtr,
                     c_void_p, c_char_p, c_char, c_int, c_uint, c_long)
+from test.support import import_helper
+_ctypes_test = import_helper.import_module("_ctypes_test")
 from ._support import (_CData, PyCFuncPtrType, Py_TPFLAGS_DISALLOW_INSTANTIATION,
                        Py_TPFLAGS_IMMUTABLETYPE)
 
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_functions.py b/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_functions.py
index 04e8582ff1e427..63e393f7b7cb6a 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_functions.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_functions.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-import _ctypes_test
 import ctypes
 import sys
 import unittest
@@ -7,6 +6,8 @@
                     c_char, c_wchar, c_byte, c_char_p, c_wchar_p,
                     c_short, c_int, c_long, c_longlong, c_void_p,
                     c_float, c_double, c_longdouble)
+from test.support import import_helper
+_ctypes_test = import_helper.import_module("_ctypes_test")
 from _ctypes import _Pointer,  _SimpleCData
 
 
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_libc.py b/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_libc.py
index 09c76db0bd0b17..7716100b08f78e 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_libc.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_libc.py
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
-import _ctypes_test
 import math
 import unittest
 from ctypes import (CDLL, CFUNCTYPE, POINTER, create_string_buffer, sizeof,
                     c_void_p, c_char, c_int, c_double, c_size_t)
+from test.support import import_helper
+_ctypes_test = import_helper.import_module("_ctypes_test")
 
 
 lib = CDLL(_ctypes_test.__file__)
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_loading.py b/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_loading.py
index b218e9e7720c79..b25e81b65cf103 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_loading.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_loading.py
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 import _ctypes
-import _ctypes_test
 import ctypes
 import os
 import shutil
@@ -10,6 +9,7 @@
 from ctypes import CDLL, cdll, addressof, c_void_p, c_char_p
 from ctypes.util import find_library
 from test.support import import_helper, os_helper
+_ctypes_test = import_helper.import_module("_ctypes_test")
 
 
 libc_name = None
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_parameters.py b/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_parameters.py
index d1eeee6b0306fe..effb8db418f790 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_parameters.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_parameters.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-import _ctypes_test
 import unittest
 import test.support
 from ctypes import (CDLL, PyDLL, ArgumentError,
@@ -14,6 +13,8 @@
                     c_long, c_ulong,
                     c_longlong, c_ulonglong,
                     c_float, c_double, c_longdouble)
+from test.support import import_helper
+_ctypes_test = import_helper.import_module("_ctypes_test")
 
 
 class SimpleTypesTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_pickling.py b/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_pickling.py
index 0ca42a68f0675f..9d433fc69de391 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_pickling.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_pickling.py
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
-import _ctypes_test
 import pickle
 import unittest
 from ctypes import (CDLL, Structure, CFUNCTYPE, pointer,
                     c_void_p, c_char_p, c_wchar_p,
                     c_char, c_wchar, c_int, c_double)
+from test.support import import_helper
+_ctypes_test = import_helper.import_module("_ctypes_test")
 
 
 dll = CDLL(_ctypes_test.__file__)
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_pointers.py b/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_pointers.py
index 3a5f3660dbbe23..fc558e10ba40c5 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_pointers.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_pointers.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-import _ctypes_test
 import array
 import ctypes
 import sys
@@ -10,6 +9,8 @@
                     c_byte, c_ubyte, c_short, c_ushort, c_int, c_uint,
                     c_long, c_ulong, c_longlong, c_ulonglong,
                     c_float, c_double)
+from test.support import import_helper
+_ctypes_test = import_helper.import_module("_ctypes_test")
 from ._support import (_CData, PyCPointerType, Py_TPFLAGS_DISALLOW_INSTANTIATION,
                        Py_TPFLAGS_IMMUTABLETYPE)
 
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_prototypes.py b/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_prototypes.py
index 81eb4562c740fd..63ae799ea86ab2 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_prototypes.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_prototypes.py
@@ -18,12 +18,13 @@
 #
 # In this case, there would have to be an additional reference to the argument...
 
-import _ctypes_test
 import unittest
 from ctypes import (CDLL, CFUNCTYPE, POINTER, ArgumentError,
                     pointer, byref, sizeof, addressof, create_string_buffer,
                     c_void_p, c_char_p, c_wchar_p, c_char, c_wchar,
                     c_short, c_int, c_long, c_longlong, c_double)
+from test.support import import_helper
+_ctypes_test = import_helper.import_module("_ctypes_test")
 
 
 testdll = CDLL(_ctypes_test.__file__)
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_refcounts.py b/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_refcounts.py
index a90588ca9bb1b6..e6427d4a295b15 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_refcounts.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_refcounts.py
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
-import _ctypes_test
 import ctypes
 import gc
 import sys
 import unittest
 from test import support
+from test.support import import_helper
+_ctypes_test = import_helper.import_module("_ctypes_test")
 
 
 MyCallback = ctypes.CFUNCTYPE(ctypes.c_int, ctypes.c_int)
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_returnfuncptrs.py b/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_returnfuncptrs.py
index 4010e511e75ade..337801b226ab06 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_returnfuncptrs.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_returnfuncptrs.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
-import _ctypes_test
 import unittest
 from ctypes import CDLL, CFUNCTYPE, ArgumentError, c_char_p, c_void_p, c_char
+from test.support import import_helper
+_ctypes_test = import_helper.import_module("_ctypes_test")
 
 
 class ReturnFuncPtrTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_slicing.py b/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_slicing.py
index a592d911cbe6ca..66f9e530104cac 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_slicing.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_slicing.py
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
-import _ctypes_test
 import unittest
 from ctypes import (CDLL, POINTER, sizeof,
                     c_byte, c_short, c_int, c_long, c_char, c_wchar, c_char_p)
+from test.support import import_helper
+_ctypes_test = import_helper.import_module("_ctypes_test")
 
 
 class SlicesTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_stringptr.py b/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_stringptr.py
index 67c61c6c3e17e6..bb6045b250ffce 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_stringptr.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_stringptr.py
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
-import _ctypes_test
 import sys
 import unittest
 from test import support
 from ctypes import (CDLL, Structure, POINTER, create_string_buffer,
                     c_char, c_char_p)
+from test.support import import_helper
+_ctypes_test = import_helper.import_module("_ctypes_test")
 
 
 lib = CDLL(_ctypes_test.__file__)
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_structures.py b/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_structures.py
index 8d83ce4f281b16..7650c80273f812 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_structures.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_structures.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-import _ctypes_test
 from platform import architecture as _architecture
 import struct
 import sys
@@ -12,6 +11,8 @@
 from struct import calcsize
 from collections import namedtuple
 from test import support
+from test.support import import_helper
+_ctypes_test = import_helper.import_module("_ctypes_test")
 from ._support import (_CData, PyCStructType, Py_TPFLAGS_DISALLOW_INSTANTIATION,
                        Py_TPFLAGS_IMMUTABLETYPE)
 
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_unicode.py b/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_unicode.py
index 2ddc7c56544e35..d9e17371d13572 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_unicode.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_unicode.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
-import _ctypes_test
 import ctypes
 import unittest
+from test.support import import_helper
+_ctypes_test = import_helper.import_module("_ctypes_test")
 
 
 class UnicodeTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_values.py b/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_values.py
index d0b4803dff8529..1b757e020d5ce2 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_values.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_values.py
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 A testcase which accesses *values* in a dll.
 """
 
-import _ctypes_test
 import _imp
 import importlib.util
 import sys
@@ -15,10 +14,14 @@
 
 class ValuesTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
 
+    def setUp(self):
+        _ctypes_test = import_helper.import_module("_ctypes_test")
+        self.ctdll = CDLL(_ctypes_test.__file__)
+
     def test_an_integer(self):
         # This test checks and changes an integer stored inside the
         # _ctypes_test dll/shared lib.
-        ctdll = CDLL(_ctypes_test.__file__)
+        ctdll = self.ctdll
         an_integer = c_int.in_dll(ctdll, "an_integer")
         x = an_integer.value
         self.assertEqual(x, ctdll.get_an_integer())
@@ -30,8 +33,7 @@ def test_an_integer(self):
         self.assertEqual(x, ctdll.get_an_integer())
 
     def test_undefined(self):
-        ctdll = CDLL(_ctypes_test.__file__)
-        self.assertRaises(ValueError, c_int.in_dll, ctdll, "Undefined_Symbol")
+        self.assertRaises(ValueError, c_int.in_dll, self.ctdll, "Undefined_Symbol")
 
 
 class PythonValuesTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_win32.py b/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_win32.py
index 4aaecd8d38f98f..31919118670613 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_win32.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_ctypes/test_win32.py
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 # Windows specific tests
 
-import _ctypes_test
 import ctypes
 import errno
 import sys
@@ -9,6 +8,7 @@
                     _pointer_type_cache,
                     c_void_p, c_char, c_int, c_long)
 from test import support
+from test.support import import_helper
 from ._support import Py_TPFLAGS_DISALLOW_INSTANTIATION, Py_TPFLAGS_IMMUTABLETYPE
 
 
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ def test_noargs(self):
 @unittest.skipUnless(sys.platform == "win32", 'Windows-specific test')
 class ReturnStructSizesTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
     def test_sizes(self):
+        _ctypes_test = import_helper.import_module("_ctypes_test")
         dll = CDLL(_ctypes_test.__file__)
         for i in range(1, 11):
             fields = [ (f"f{f}", c_char) for f in range(1, i + 1)]
@@ -116,6 +117,7 @@ class RECT(Structure):
                         ("right", c_long),
                         ("bottom", c_long)]
 
+        _ctypes_test = import_helper.import_module("_ctypes_test")
         dll = CDLL(_ctypes_test.__file__)
 
         pt = POINT(15, 25)
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_embed.py b/Lib/test/test_embed.py
index ab1d579ed12755..ec928f935655f9 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_embed.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_embed.py
@@ -19,6 +19,13 @@
 if not support.has_subprocess_support:
     raise unittest.SkipTest("test module requires subprocess")
 
+
+try:
+    import _testinternalcapi
+except ImportError:
+    _testinternalcapi = None
+
+
 MACOS = (sys.platform == 'darwin')
 PYMEM_ALLOCATOR_NOT_SET = 0
 PYMEM_ALLOCATOR_DEBUG = 2
@@ -352,6 +359,7 @@ def test_simple_initialization_api(self):
         self.assertEqual(out, 'Finalized\n' * INIT_LOOPS)
 
     @support.requires_specialization
+    @unittest.skipUnless(support.TEST_MODULES_ENABLED, "requires test modules")
     def test_specialized_static_code_gets_unspecialized_at_Py_FINALIZE(self):
         # https://github.com/python/cpython/issues/92031
 
@@ -396,6 +404,8 @@ def test_ucnhash_capi_reset(self):
         out, err = self.run_embedded_interpreter("test_repeated_init_exec", code)
         self.assertEqual(out, '9\n' * INIT_LOOPS)
 
+
+@unittest.skipIf(_testinternalcapi is None, "requires _testinternalcapi")
 class InitConfigTests(EmbeddingTestsMixin, unittest.TestCase):
     maxDiff = 4096
     UTF8_MODE_ERRORS = ('surrogatepass' if MS_WINDOWS else 'surrogateescape')
@@ -1588,7 +1598,6 @@ def test_global_pathconfig(self):
         # The global path configuration (_Py_path_config) must be a copy
         # of the path configuration of PyInterpreter.config (PyConfig).
         ctypes = import_helper.import_module('ctypes')
-        _testinternalcapi = import_helper.import_module('_testinternalcapi')
 
         def get_func(name):
             func = getattr(ctypes.pythonapi, name)
@@ -1784,6 +1793,7 @@ def test_unicode_id_init(self):
     # See bpo-44133
     @unittest.skipIf(os.name == 'nt',
                      'Py_FrozenMain is not exported on Windows')
+    @unittest.skipIf(_testinternalcapi is None, "requires _testinternalcapi")
     def test_frozenmain(self):
         env = dict(os.environ)
         env['PYTHONUNBUFFERED'] = '1'
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_exceptions.py b/Lib/test/test_exceptions.py
index c5eff8ad8ccca1..6ad6acc61563e5 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_exceptions.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_exceptions.py
@@ -19,12 +19,13 @@
 from test import support
 
 try:
+    import _testcapi
     from _testcapi import INT_MAX
 except ImportError:
+    _testcapi = None
     INT_MAX = 2**31 - 1
 
 
-
 class NaiveException(Exception):
     def __init__(self, x):
         self.x = x
@@ -345,8 +346,8 @@ def __init__(self_):
         class InvalidException:
             pass
 
+        @unittest.skipIf(_testcapi is None, "requires _testcapi")
         def test_capi1():
-            import _testcapi
             try:
                 _testcapi.raise_exception(BadException, 1)
             except TypeError as err:
@@ -356,8 +357,8 @@ def test_capi1():
             else:
                 self.fail("Expected exception")
 
+        @unittest.skipIf(_testcapi is None, "requires _testcapi")
         def test_capi2():
-            import _testcapi
             try:
                 _testcapi.raise_exception(BadException, 0)
             except RuntimeError as err:
@@ -370,8 +371,8 @@ def test_capi2():
             else:
                 self.fail("Expected exception")
 
+        @unittest.skipIf(_testcapi is None, "requires _testcapi")
         def test_capi3():
-            import _testcapi
             self.assertRaises(SystemError, _testcapi.raise_exception,
                               InvalidException, 1)
 
@@ -1381,6 +1382,7 @@ def foo():
 
     @cpython_only
     def test_recursion_normalizing_exception(self):
+        import_module("_testinternalcapi")
         # Issue #22898.
         # Test that a RecursionError is raised when tstate->recursion_depth is
         # equal to recursion_limit in PyErr_NormalizeException() and check
@@ -1435,6 +1437,7 @@ def gen():
         self.assertIn(b'Done.', out)
 
     @cpython_only
+    @unittest.skipIf(_testcapi is None, "requires _testcapi")
     def test_recursion_normalizing_infinite_exception(self):
         # Issue #30697. Test that a RecursionError is raised when
         # maximum recursion depth has been exceeded when creating
@@ -1503,6 +1506,7 @@ def recurse_in_body_and_except():
     # Python built with Py_TRACE_REFS fail with a fatal error in
     # _PyRefchain_Trace() on memory allocation error.
     @unittest.skipIf(support.Py_TRACE_REFS, 'cannot test Py_TRACE_REFS build')
+    @unittest.skipIf(_testcapi is None, "requires _testcapi")
     def test_recursion_normalizing_with_no_memory(self):
         # Issue #30697. Test that in the abort that occurs when there is no
         # memory left and the size of the Python frames stack is greater than
@@ -1525,6 +1529,7 @@ def recurse(cnt):
             self.assertIn(b'MemoryError', err)
 
     @cpython_only
+    @unittest.skipIf(_testcapi is None, "requires _testcapi")
     def test_MemoryError(self):
         # PyErr_NoMemory always raises the same exception instance.
         # Check that the traceback is not doubled.
@@ -1544,8 +1549,8 @@ def raiseMemError():
         self.assertEqual(tb1, tb2)
 
     @cpython_only
+    @unittest.skipIf(_testcapi is None, "requires _testcapi")
     def test_exception_with_doc(self):
-        import _testcapi
         doc2 = "This is a test docstring."
         doc4 = "This is another test docstring."
 
@@ -1584,6 +1589,7 @@ class C(object):
         self.assertEqual(error5.__doc__, "")
 
     @cpython_only
+    @unittest.skipIf(_testcapi is None, "requires _testcapi")
     def test_memory_error_cleanup(self):
         # Issue #5437: preallocated MemoryError instances should not keep
         # traceback objects alive.
@@ -1674,6 +1680,7 @@ def test_unhandled(self):
     # Python built with Py_TRACE_REFS fail with a fatal error in
     # _PyRefchain_Trace() on memory allocation error.
     @unittest.skipIf(support.Py_TRACE_REFS, 'cannot test Py_TRACE_REFS build')
+    @unittest.skipIf(_testcapi is None, "requires _testcapi")
     def test_memory_error_in_PyErr_PrintEx(self):
         code = """if 1:
             import _testcapi
@@ -1792,6 +1799,7 @@ class TestException(MemoryError):
 
             gc_collect()
 
+    @unittest.skipIf(_testcapi is None, "requires _testcapi")
     def test_memory_error_in_subinterp(self):
         # gh-109894: subinterpreters shouldn't count on last resort memory error
         # when MemoryError is raised through PyErr_NoMemory() call,
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_external_inspection.py b/Lib/test/test_external_inspection.py
index 86c07de507e39c..d896fec73d1971 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_external_inspection.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_external_inspection.py
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
     from _testexternalinspection import PROCESS_VM_READV_SUPPORTED
     from _testexternalinspection import get_stack_trace
 except ImportError:
-    unittest.skip("Test only runs when _testexternalinspection is available")
+    raise unittest.SkipTest("Test only runs when _testexternalinspection is available")
 
 def _make_test_script(script_dir, script_basename, source):
     to_return = make_script(script_dir, script_basename, source)
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_faulthandler.py b/Lib/test/test_faulthandler.py
index d0473500a17735..200f34d18ca60a 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_faulthandler.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_faulthandler.py
@@ -266,6 +266,7 @@ def test_sigill(self):
             5,
             'Illegal instruction')
 
+    @unittest.skipIf(_testcapi is None, 'need _testcapi')
     def check_fatal_error_func(self, release_gil):
         # Test that Py_FatalError() dumps a traceback
         with support.SuppressCrashReport():
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_fcntl.py b/Lib/test/test_fcntl.py
index 5fae0de7423c87..84c0e5bc4800a1 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_fcntl.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_fcntl.py
@@ -117,7 +117,9 @@ def test_fcntl_bad_file(self):
 
     @cpython_only
     def test_fcntl_bad_file_overflow(self):
-        from _testcapi import INT_MAX, INT_MIN
+        _testcapi = import_module("_testcapi")
+        INT_MAX = _testcapi.INT_MAX
+        INT_MIN = _testcapi.INT_MIN
         # Issue 15989
         with self.assertRaises(OverflowError):
             fcntl.fcntl(INT_MAX + 1, fcntl.F_SETFL, os.O_NONBLOCK)
@@ -189,7 +191,7 @@ def test_lockf_share(self):
 
     @cpython_only
     def test_flock_overflow(self):
-        import _testcapi
+        _testcapi = import_module("_testcapi")
         self.assertRaises(OverflowError, fcntl.flock, _testcapi.INT_MAX+1,
                           fcntl.LOCK_SH)
 
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_fileio.py b/Lib/test/test_fileio.py
index 06d5a8abf32083..0611d1749f41c1 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_fileio.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_fileio.py
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
     TESTFN, TESTFN_ASCII, TESTFN_UNICODE, make_bad_fd,
     )
 from test.support.warnings_helper import check_warnings
+from test.support.import_helper import import_module
 from collections import UserList
 
 import _io  # C implementation of io
@@ -597,7 +598,7 @@ class COtherFileTests(OtherFileTests, unittest.TestCase):
     @cpython_only
     def testInvalidFd_overflow(self):
         # Issue 15989
-        import _testcapi
+        _testcapi = import_module("_testcapi")
         self.assertRaises(TypeError, self.FileIO, _testcapi.INT_MAX + 1)
         self.assertRaises(TypeError, self.FileIO, _testcapi.INT_MIN - 1)
 
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_finalization.py b/Lib/test/test_finalization.py
index 1d134430909d84..42871f8a09b16b 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_finalization.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_finalization.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
     def with_tp_del(cls):
         class C(object):
             def __new__(cls, *args, **kwargs):
-                raise TypeError('requires _testcapi.with_tp_del')
+                raise unittest.SkipTest('requires _testcapi.with_tp_del')
         return C
 
 try:
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ def __new__(cls, *args, **kwargs):
     def without_gc(cls):
         class C:
             def __new__(cls, *args, **kwargs):
-                raise TypeError('requires _testcapi.without_gc')
+                raise unittest.SkipTest('requires _testcapi.without_gc')
         return C
 
 from test import support
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_format.py b/Lib/test/test_format.py
index 6fa49dbc0b730c..8cef621bd716ac 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_format.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_format.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 import re
 import test.support as support
 import unittest
+from test.support.import_helper import import_module
 
 maxsize = support.MAX_Py_ssize_t
 
@@ -478,7 +479,8 @@ def test_precision(self):
 
     @support.cpython_only
     def test_precision_c_limits(self):
-        from _testcapi import INT_MAX
+        _testcapi = import_module("_testcapi")
+        INT_MAX = _testcapi.INT_MAX
 
         f = 1.2
         with self.assertRaises(ValueError) as cm:
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_gc.py b/Lib/test/test_gc.py
index fa8e50fccb2c7b..3a01013b771082 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_gc.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_gc.py
@@ -16,17 +16,16 @@
 import weakref
 
 try:
+    import _testcapi
     from _testcapi import with_tp_del
+    from _testcapi import ContainerNoGC
 except ImportError:
+    _testcapi = None
     def with_tp_del(cls):
         class C(object):
             def __new__(cls, *args, **kwargs):
-                raise TypeError('requires _testcapi.with_tp_del')
+                raise unittest.SkipTest('requires _testcapi.with_tp_del')
         return C
-
-try:
-    from _testcapi import ContainerNoGC
-except ImportError:
     ContainerNoGC = None
 
 ### Support code
@@ -681,6 +680,7 @@ def do_work():
 
     @cpython_only
     @requires_subprocess()
+    @unittest.skipIf(_testcapi is None, "requires _testcapi")
     def test_garbage_at_shutdown(self):
         import subprocess
         code = """if 1:
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_genericclass.py b/Lib/test/test_genericclass.py
index aece757fc1933e..e530b463966819 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_genericclass.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_genericclass.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import unittest
 from test import support
+from test.support.import_helper import import_module
 
 
 class TestMROEntry(unittest.TestCase):
@@ -277,7 +278,9 @@ def __class_getitem__(cls, item):
 class CAPITest(unittest.TestCase):
 
     def test_c_class(self):
-        from _testcapi import Generic, GenericAlias
+        _testcapi = import_module("_testcapi")
+        Generic = _testcapi.Generic
+        GenericAlias = _testcapi.GenericAlias
         self.assertIsInstance(Generic.__class_getitem__(int), GenericAlias)
 
         IntGeneric = Generic[int]
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_import/__init__.py b/Lib/test/test_import/__init__.py
index 3c387d973ce0f9..6678548a0ffaca 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_import/__init__.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_import/__init__.py
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
     is_wasi, run_in_subinterp, run_in_subinterp_with_config, Py_TRACE_REFS)
 from test.support.import_helper import (
     forget, make_legacy_pyc, unlink, unload, ready_to_import,
-    DirsOnSysPath, CleanImport)
+    DirsOnSysPath, CleanImport, import_module)
 from test.support.os_helper import (
     TESTFN, rmtree, temp_umask, TESTFN_UNENCODABLE)
 from test.support import script_helper
@@ -363,7 +363,7 @@ def test_from_import_missing_attr_has_name_and_path(self):
 
     @cpython_only
     def test_from_import_missing_attr_has_name_and_so_path(self):
-        import _testcapi
+        _testcapi = import_module("_testcapi")
         with self.assertRaises(ImportError) as cm:
             from _testcapi import i_dont_exist
         self.assertEqual(cm.exception.name, '_testcapi')
@@ -1870,6 +1870,7 @@ def check_incompatible_fresh(self, name, *, isolated=False):
             f'ImportError: module {name} does not support loading in subinterpreters',
         )
 
+    @unittest.skipIf(_testinternalcapi is None, "requires _testinternalcapi")
     def test_builtin_compat(self):
         # For now we avoid using sys or builtins
         # since they still don't implement multi-phase init.
@@ -1881,6 +1882,7 @@ def test_builtin_compat(self):
             self.check_compatible_here(module, strict=True)
 
     @cpython_only
+    @unittest.skipIf(_testinternalcapi is None, "requires _testinternalcapi")
     def test_frozen_compat(self):
         module = '_frozen_importlib'
         require_frozen(module, skip=True)
@@ -1951,6 +1953,7 @@ def test_multi_init_extension_per_interpreter_gil_compat(self):
             self.check_compatible_here(modname, filename,
                                        strict=False, isolated=False)
 
+    @unittest.skipIf(_testinternalcapi is None, "requires _testinternalcapi")
     def test_python_compat(self):
         module = 'threading'
         require_pure_python(module)
@@ -1996,6 +1999,7 @@ def check_incompatible(setting, override):
         with self.subTest('config: check disabled; override: disabled'):
             check_compatible(False, -1)
 
+    @unittest.skipIf(_testinternalcapi is None, "requires _testinternalcapi")
     def test_isolated_config(self):
         module = 'threading'
         require_pure_python(module)
@@ -2741,7 +2745,7 @@ class CAPITests(unittest.TestCase):
     def test_pyimport_addmodule(self):
         # gh-105922: Test PyImport_AddModuleRef(), PyImport_AddModule()
         # and PyImport_AddModuleObject()
-        import _testcapi
+        _testcapi = import_module("_testcapi")
         for name in (
             'sys',     # frozen module
             'test',    # package
@@ -2751,7 +2755,7 @@ def test_pyimport_addmodule(self):
 
     def test_pyimport_addmodule_create(self):
         # gh-105922: Test PyImport_AddModuleRef(), create a new module
-        import _testcapi
+        _testcapi = import_module("_testcapi")
         name = 'dontexist'
         self.assertNotIn(name, sys.modules)
         self.addCleanup(unload, name)
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_importlib/util.py b/Lib/test/test_importlib/util.py
index 89272484009c56..edbe78545a2536 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_importlib/util.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_importlib/util.py
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@
 import tempfile
 import types
 
+_testsinglephase = import_helper.import_module("_testsinglephase")
+
 
 BUILTINS = types.SimpleNamespace()
 BUILTINS.good_name = None
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_inspect/test_inspect.py b/Lib/test/test_inspect/test_inspect.py
index dc46c0bc8ed353..6494842c217662 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_inspect/test_inspect.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_inspect/test_inspect.py
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
 except ImportError:
     ThreadPoolExecutor = None
 
-from test.support import cpython_only
+from test.support import cpython_only, import_helper
 from test.support import MISSING_C_DOCSTRINGS, ALWAYS_EQ
 from test.support.import_helper import DirsOnSysPath, ready_to_import
 from test.support.os_helper import TESTFN, temp_cwd
@@ -668,7 +668,10 @@ def test_cleandoc(self):
 
     @cpython_only
     def test_c_cleandoc(self):
-        import _testinternalcapi
+        try:
+            import _testinternalcapi
+        except ImportError:
+            return unittest.skip("requires _testinternalcapi")
         func = _testinternalcapi.compiler_cleandoc
         for i, (input, expected) in enumerate(self.cleandoc_testdata):
             with self.subTest(i=i):
@@ -1220,7 +1223,7 @@ def test_getfullargspec_builtin_methods(self):
     @unittest.skipIf(MISSING_C_DOCSTRINGS,
                      "Signature information for builtins requires docstrings")
     def test_getfullargspec_builtin_func(self):
-        import _testcapi
+        _testcapi = import_helper.import_module("_testcapi")
         builtin = _testcapi.docstring_with_signature_with_defaults
         spec = inspect.getfullargspec(builtin)
         self.assertEqual(spec.defaults[0], 'avocado')
@@ -1229,7 +1232,7 @@ def test_getfullargspec_builtin_func(self):
     @unittest.skipIf(MISSING_C_DOCSTRINGS,
                      "Signature information for builtins requires docstrings")
     def test_getfullargspec_builtin_func_no_signature(self):
-        import _testcapi
+        _testcapi = import_helper.import_module("_testcapi")
         builtin = _testcapi.docstring_no_signature
         with self.assertRaises(TypeError):
             inspect.getfullargspec(builtin)
@@ -2890,7 +2893,7 @@ def test_staticmethod(*args):  # NOQA
     @unittest.skipIf(MISSING_C_DOCSTRINGS,
                      "Signature information for builtins requires docstrings")
     def test_signature_on_builtins(self):
-        import _testcapi
+        _testcapi = import_helper.import_module("_testcapi")
 
         def test_unbound_method(o):
             """Use this to test unbound methods (things that should have a self)"""
@@ -2971,7 +2974,7 @@ class ThisWorksNow:
     @unittest.skipIf(MISSING_C_DOCSTRINGS,
                      "Signature information for builtins requires docstrings")
     def test_signature_on_decorated_builtins(self):
-        import _testcapi
+        _testcapi = import_helper.import_module("_testcapi")
         func = _testcapi.docstring_with_signature_with_defaults
 
         def decorator(func):
@@ -2992,7 +2995,7 @@ def wrapper_like(*args, **kwargs) -> int: pass
 
     @cpython_only
     def test_signature_on_builtins_no_signature(self):
-        import _testcapi
+        _testcapi = import_helper.import_module("_testcapi")
         with self.assertRaisesRegex(ValueError,
                                     'no signature found for builtin'):
             inspect.signature(_testcapi.docstring_no_signature)
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_monitoring.py b/Lib/test/test_monitoring.py
index 58441ef8b82fd0..11c61bc2e0688d 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_monitoring.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_monitoring.py
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 import asyncio
 from test import support
 from test.support import requires_specialization, script_helper
+from test.support.import_helper import import_module
 
 PAIR = (0,1)
 
@@ -1829,15 +1830,15 @@ def f(a=1, b=2):
 class TestOptimizer(MonitoringTestBase, unittest.TestCase):
 
     def setUp(self):
-        import _testinternalcapi
+        _testinternalcapi = import_module("_testinternalcapi")
         self.old_opt = _testinternalcapi.get_optimizer()
         opt = _testinternalcapi.new_counter_optimizer()
         _testinternalcapi.set_optimizer(opt)
         super(TestOptimizer, self).setUp()
 
     def tearDown(self):
-        import _testinternalcapi
         super(TestOptimizer, self).tearDown()
+        import _testinternalcapi
         _testinternalcapi.set_optimizer(self.old_opt)
 
     def test_for_loop(self):
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_multibytecodec.py b/Lib/test/test_multibytecodec.py
index ccdf3a6cdc0dc7..1b55f1e70b32f5 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_multibytecodec.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_multibytecodec.py
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 from test import support
 from test.support import os_helper
 from test.support.os_helper import TESTFN
+from test.support.import_helper import import_module
 
 ALL_CJKENCODINGS = [
 # _codecs_cn
@@ -212,7 +213,7 @@ def test_issue5640(self):
     @support.cpython_only
     def test_subinterp(self):
         # bpo-42846: Test a CJK codec in a subinterpreter
-        import _testcapi
+        _testcapi = import_module("_testcapi")
         encoding = 'cp932'
         text = "Python の開発は、1990 年ごろから開始されています。"
         code = textwrap.dedent("""
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_ntpath.py b/Lib/test/test_ntpath.py
index c816f99e7e9f1b..31156130fcc747 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_ntpath.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_ntpath.py
@@ -866,46 +866,47 @@ def test_commonpath(self):
         def check(paths, expected):
             tester(('ntpath.commonpath(%r)' % paths).replace('\\\\', '\\'),
                    expected)
-        def check_error(exc, paths):
-            self.assertRaises(exc, ntpath.commonpath, paths)
-            self.assertRaises(exc, ntpath.commonpath,
-                              [os.fsencode(p) for p in paths])
+        def check_error(paths, expected):
+            self.assertRaisesRegex(ValueError, expected, ntpath.commonpath, paths)
+            self.assertRaisesRegex(ValueError, expected, ntpath.commonpath, paths[::-1])
+            self.assertRaisesRegex(ValueError, expected, ntpath.commonpath,
+                                   [os.fsencode(p) for p in paths])
+            self.assertRaisesRegex(ValueError, expected, ntpath.commonpath,
+                                   [os.fsencode(p) for p in paths[::-1]])
 
         self.assertRaises(TypeError, ntpath.commonpath, None)
         self.assertRaises(ValueError, ntpath.commonpath, [])
         self.assertRaises(ValueError, ntpath.commonpath, iter([]))
-        check_error(ValueError, ['C:\\Program Files', 'Program Files'])
-        check_error(ValueError, ['C:\\Program Files', 'C:Program Files'])
-        check_error(ValueError, ['\\Program Files', 'Program Files'])
-        check_error(ValueError, ['Program Files', 'C:\\Program Files'])
-
-        check(['C:\\Program Files'], 'C:\\Program Files')
-        check(['C:\\Program Files', 'C:\\Program Files'], 'C:\\Program Files')
-        check(['C:\\Program Files\\', 'C:\\Program Files'],
-              'C:\\Program Files')
-        check(['C:\\Program Files\\', 'C:\\Program Files\\'],
-              'C:\\Program Files')
-        check(['C:\\\\Program Files', 'C:\\Program Files\\\\'],
-              'C:\\Program Files')
-        check(['C:\\.\\Program Files', 'C:\\Program Files\\.'],
-              'C:\\Program Files')
-        check(['C:\\', 'C:\\bin'], 'C:\\')
-        check(['C:\\Program Files', 'C:\\bin'], 'C:\\')
-        check(['C:\\Program Files', 'C:\\Program Files\\Bar'],
-              'C:\\Program Files')
-        check(['C:\\Program Files\\Foo', 'C:\\Program Files\\Bar'],
-              'C:\\Program Files')
-        check(['C:\\Program Files', 'C:\\Projects'], 'C:\\')
-        check(['C:\\Program Files\\', 'C:\\Projects'], 'C:\\')
-
-        check(['C:\\Program Files\\Foo', 'C:/Program Files/Bar'],
-              'C:\\Program Files')
-        check(['C:\\Program Files\\Foo', 'c:/program files/bar'],
-              'C:\\Program Files')
-        check(['c:/program files/bar', 'C:\\Program Files\\Foo'],
-              'c:\\program files')
-
-        check_error(ValueError, ['C:\\Program Files', 'D:\\Program Files'])
+
+        # gh-117381: Logical error messages
+        check_error(['C:\\Foo', 'C:Foo'], "Can't mix absolute and relative paths")
+        check_error(['C:\\Foo', '\\Foo'], "Paths don't have the same drive")
+        check_error(['C:\\Foo', 'Foo'], "Paths don't have the same drive")
+        check_error(['C:Foo', '\\Foo'], "Paths don't have the same drive")
+        check_error(['C:Foo', 'Foo'], "Paths don't have the same drive")
+        check_error(['\\Foo', 'Foo'], "Can't mix rooted and not-rooted paths")
+
+        check(['C:\\Foo'], 'C:\\Foo')
+        check(['C:\\Foo', 'C:\\Foo'], 'C:\\Foo')
+        check(['C:\\Foo\\', 'C:\\Foo'], 'C:\\Foo')
+        check(['C:\\Foo\\', 'C:\\Foo\\'], 'C:\\Foo')
+        check(['C:\\\\Foo', 'C:\\Foo\\\\'], 'C:\\Foo')
+        check(['C:\\.\\Foo', 'C:\\Foo\\.'], 'C:\\Foo')
+        check(['C:\\', 'C:\\baz'], 'C:\\')
+        check(['C:\\Bar', 'C:\\baz'], 'C:\\')
+        check(['C:\\Foo', 'C:\\Foo\\Baz'], 'C:\\Foo')
+        check(['C:\\Foo\\Bar', 'C:\\Foo\\Baz'], 'C:\\Foo')
+        check(['C:\\Bar', 'C:\\Baz'], 'C:\\')
+        check(['C:\\Bar\\', 'C:\\Baz'], 'C:\\')
+
+        check(['C:\\Foo\\Bar', 'C:/Foo/Baz'], 'C:\\Foo')
+        check(['C:\\Foo\\Bar', 'c:/foo/baz'], 'C:\\Foo')
+        check(['c:/foo/bar', 'C:\\Foo\\Baz'], 'c:\\foo')
+
+        # gh-117381: Logical error messages
+        check_error(['C:\\Foo', 'D:\\Foo'], "Paths don't have the same drive")
+        check_error(['C:\\Foo', 'D:Foo'], "Paths don't have the same drive")
+        check_error(['C:Foo', 'D:Foo'], "Paths don't have the same drive")
 
         check(['spam'], 'spam')
         check(['spam', 'spam'], 'spam')
@@ -919,20 +920,16 @@ def check_error(exc, paths):
 
         check([''], '')
         check(['', 'spam\\alot'], '')
-        check_error(ValueError, ['', '\\spam\\alot'])
-
-        self.assertRaises(TypeError, ntpath.commonpath,
-                          [b'C:\\Program Files', 'C:\\Program Files\\Foo'])
-        self.assertRaises(TypeError, ntpath.commonpath,
-                          [b'C:\\Program Files', 'Program Files\\Foo'])
-        self.assertRaises(TypeError, ntpath.commonpath,
-                          [b'Program Files', 'C:\\Program Files\\Foo'])
-        self.assertRaises(TypeError, ntpath.commonpath,
-                          ['C:\\Program Files', b'C:\\Program Files\\Foo'])
-        self.assertRaises(TypeError, ntpath.commonpath,
-                          ['C:\\Program Files', b'Program Files\\Foo'])
-        self.assertRaises(TypeError, ntpath.commonpath,
-                          ['Program Files', b'C:\\Program Files\\Foo'])
+
+        # gh-117381: Logical error messages
+        check_error(['', '\\spam\\alot'], "Can't mix rooted and not-rooted paths")
+
+        self.assertRaises(TypeError, ntpath.commonpath, [b'C:\\Foo', 'C:\\Foo\\Baz'])
+        self.assertRaises(TypeError, ntpath.commonpath, [b'C:\\Foo', 'Foo\\Baz'])
+        self.assertRaises(TypeError, ntpath.commonpath, [b'Foo', 'C:\\Foo\\Baz'])
+        self.assertRaises(TypeError, ntpath.commonpath, ['C:\\Foo', b'C:\\Foo\\Baz'])
+        self.assertRaises(TypeError, ntpath.commonpath, ['C:\\Foo', b'Foo\\Baz'])
+        self.assertRaises(TypeError, ntpath.commonpath, ['Foo', b'C:\\Foo\\Baz'])
 
     @unittest.skipIf(is_emscripten, "Emscripten cannot fstat unnamed files.")
     def test_sameopenfile(self):
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_opcache.py b/Lib/test/test_opcache.py
index 8829c9a6d88261..f4e954fd02148d 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_opcache.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_opcache.py
@@ -5,12 +5,13 @@
 import types
 import unittest
 from test.support import threading_helper, check_impl_detail, requires_specialization
+from test.support.import_helper import import_module
 
 # Skip this module on other interpreters, it is cpython specific:
 if check_impl_detail(cpython=False):
     raise unittest.SkipTest('implementation detail specific to cpython')
 
-import _testinternalcapi
+_testinternalcapi = import_module("_testinternalcapi")
 
 
 def disabling_optimizer(func):
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_os.py b/Lib/test/test_os.py
index 00b415f43c49b8..094ac13a915e2d 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_os.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_os.py
@@ -57,8 +57,10 @@
 except (ImportError, AttributeError):
     all_users = []
 try:
+    import _testcapi
     from _testcapi import INT_MAX, PY_SSIZE_T_MAX
 except ImportError:
+    _testcapi = None
     INT_MAX = PY_SSIZE_T_MAX = sys.maxsize
 
 try:
@@ -5338,6 +5340,7 @@ def test_fork(self):
 
     @unittest.skipUnless(sys.platform in ("linux", "android", "darwin"),
                          "Only Linux and macOS detect this today.")
+    @unittest.skipIf(_testcapi is None, "requires _testcapi")
     def test_fork_warns_when_non_python_thread_exists(self):
         code = """if 1:
             import os, threading, warnings
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_perfmaps.py b/Lib/test/test_perfmaps.py
index a17adb89f55360..d4c6fe0124af18 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_perfmaps.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_perfmaps.py
@@ -2,7 +2,11 @@
 import sys
 import unittest
 
-from _testinternalcapi import perf_map_state_teardown, write_perf_map_entry
+try:
+    from _testinternalcapi import perf_map_state_teardown, write_perf_map_entry
+except ImportError:
+    raise unittest.SkipTest("requires _testinternalcapi")
+
 
 if sys.platform != 'linux':
     raise unittest.SkipTest('Linux only')
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_poll.py b/Lib/test/test_poll.py
index 1847ae95db9292..5675db8d1cab6e 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_poll.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_poll.py
@@ -172,7 +172,10 @@ def test_poll3(self):
 
     @cpython_only
     def test_poll_c_limits(self):
-        from _testcapi import USHRT_MAX, INT_MAX, UINT_MAX
+        try:
+            from _testcapi import USHRT_MAX, INT_MAX, UINT_MAX
+        except ImportError:
+            raise unittest.SkipTest("requires _testcapi")
         pollster = select.poll()
         pollster.register(1)
 
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_pydoc/test_pydoc.py b/Lib/test/test_pydoc/test_pydoc.py
index 9d40234ed01697..436fdb38756ddd 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_pydoc/test_pydoc.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_pydoc/test_pydoc.py
@@ -1372,7 +1372,7 @@ def test_bound_builtin_classmethod_o(self):
     @support.cpython_only
     @requires_docstrings
     def test_module_level_callable_unrepresentable_default(self):
-        import _testcapi
+        _testcapi = import_helper.import_module("_testcapi")
         builtin = _testcapi.func_with_unrepresentable_signature
         self.assertEqual(self._get_summary_line(builtin),
             "func_with_unrepresentable_signature(a, b=<x>)")
@@ -1382,7 +1382,7 @@ def test_module_level_callable_unrepresentable_default(self):
     def test_builtin_staticmethod_unrepresentable_default(self):
         self.assertEqual(self._get_summary_line(str.maketrans),
             "maketrans(x, y=<unrepresentable>, z=<unrepresentable>, /)")
-        import _testcapi
+        _testcapi = import_helper.import_module("_testcapi")
         cls = _testcapi.DocStringUnrepresentableSignatureTest
         self.assertEqual(self._get_summary_line(cls.staticmeth),
             "staticmeth(a, b=<x>)")
@@ -1393,7 +1393,7 @@ def test_unbound_builtin_method_unrepresentable_default(self):
         self.assertEqual(self._get_summary_line(dict.pop),
             "pop(self, key, default=<unrepresentable>, /) "
             "unbound builtins.dict method")
-        import _testcapi
+        _testcapi = import_helper.import_module("_testcapi")
         cls = _testcapi.DocStringUnrepresentableSignatureTest
         self.assertEqual(self._get_summary_line(cls.meth),
             "meth(self, /, a, b=<x>) unbound "
@@ -1405,7 +1405,7 @@ def test_bound_builtin_method_unrepresentable_default(self):
         self.assertEqual(self._get_summary_line({}.pop),
             "pop(key, default=<unrepresentable>, /) "
             "method of builtins.dict instance")
-        import _testcapi
+        _testcapi = import_helper.import_module("_testcapi")
         obj = _testcapi.DocStringUnrepresentableSignatureTest()
         self.assertEqual(self._get_summary_line(obj.meth),
             "meth(a, b=<x>) "
@@ -1414,7 +1414,7 @@ def test_bound_builtin_method_unrepresentable_default(self):
     @support.cpython_only
     @requires_docstrings
     def test_unbound_builtin_classmethod_unrepresentable_default(self):
-        import _testcapi
+        _testcapi = import_helper.import_module("_testcapi")
         cls = _testcapi.DocStringUnrepresentableSignatureTest
         descr = cls.__dict__['classmeth']
         self.assertEqual(self._get_summary_line(descr),
@@ -1424,7 +1424,7 @@ def test_unbound_builtin_classmethod_unrepresentable_default(self):
     @support.cpython_only
     @requires_docstrings
     def test_bound_builtin_classmethod_unrepresentable_default(self):
-        import _testcapi
+        _testcapi = import_helper.import_module("_testcapi")
         cls = _testcapi.DocStringUnrepresentableSignatureTest
         self.assertEqual(self._get_summary_line(cls.classmeth),
             "classmeth(a, b=<x>) class method of "
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_regrtest.py b/Lib/test/test_regrtest.py
index 6a6b21102fcae8..d222b3803fdba7 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_regrtest.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_regrtest.py
@@ -1742,6 +1742,10 @@ def test_other_bug(self):
 
     @support.cpython_only
     def test_uncollectable(self):
+        try:
+            import _testcapi
+        except ImportError:
+            raise unittest.SkipTest("requires _testcapi")
         code = textwrap.dedent(r"""
             import _testcapi
             import gc
@@ -2124,6 +2128,10 @@ def test_unload_tests(self):
 
     def check_add_python_opts(self, option):
         # --fast-ci and --slow-ci add "-u -W default -bb -E" options to Python
+        try:
+            import _testinternalcapi
+        except ImportError:
+            raise unittest.SkipTest("requires _testinternalcapi")
         code = textwrap.dedent(r"""
             import sys
             import unittest
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_repl.py b/Lib/test/test_repl.py
index a28d1595f44533..457279a4db687d 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_repl.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_repl.py
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 from test import support
 from test.support import cpython_only, has_subprocess_support, SuppressCrashReport
 from test.support.script_helper import kill_python
+from test.support.import_helper import import_module
 
 
 if not has_subprocess_support:
@@ -64,6 +65,7 @@ class TestInteractiveInterpreter(unittest.TestCase):
     # _PyRefchain_Trace() on memory allocation error.
     @unittest.skipIf(support.Py_TRACE_REFS, 'cannot test Py_TRACE_REFS build')
     def test_no_memory(self):
+        import_module("_testcapi")
         # Issue #30696: Fix the interactive interpreter looping endlessly when
         # no memory. Check also that the fix does not break the interactive
         # loop when an exception is raised.
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_socket.py b/Lib/test/test_socket.py
index 661a859b0d0601..0c4b3bb2ad4d81 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_socket.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_socket.py
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@
 from test.support import (
     is_apple, os_helper, refleak_helper, socket_helper, threading_helper
 )
-
 import _thread as thread
 import array
 import contextlib
@@ -37,6 +36,10 @@
     import fcntl
 except ImportError:
     fcntl = None
+try:
+    import _testcapi
+except ImportError:
+    _testcapi = None
 
 support.requires_working_socket(module=True)
 
@@ -1173,6 +1176,7 @@ def testNtoH(self):
             self.assertRaises(OverflowError, func, 1<<34)
 
     @support.cpython_only
+    @unittest.skipIf(_testcapi is None, "requires _testcapi")
     def testNtoHErrors(self):
         import _testcapi
         s_good_values = [0, 1, 2, 0xffff]
@@ -1638,6 +1642,7 @@ def testGetaddrinfo(self):
             except socket.gaierror:
                 pass
 
+    @unittest.skipIf(_testcapi is None, "requires _testcapi")
     def test_getaddrinfo_int_port_overflow(self):
         # gh-74895: Test that getaddrinfo does not raise OverflowError on port.
         #
@@ -1831,6 +1836,7 @@ def test_listen_backlog(self):
             srv.listen()
 
     @support.cpython_only
+    @unittest.skipIf(_testcapi is None, "requires _testcapi")
     def test_listen_backlog_overflow(self):
         # Issue 15989
         import _testcapi
@@ -2712,22 +2718,29 @@ def testDup(self):
     def _testDup(self):
         self.serv_conn.send(MSG)
 
-    def testShutdown(self):
-        # Testing shutdown()
+    def check_shutdown(self):
+        # Test shutdown() helper
         msg = self.cli_conn.recv(1024)
         self.assertEqual(msg, MSG)
-        # wait for _testShutdown to finish: on OS X, when the server
+        # wait for _testShutdown[_overflow] to finish: on OS X, when the server
         # closes the connection the client also becomes disconnected,
         # and the client's shutdown call will fail. (Issue #4397.)
         self.done.wait()
 
+    def testShutdown(self):
+        self.check_shutdown()
+
     def _testShutdown(self):
         self.serv_conn.send(MSG)
         self.serv_conn.shutdown(2)
 
-    testShutdown_overflow = support.cpython_only(testShutdown)
+    @support.cpython_only
+    @unittest.skipIf(_testcapi is None, "requires _testcapi")
+    def testShutdown_overflow(self):
+        self.check_shutdown()
 
     @support.cpython_only
+    @unittest.skipIf(_testcapi is None, "requires _testcapi")
     def _testShutdown_overflow(self):
         import _testcapi
         self.serv_conn.send(MSG)
@@ -4884,6 +4897,7 @@ def _testSetBlocking(self):
         pass
 
     @support.cpython_only
+    @unittest.skipIf(_testcapi is None, "requires _testcapi")
     def testSetBlocking_overflow(self):
         # Issue 15989
         import _testcapi
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_sqlite3/test_dbapi.py b/Lib/test/test_sqlite3/test_dbapi.py
index 588272448bbfda..4182de246a071b 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_sqlite3/test_dbapi.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_sqlite3/test_dbapi.py
@@ -34,8 +34,7 @@
     is_apple, is_emscripten, is_wasi
 )
 from test.support import gc_collect
-from test.support import threading_helper
-from _testcapi import INT_MAX, ULLONG_MAX
+from test.support import threading_helper, import_helper
 from os import SEEK_SET, SEEK_CUR, SEEK_END
 from test.support.os_helper import TESTFN, TESTFN_UNDECODABLE, unlink, temp_dir, FakePath
 
@@ -1202,7 +1201,6 @@ def test_blob_seek_and_tell(self):
     def test_blob_seek_error(self):
         msg_oor = "offset out of blob range"
         msg_orig = "'origin' should be os.SEEK_SET, os.SEEK_CUR, or os.SEEK_END"
-        msg_of = "seek offset results in overflow"
 
         dataset = (
             (ValueError, msg_oor, lambda: self.blob.seek(1000)),
@@ -1214,12 +1212,15 @@ def test_blob_seek_error(self):
             with self.subTest(exc=exc, msg=msg, fn=fn):
                 self.assertRaisesRegex(exc, msg, fn)
 
+    def test_blob_seek_overflow_error(self):
         # Force overflow errors
+        msg_of = "seek offset results in overflow"
+        _testcapi = import_helper.import_module("_testcapi")
         self.blob.seek(1, SEEK_SET)
         with self.assertRaisesRegex(OverflowError, msg_of):
-            self.blob.seek(INT_MAX, SEEK_CUR)
+            self.blob.seek(_testcapi.INT_MAX, SEEK_CUR)
         with self.assertRaisesRegex(OverflowError, msg_of):
-            self.blob.seek(INT_MAX, SEEK_END)
+            self.blob.seek(_testcapi.INT_MAX, SEEK_END)
 
     def test_blob_read(self):
         buf = self.blob.read()
@@ -1379,14 +1380,17 @@ def test_blob_get_item_error(self):
             with self.subTest(idx=idx):
                 with self.assertRaisesRegex(IndexError, "index out of range"):
                     self.blob[idx]
-        with self.assertRaisesRegex(IndexError, "cannot fit 'int'"):
-            self.blob[ULLONG_MAX]
 
         # Provoke read error
         self.cx.execute("update test set b='aaaa' where rowid=1")
         with self.assertRaises(sqlite.OperationalError):
             self.blob[0]
 
+    def test_blob_get_item_error_bigint(self):
+        _testcapi = import_helper.import_module("_testcapi")
+        with self.assertRaisesRegex(IndexError, "cannot fit 'int'"):
+            self.blob[_testcapi.ULLONG_MAX]
+
     def test_blob_set_item_error(self):
         with self.assertRaisesRegex(TypeError, "cannot be interpreted"):
             self.blob[0] = b"multiple"
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_ssl.py b/Lib/test/test_ssl.py
index 794944afd66dd0..0e50d09c8f28d6 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_ssl.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_ssl.py
@@ -3169,7 +3169,9 @@ def test_wrong_cert_tls13(self):
             s.connect((HOST, server.port))
             with self.assertRaisesRegex(
                 OSError,
-                'alert unknown ca|EOF occurred|TLSV1_ALERT_UNKNOWN_CA|closed by the remote host|Connection reset by peer'
+                'alert unknown ca|EOF occurred|TLSV1_ALERT_UNKNOWN_CA|'
+                'closed by the remote host|Connection reset by peer|'
+                'Broken pipe'
             ):
                 # TLS 1.3 perform client cert exchange after handshake
                 s.write(b'data')
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_stable_abi_ctypes.py b/Lib/test/test_stable_abi_ctypes.py
index d0e4f3c71c15e0..d22698168615e2 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_stable_abi_ctypes.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_stable_abi_ctypes.py
@@ -6,7 +6,10 @@
 import sys
 import unittest
 from test.support.import_helper import import_module
-from _testcapi import get_feature_macros
+try:
+    from _testcapi import get_feature_macros
+except ImportError:
+    raise unittest.SkipTest("requires _testcapi")
 
 feature_macros = get_feature_macros()
 
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_sys.py b/Lib/test/test_sys.py
index f6f23b0afc34c6..6a66df4e897e3f 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_sys.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_sys.py
@@ -1390,7 +1390,7 @@ class SizeofTest(unittest.TestCase):
     def setUp(self):
         self.P = struct.calcsize('P')
         self.longdigit = sys.int_info.sizeof_digit
-        import _testinternalcapi
+        _testinternalcapi = import_helper.import_module("_testinternalcapi")
         self.gc_headsize = _testinternalcapi.SIZEOF_PYGC_HEAD
         self.managed_pre_header_size = _testinternalcapi.SIZEOF_MANAGED_PRE_HEADER
 
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_threading.py b/Lib/test/test_threading.py
index 4414d2bb9cdb59..84a946477818df 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_threading.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_threading.py
@@ -959,6 +959,7 @@ def test_BoundedSemaphore_limit(self):
 
     @cpython_only
     def test_frame_tstate_tracing(self):
+        _testcapi = import_module("_testcapi")
         # Issue #14432: Crash when a generator is created in a C thread that is
         # destroyed while the generator is still used. The issue was that a
         # generator contains a frame, and the frame kept a reference to the
@@ -986,7 +987,6 @@ def callback():
             threading.settrace(noop_trace)
 
             # Create a generator in a C thread which exits after the call
-            import _testcapi
             _testcapi.call_in_temporary_c_thread(callback)
 
             # Call the generator in a different Python thread, check that the
@@ -1490,6 +1490,7 @@ def task():
 
     @cpython_only
     def test_daemon_threads_fatal_error(self):
+        import_module("_testcapi")
         subinterp_code = f"""if 1:
             import os
             import threading
@@ -1516,6 +1517,7 @@ def _check_allowed(self, before_start='', *,
                        daemon_allowed=True,
                        daemon=False,
                        ):
+        import_module("_testinternalcapi")
         subinterp_code = textwrap.dedent(f"""
             import test.support
             import threading
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_time.py b/Lib/test/test_time.py
index fb234b7bc5962a..293799ff68ea05 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_time.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_time.py
@@ -277,6 +277,8 @@ def test_strptime(self):
                           'j', 'm', 'M', 'p', 'S',
                           'U', 'w', 'W', 'x', 'X', 'y', 'Y', 'Z', '%'):
             format = '%' + directive
+            if directive == 'd':
+                format += ',%Y'  # Avoid GH-70647.
             strf_output = time.strftime(format, tt)
             try:
                 time.strptime(strf_output, format)
@@ -299,6 +301,12 @@ def test_strptime_exception_context(self):
             time.strptime('19', '%Y %')
         self.assertIs(e.exception.__suppress_context__, True)
 
+    def test_strptime_leap_year(self):
+        # GH-70647: warns if parsing a format with a day and no year.
+        with self.assertWarnsRegex(DeprecationWarning,
+                                   r'.*day of month without a year.*'):
+            time.strptime('02-07 18:28', '%m-%d %H:%M')
+
     def test_asctime(self):
         time.asctime(time.gmtime(self.t))
 
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_tools/test_makefile.py b/Lib/test/test_tools/test_makefile.py
index 17a1a6d0d38d7d..29f5c28e33bb2b 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_tools/test_makefile.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_tools/test_makefile.py
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ def list_test_dirs(self):
                     result.append(line.replace('\\', '').strip())
         return result
 
+    @unittest.skipUnless(support.TEST_MODULES_ENABLED, "requires test modules")
     def test_makefile_test_folders(self):
         test_dirs = self.list_test_dirs()
         idle_test = 'idlelib/idle_test'
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_unittest/test_assertions.py b/Lib/test/test_unittest/test_assertions.py
index 5c1a28ecda5b49..1dec947ea76d23 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_unittest/test_assertions.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_unittest/test_assertions.py
@@ -386,6 +386,16 @@ def testAssertWarns(self):
                                '^UserWarning not triggered$',
                                '^UserWarning not triggered : oops$'])
 
+    def test_assertNotWarns(self):
+        def warn_future():
+            warnings.warn('xyz', FutureWarning, stacklevel=2)
+        self.assertMessagesCM('_assertNotWarns', (FutureWarning,),
+                              warn_future,
+                              ['^FutureWarning triggered$',
+                               '^oops$',
+                               '^FutureWarning triggered$',
+                               '^FutureWarning triggered : oops$'])
+
     def testAssertWarnsRegex(self):
         # test error not raised
         self.assertMessagesCM('assertWarnsRegex', (UserWarning, 'unused regex'),
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_weakref.py b/Lib/test/test_weakref.py
index 4cdd66d3769e0c..6fbd292c1e6793 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_weakref.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_weakref.py
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 from test import support
 from test.support import script_helper, ALWAYS_EQ
 from test.support import gc_collect
+from test.support import import_helper
 from test.support import threading_helper
 
 # Used in ReferencesTestCase.test_ref_created_during_del() .
@@ -116,6 +117,33 @@ def test_basic_ref(self):
         del o
         repr(wr)
 
+    @support.cpython_only
+    def test_ref_repr(self):
+        obj = C()
+        ref = weakref.ref(obj)
+        self.assertRegex(repr(ref),
+                         rf"<weakref at 0x[0-9a-fA-F]+; "
+                         rf"to '{C.__module__}.{C.__qualname__}' "
+                         rf"at 0x[0-9a-fA-F]+>")
+
+        obj = None
+        gc_collect()
+        self.assertRegex(repr(ref),
+                         rf'<weakref at 0x[0-9a-fA-F]+; dead>')
+
+        # test type with __name__
+        class WithName:
+            @property
+            def __name__(self):
+                return "custom_name"
+
+        obj2 = WithName()
+        ref2 = weakref.ref(obj2)
+        self.assertRegex(repr(ref2),
+                         rf"<weakref at 0x[0-9a-fA-F]+; "
+                         rf"to '{WithName.__module__}.{WithName.__qualname__}' "
+                         rf"at 0x[0-9a-fA-F]+ \(custom_name\)>")
+
     def test_repr_failure_gh99184(self):
         class MyConfig(dict):
             def __getattr__(self, x):
@@ -134,7 +162,7 @@ def test_basic_callback(self):
 
     @support.cpython_only
     def test_cfunction(self):
-        import _testcapi
+        _testcapi = import_helper.import_module("_testcapi")
         create_cfunction = _testcapi.create_cfunction
         f = create_cfunction()
         wr = weakref.ref(f)
@@ -195,6 +223,20 @@ def check(proxy):
         self.assertRaises(ReferenceError, bool, ref3)
         self.assertEqual(self.cbcalled, 2)
 
+    @support.cpython_only
+    def test_proxy_repr(self):
+        obj = C()
+        ref = weakref.proxy(obj, self.callback)
+        self.assertRegex(repr(ref),
+                         rf"<weakproxy at 0x[0-9a-fA-F]+; "
+                         rf"to '{C.__module__}.{C.__qualname__}' "
+                         rf"at 0x[0-9a-fA-F]+>")
+
+        obj = None
+        gc_collect()
+        self.assertRegex(repr(ref),
+                         rf'<weakproxy at 0x[0-9a-fA-F]+; dead>')
+
     def check_basic_ref(self, factory):
         o = factory()
         ref = weakref.ref(o)
diff --git a/Lib/unittest/case.py b/Lib/unittest/case.py
index 001b640dc43ad6..36daa61fa31adb 100644
--- a/Lib/unittest/case.py
+++ b/Lib/unittest/case.py
@@ -332,6 +332,23 @@ def __exit__(self, exc_type, exc_value, tb):
             self._raiseFailure("{} not triggered".format(exc_name))
 
 
+class _AssertNotWarnsContext(_AssertWarnsContext):
+
+    def __exit__(self, exc_type, exc_value, tb):
+        self.warnings_manager.__exit__(exc_type, exc_value, tb)
+        if exc_type is not None:
+            # let unexpected exceptions pass through
+            return
+        try:
+            exc_name = self.expected.__name__
+        except AttributeError:
+            exc_name = str(self.expected)
+        for m in self.warnings:
+            w = m.message
+            if isinstance(w, self.expected):
+                self._raiseFailure(f"{exc_name} triggered")
+
+
 class _OrderedChainMap(collections.ChainMap):
     def __iter__(self):
         seen = set()
@@ -811,6 +828,11 @@ def assertWarns(self, expected_warning, *args, **kwargs):
         context = _AssertWarnsContext(expected_warning, self)
         return context.handle('assertWarns', args, kwargs)
 
+    def _assertNotWarns(self, expected_warning, *args, **kwargs):
+        """The opposite of assertWarns. Private due to low demand."""
+        context = _AssertNotWarnsContext(expected_warning, self)
+        return context.handle('_assertNotWarns', args, kwargs)
+
     def assertLogs(self, logger=None, level=None):
         """Fail unless a log message of level *level* or higher is emitted
         on *logger_name* or its children.  If omitted, *level* defaults to
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Core and Builtins/2024-03-29-21-43-19.gh-issue-117381.fT0JFM.rst b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Core and Builtins/2024-03-29-21-43-19.gh-issue-117381.fT0JFM.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..88b6c32e971e72
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Core and Builtins/2024-03-29-21-43-19.gh-issue-117381.fT0JFM.rst	
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Fix error message for :func:`ntpath.commonpath`.
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Core and Builtins/2024-04-02-17-37-35.gh-issue-117431.vDKAOn.rst b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Core and Builtins/2024-04-02-17-37-35.gh-issue-117431.vDKAOn.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..96e14ea0c3b1bd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Core and Builtins/2024-04-02-17-37-35.gh-issue-117431.vDKAOn.rst	
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+Improve the performance of :meth:`str.startswith` and :meth:`str.endswith`
+by adapting them to the :c:macro:`METH_FASTCALL` calling convention.
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Core and Builtins/2024-04-03-09-49-15.gh-issue-117431.WAqRgc.rst b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Core and Builtins/2024-04-03-09-49-15.gh-issue-117431.WAqRgc.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..17374d0d5c575b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Core and Builtins/2024-04-03-09-49-15.gh-issue-117431.WAqRgc.rst	
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+Improve the performance of the following :class:`bytes` and
+:class:`bytearray` methods by adapting them to the :c:macro:`METH_FASTCALL`
+calling convention:
+
+* :meth:`!endswith`
+* :meth:`!startswith`
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2024-03-20-16-10-29.gh-issue-70647.FpD6Ar.rst b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2024-03-20-16-10-29.gh-issue-70647.FpD6Ar.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..a9094df06037cd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2024-03-20-16-10-29.gh-issue-70647.FpD6Ar.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+Start the deprecation period for the current behavior of
+:func:`datetime.datetime.strptime` and :func:`time.strptime` which always
+fails to parse a date string with a :exc:`ValueError` involving a day of
+month such as ``strptime("02-29", "%m-%d")`` when a year is **not**
+specified and the date happen to be February 29th.  This should help avoid
+users finding new bugs every four years due to a natural mistaken assumption
+about the API when parsing partial date values.
diff --git a/Modules/selectmodule.c b/Modules/selectmodule.c
index f16173aafa7d3c..6ea141ab1f9189 100644
--- a/Modules/selectmodule.c
+++ b/Modules/selectmodule.c
@@ -817,10 +817,10 @@ static int devpoll_flush(devpollObject *self)
         ** clear what to do if a partial write occurred. For now, raise
         ** an exception and see if we actually found this problem in
         ** the wild.
-        ** See http://bugs.python.org/issue6397.
+        ** See https://github.com/python/cpython/issues/50646.
         */
         PyErr_Format(PyExc_OSError, "failed to write all pollfds. "
-                "Please, report at http://bugs.python.org/. "
+                "Please, report at https://github.com/python/cpython/issues/. "
                 "Data to report: Size tried: %d, actual size written: %d.",
                 size, n);
         return -1;
diff --git a/Objects/bytearrayobject.c b/Objects/bytearrayobject.c
index 5e3b3affbc76c5..8639496727536a 100644
--- a/Objects/bytearrayobject.c
+++ b/Objects/bytearrayobject.c
@@ -1186,16 +1186,52 @@ bytearray_contains(PyObject *self, PyObject *arg)
     return _Py_bytes_contains(PyByteArray_AS_STRING(self), PyByteArray_GET_SIZE(self), arg);
 }
 
+/*[clinic input]
+@text_signature "($self, prefix[, start[, end]], /)"
+bytearray.startswith
+
+    prefix as subobj: object
+        A bytes or a tuple of bytes to try.
+    start: slice_index(accept={int, NoneType}, c_default='0') = None
+        Optional start position. Default: start of the bytearray.
+    end: slice_index(accept={int, NoneType}, c_default='PY_SSIZE_T_MAX') = None
+        Optional stop position. Default: end of the bytearray.
+    /
+
+Return True if the bytearray starts with the specified prefix, False otherwise.
+[clinic start generated code]*/
+
 static PyObject *
-bytearray_startswith(PyByteArrayObject *self, PyObject *args)
+bytearray_startswith_impl(PyByteArrayObject *self, PyObject *subobj,
+                          Py_ssize_t start, Py_ssize_t end)
+/*[clinic end generated code: output=a3d9b6d44d3662a6 input=76385e0b376b45c1]*/
 {
-    return _Py_bytes_startswith(PyByteArray_AS_STRING(self), PyByteArray_GET_SIZE(self), args);
+    return _Py_bytes_startswith(PyByteArray_AS_STRING(self), PyByteArray_GET_SIZE(self),
+                                subobj, start, end);
 }
 
+/*[clinic input]
+@text_signature "($self, suffix[, start[, end]], /)"
+bytearray.endswith
+
+    suffix as subobj: object
+        A bytes or a tuple of bytes to try.
+    start: slice_index(accept={int, NoneType}, c_default='0') = None
+         Optional start position. Default: start of the bytearray.
+    end: slice_index(accept={int, NoneType}, c_default='PY_SSIZE_T_MAX') = None
+         Optional stop position. Default: end of the bytearray.
+    /
+
+Return True if the bytearray ends with the specified suffix, False otherwise.
+[clinic start generated code]*/
+
 static PyObject *
-bytearray_endswith(PyByteArrayObject *self, PyObject *args)
+bytearray_endswith_impl(PyByteArrayObject *self, PyObject *subobj,
+                        Py_ssize_t start, Py_ssize_t end)
+/*[clinic end generated code: output=e75ea8c227954caa input=9b8baa879aa3d74b]*/
 {
-    return _Py_bytes_endswith(PyByteArray_AS_STRING(self), PyByteArray_GET_SIZE(self), args);
+    return _Py_bytes_endswith(PyByteArray_AS_STRING(self), PyByteArray_GET_SIZE(self),
+                              subobj, start, end);
 }
 
 /*[clinic input]
@@ -2203,8 +2239,7 @@ bytearray_methods[] = {
     {"count", (PyCFunction)bytearray_count, METH_VARARGS,
      _Py_count__doc__},
     BYTEARRAY_DECODE_METHODDEF
-    {"endswith", (PyCFunction)bytearray_endswith, METH_VARARGS,
-     _Py_endswith__doc__},
+    BYTEARRAY_ENDSWITH_METHODDEF
     STRINGLIB_EXPANDTABS_METHODDEF
     BYTEARRAY_EXTEND_METHODDEF
     {"find", (PyCFunction)bytearray_find, METH_VARARGS,
@@ -2249,8 +2284,7 @@ bytearray_methods[] = {
     BYTEARRAY_RSTRIP_METHODDEF
     BYTEARRAY_SPLIT_METHODDEF
     BYTEARRAY_SPLITLINES_METHODDEF
-    {"startswith", (PyCFunction)bytearray_startswith, METH_VARARGS ,
-     _Py_startswith__doc__},
+    BYTEARRAY_STARTSWITH_METHODDEF
     BYTEARRAY_STRIP_METHODDEF
     {"swapcase", stringlib_swapcase, METH_NOARGS,
      _Py_swapcase__doc__},
diff --git a/Objects/bytes_methods.c b/Objects/bytes_methods.c
index c1bc6383df30ce..21b6668171bf61 100644
--- a/Objects/bytes_methods.c
+++ b/Objects/bytes_methods.c
@@ -771,66 +771,47 @@ tailmatch(const char *str, Py_ssize_t len, PyObject *substr,
 
 static PyObject *
 _Py_bytes_tailmatch(const char *str, Py_ssize_t len,
-                    const char *function_name, PyObject *args,
+                    const char *function_name, PyObject *subobj,
+                    Py_ssize_t start, Py_ssize_t end,
                     int direction)
 {
-    Py_ssize_t start = 0;
-    Py_ssize_t end = PY_SSIZE_T_MAX;
-    PyObject *subobj = NULL;
-    int result;
-
-    if (!stringlib_parse_args_finds(function_name, args, &subobj, &start, &end))
-        return NULL;
     if (PyTuple_Check(subobj)) {
         Py_ssize_t i;
         for (i = 0; i < PyTuple_GET_SIZE(subobj); i++) {
-            result = tailmatch(str, len, PyTuple_GET_ITEM(subobj, i),
-                               start, end, direction);
-            if (result == -1)
+            PyObject *item = PyTuple_GET_ITEM(subobj, i);
+            int result = tailmatch(str, len, item, start, end, direction);
+            if (result < 0) {
                 return NULL;
+            }
             else if (result) {
                 Py_RETURN_TRUE;
             }
         }
         Py_RETURN_FALSE;
     }
-    result = tailmatch(str, len, subobj, start, end, direction);
+    int result = tailmatch(str, len, subobj, start, end, direction);
     if (result == -1) {
-        if (PyErr_ExceptionMatches(PyExc_TypeError))
+        if (PyErr_ExceptionMatches(PyExc_TypeError)) {
             PyErr_Format(PyExc_TypeError,
                          "%s first arg must be bytes or a tuple of bytes, "
                          "not %s",
                          function_name, Py_TYPE(subobj)->tp_name);
+        }
         return NULL;
     }
-    else
-        return PyBool_FromLong(result);
+    return PyBool_FromLong(result);
 }
 
-PyDoc_STRVAR_shared(_Py_startswith__doc__,
-"B.startswith(prefix[, start[, end]]) -> bool\n\
-\n\
-Return True if B starts with the specified prefix, False otherwise.\n\
-With optional start, test B beginning at that position.\n\
-With optional end, stop comparing B at that position.\n\
-prefix can also be a tuple of bytes to try.");
-
 PyObject *
-_Py_bytes_startswith(const char *str, Py_ssize_t len, PyObject *args)
+_Py_bytes_startswith(const char *str, Py_ssize_t len, PyObject *subobj,
+                     Py_ssize_t start, Py_ssize_t end)
 {
-    return _Py_bytes_tailmatch(str, len, "startswith", args, -1);
+    return _Py_bytes_tailmatch(str, len, "startswith", subobj, start, end, -1);
 }
 
-PyDoc_STRVAR_shared(_Py_endswith__doc__,
-"B.endswith(suffix[, start[, end]]) -> bool\n\
-\n\
-Return True if B ends with the specified suffix, False otherwise.\n\
-With optional start, test B beginning at that position.\n\
-With optional end, stop comparing B at that position.\n\
-suffix can also be a tuple of bytes to try.");
-
 PyObject *
-_Py_bytes_endswith(const char *str, Py_ssize_t len, PyObject *args)
+_Py_bytes_endswith(const char *str, Py_ssize_t len, PyObject *subobj,
+                   Py_ssize_t start, Py_ssize_t end)
 {
-    return _Py_bytes_tailmatch(str, len, "endswith", args, +1);
+    return _Py_bytes_tailmatch(str, len, "endswith", subobj, start, end, +1);
 }
diff --git a/Objects/bytesobject.c b/Objects/bytesobject.c
index 256e01f54f0782..d7b0c6b7b01aa9 100644
--- a/Objects/bytesobject.c
+++ b/Objects/bytesobject.c
@@ -2285,16 +2285,52 @@ bytes_removesuffix_impl(PyBytesObject *self, Py_buffer *suffix)
     return PyBytes_FromStringAndSize(self_start, self_len);
 }
 
+/*[clinic input]
+@text_signature "($self, prefix[, start[, end]], /)"
+bytes.startswith
+
+    prefix as subobj: object
+        A bytes or a tuple of bytes to try.
+    start: slice_index(accept={int, NoneType}, c_default='0') = None
+        Optional start position. Default: start of the bytes.
+    end: slice_index(accept={int, NoneType}, c_default='PY_SSIZE_T_MAX') = None
+        Optional stop position. Default: end of the bytes.
+    /
+
+Return True if the bytes starts with the specified prefix, False otherwise.
+[clinic start generated code]*/
+
 static PyObject *
-bytes_startswith(PyBytesObject *self, PyObject *args)
+bytes_startswith_impl(PyBytesObject *self, PyObject *subobj,
+                      Py_ssize_t start, Py_ssize_t end)
+/*[clinic end generated code: output=b1e8da1cbd528e8c input=8a4165df8adfa6c9]*/
 {
-    return _Py_bytes_startswith(PyBytes_AS_STRING(self), PyBytes_GET_SIZE(self), args);
+    return _Py_bytes_startswith(PyBytes_AS_STRING(self), PyBytes_GET_SIZE(self),
+                                subobj, start, end);
 }
 
+/*[clinic input]
+@text_signature "($self, suffix[, start[, end]], /)"
+bytes.endswith
+
+    suffix as subobj: object
+        A bytes or a tuple of bytes to try.
+    start: slice_index(accept={int, NoneType}, c_default='0') = None
+         Optional start position. Default: start of the bytes.
+    end: slice_index(accept={int, NoneType}, c_default='PY_SSIZE_T_MAX') = None
+         Optional stop position. Default: end of the bytes.
+    /
+
+Return True if the bytes ends with the specified suffix, False otherwise.
+[clinic start generated code]*/
+
 static PyObject *
-bytes_endswith(PyBytesObject *self, PyObject *args)
+bytes_endswith_impl(PyBytesObject *self, PyObject *subobj, Py_ssize_t start,
+                    Py_ssize_t end)
+/*[clinic end generated code: output=038b633111f3629d input=b5c3407a2a5c9aac]*/
 {
-    return _Py_bytes_endswith(PyBytes_AS_STRING(self), PyBytes_GET_SIZE(self), args);
+    return _Py_bytes_endswith(PyBytes_AS_STRING(self), PyBytes_GET_SIZE(self),
+                              subobj, start, end);
 }
 
 
@@ -2491,8 +2527,7 @@ bytes_methods[] = {
     {"count", (PyCFunction)bytes_count, METH_VARARGS,
      _Py_count__doc__},
     BYTES_DECODE_METHODDEF
-    {"endswith", (PyCFunction)bytes_endswith, METH_VARARGS,
-     _Py_endswith__doc__},
+    BYTES_ENDSWITH_METHODDEF
     STRINGLIB_EXPANDTABS_METHODDEF
     {"find", (PyCFunction)bytes_find, METH_VARARGS,
      _Py_find__doc__},
@@ -2532,8 +2567,7 @@ bytes_methods[] = {
     BYTES_RSTRIP_METHODDEF
     BYTES_SPLIT_METHODDEF
     BYTES_SPLITLINES_METHODDEF
-    {"startswith", (PyCFunction)bytes_startswith, METH_VARARGS,
-     _Py_startswith__doc__},
+    BYTES_STARTSWITH_METHODDEF
     BYTES_STRIP_METHODDEF
     {"swapcase", stringlib_swapcase, METH_NOARGS,
      _Py_swapcase__doc__},
diff --git a/Objects/clinic/bytearrayobject.c.h b/Objects/clinic/bytearrayobject.c.h
index d95245067e2608..dabc2b16c94fce 100644
--- a/Objects/clinic/bytearrayobject.c.h
+++ b/Objects/clinic/bytearrayobject.c.h
@@ -137,6 +137,108 @@ bytearray_copy(PyByteArrayObject *self, PyObject *Py_UNUSED(ignored))
     return bytearray_copy_impl(self);
 }
 
+PyDoc_STRVAR(bytearray_startswith__doc__,
+"startswith($self, prefix[, start[, end]], /)\n"
+"--\n"
+"\n"
+"Return True if the bytearray starts with the specified prefix, False otherwise.\n"
+"\n"
+"  prefix\n"
+"    A bytes or a tuple of bytes to try.\n"
+"  start\n"
+"    Optional start position. Default: start of the bytearray.\n"
+"  end\n"
+"    Optional stop position. Default: end of the bytearray.");
+
+#define BYTEARRAY_STARTSWITH_METHODDEF    \
+    {"startswith", _PyCFunction_CAST(bytearray_startswith), METH_FASTCALL, bytearray_startswith__doc__},
+
+static PyObject *
+bytearray_startswith_impl(PyByteArrayObject *self, PyObject *subobj,
+                          Py_ssize_t start, Py_ssize_t end);
+
+static PyObject *
+bytearray_startswith(PyByteArrayObject *self, PyObject *const *args, Py_ssize_t nargs)
+{
+    PyObject *return_value = NULL;
+    PyObject *subobj;
+    Py_ssize_t start = 0;
+    Py_ssize_t end = PY_SSIZE_T_MAX;
+
+    if (!_PyArg_CheckPositional("startswith", nargs, 1, 3)) {
+        goto exit;
+    }
+    subobj = args[0];
+    if (nargs < 2) {
+        goto skip_optional;
+    }
+    if (!_PyEval_SliceIndex(args[1], &start)) {
+        goto exit;
+    }
+    if (nargs < 3) {
+        goto skip_optional;
+    }
+    if (!_PyEval_SliceIndex(args[2], &end)) {
+        goto exit;
+    }
+skip_optional:
+    return_value = bytearray_startswith_impl(self, subobj, start, end);
+
+exit:
+    return return_value;
+}
+
+PyDoc_STRVAR(bytearray_endswith__doc__,
+"endswith($self, suffix[, start[, end]], /)\n"
+"--\n"
+"\n"
+"Return True if the bytearray ends with the specified suffix, False otherwise.\n"
+"\n"
+"  suffix\n"
+"    A bytes or a tuple of bytes to try.\n"
+"  start\n"
+"    Optional start position. Default: start of the bytearray.\n"
+"  end\n"
+"    Optional stop position. Default: end of the bytearray.");
+
+#define BYTEARRAY_ENDSWITH_METHODDEF    \
+    {"endswith", _PyCFunction_CAST(bytearray_endswith), METH_FASTCALL, bytearray_endswith__doc__},
+
+static PyObject *
+bytearray_endswith_impl(PyByteArrayObject *self, PyObject *subobj,
+                        Py_ssize_t start, Py_ssize_t end);
+
+static PyObject *
+bytearray_endswith(PyByteArrayObject *self, PyObject *const *args, Py_ssize_t nargs)
+{
+    PyObject *return_value = NULL;
+    PyObject *subobj;
+    Py_ssize_t start = 0;
+    Py_ssize_t end = PY_SSIZE_T_MAX;
+
+    if (!_PyArg_CheckPositional("endswith", nargs, 1, 3)) {
+        goto exit;
+    }
+    subobj = args[0];
+    if (nargs < 2) {
+        goto skip_optional;
+    }
+    if (!_PyEval_SliceIndex(args[1], &start)) {
+        goto exit;
+    }
+    if (nargs < 3) {
+        goto skip_optional;
+    }
+    if (!_PyEval_SliceIndex(args[2], &end)) {
+        goto exit;
+    }
+skip_optional:
+    return_value = bytearray_endswith_impl(self, subobj, start, end);
+
+exit:
+    return return_value;
+}
+
 PyDoc_STRVAR(bytearray_removeprefix__doc__,
 "removeprefix($self, prefix, /)\n"
 "--\n"
@@ -1261,4 +1363,4 @@ bytearray_sizeof(PyByteArrayObject *self, PyObject *Py_UNUSED(ignored))
 {
     return bytearray_sizeof_impl(self);
 }
-/*[clinic end generated code: output=0797a5e03cda2a16 input=a9049054013a1b77]*/
+/*[clinic end generated code: output=0147908e97ebe882 input=a9049054013a1b77]*/
diff --git a/Objects/clinic/bytesobject.c.h b/Objects/clinic/bytesobject.c.h
index 1e45be3e7aefb3..05e182778aece1 100644
--- a/Objects/clinic/bytesobject.c.h
+++ b/Objects/clinic/bytesobject.c.h
@@ -652,6 +652,108 @@ bytes_removesuffix(PyBytesObject *self, PyObject *arg)
     return return_value;
 }
 
+PyDoc_STRVAR(bytes_startswith__doc__,
+"startswith($self, prefix[, start[, end]], /)\n"
+"--\n"
+"\n"
+"Return True if the bytes starts with the specified prefix, False otherwise.\n"
+"\n"
+"  prefix\n"
+"    A bytes or a tuple of bytes to try.\n"
+"  start\n"
+"    Optional start position. Default: start of the bytes.\n"
+"  end\n"
+"    Optional stop position. Default: end of the bytes.");
+
+#define BYTES_STARTSWITH_METHODDEF    \
+    {"startswith", _PyCFunction_CAST(bytes_startswith), METH_FASTCALL, bytes_startswith__doc__},
+
+static PyObject *
+bytes_startswith_impl(PyBytesObject *self, PyObject *subobj,
+                      Py_ssize_t start, Py_ssize_t end);
+
+static PyObject *
+bytes_startswith(PyBytesObject *self, PyObject *const *args, Py_ssize_t nargs)
+{
+    PyObject *return_value = NULL;
+    PyObject *subobj;
+    Py_ssize_t start = 0;
+    Py_ssize_t end = PY_SSIZE_T_MAX;
+
+    if (!_PyArg_CheckPositional("startswith", nargs, 1, 3)) {
+        goto exit;
+    }
+    subobj = args[0];
+    if (nargs < 2) {
+        goto skip_optional;
+    }
+    if (!_PyEval_SliceIndex(args[1], &start)) {
+        goto exit;
+    }
+    if (nargs < 3) {
+        goto skip_optional;
+    }
+    if (!_PyEval_SliceIndex(args[2], &end)) {
+        goto exit;
+    }
+skip_optional:
+    return_value = bytes_startswith_impl(self, subobj, start, end);
+
+exit:
+    return return_value;
+}
+
+PyDoc_STRVAR(bytes_endswith__doc__,
+"endswith($self, suffix[, start[, end]], /)\n"
+"--\n"
+"\n"
+"Return True if the bytes ends with the specified suffix, False otherwise.\n"
+"\n"
+"  suffix\n"
+"    A bytes or a tuple of bytes to try.\n"
+"  start\n"
+"    Optional start position. Default: start of the bytes.\n"
+"  end\n"
+"    Optional stop position. Default: end of the bytes.");
+
+#define BYTES_ENDSWITH_METHODDEF    \
+    {"endswith", _PyCFunction_CAST(bytes_endswith), METH_FASTCALL, bytes_endswith__doc__},
+
+static PyObject *
+bytes_endswith_impl(PyBytesObject *self, PyObject *subobj, Py_ssize_t start,
+                    Py_ssize_t end);
+
+static PyObject *
+bytes_endswith(PyBytesObject *self, PyObject *const *args, Py_ssize_t nargs)
+{
+    PyObject *return_value = NULL;
+    PyObject *subobj;
+    Py_ssize_t start = 0;
+    Py_ssize_t end = PY_SSIZE_T_MAX;
+
+    if (!_PyArg_CheckPositional("endswith", nargs, 1, 3)) {
+        goto exit;
+    }
+    subobj = args[0];
+    if (nargs < 2) {
+        goto skip_optional;
+    }
+    if (!_PyEval_SliceIndex(args[1], &start)) {
+        goto exit;
+    }
+    if (nargs < 3) {
+        goto skip_optional;
+    }
+    if (!_PyEval_SliceIndex(args[2], &end)) {
+        goto exit;
+    }
+skip_optional:
+    return_value = bytes_endswith_impl(self, subobj, start, end);
+
+exit:
+    return return_value;
+}
+
 PyDoc_STRVAR(bytes_decode__doc__,
 "decode($self, /, encoding=\'utf-8\', errors=\'strict\')\n"
 "--\n"
@@ -1029,4 +1131,4 @@ bytes_new(PyTypeObject *type, PyObject *args, PyObject *kwargs)
 exit:
     return return_value;
 }
-/*[clinic end generated code: output=8a49dbbd78914a6f input=a9049054013a1b77]*/
+/*[clinic end generated code: output=f2b10ccd2e3155c3 input=a9049054013a1b77]*/
diff --git a/Objects/clinic/unicodeobject.c.h b/Objects/clinic/unicodeobject.c.h
index 3e5167d9242fe4..3f6dd8b93a7155 100644
--- a/Objects/clinic/unicodeobject.c.h
+++ b/Objects/clinic/unicodeobject.c.h
@@ -1369,6 +1369,108 @@ unicode_zfill(PyObject *self, PyObject *arg)
     return return_value;
 }
 
+PyDoc_STRVAR(unicode_startswith__doc__,
+"startswith($self, prefix[, start[, end]], /)\n"
+"--\n"
+"\n"
+"Return True if the string starts with the specified prefix, False otherwise.\n"
+"\n"
+"  prefix\n"
+"    A string or a tuple of strings to try.\n"
+"  start\n"
+"    Optional start position. Default: start of the string.\n"
+"  end\n"
+"    Optional stop position. Default: end of the string.");
+
+#define UNICODE_STARTSWITH_METHODDEF    \
+    {"startswith", _PyCFunction_CAST(unicode_startswith), METH_FASTCALL, unicode_startswith__doc__},
+
+static PyObject *
+unicode_startswith_impl(PyObject *self, PyObject *subobj, Py_ssize_t start,
+                        Py_ssize_t end);
+
+static PyObject *
+unicode_startswith(PyObject *self, PyObject *const *args, Py_ssize_t nargs)
+{
+    PyObject *return_value = NULL;
+    PyObject *subobj;
+    Py_ssize_t start = 0;
+    Py_ssize_t end = PY_SSIZE_T_MAX;
+
+    if (!_PyArg_CheckPositional("startswith", nargs, 1, 3)) {
+        goto exit;
+    }
+    subobj = args[0];
+    if (nargs < 2) {
+        goto skip_optional;
+    }
+    if (!_PyEval_SliceIndex(args[1], &start)) {
+        goto exit;
+    }
+    if (nargs < 3) {
+        goto skip_optional;
+    }
+    if (!_PyEval_SliceIndex(args[2], &end)) {
+        goto exit;
+    }
+skip_optional:
+    return_value = unicode_startswith_impl(self, subobj, start, end);
+
+exit:
+    return return_value;
+}
+
+PyDoc_STRVAR(unicode_endswith__doc__,
+"endswith($self, suffix[, start[, end]], /)\n"
+"--\n"
+"\n"
+"Return True if the string ends with the specified suffix, False otherwise.\n"
+"\n"
+"  suffix\n"
+"    A string or a tuple of strings to try.\n"
+"  start\n"
+"    Optional start position. Default: start of the string.\n"
+"  end\n"
+"    Optional stop position. Default: end of the string.");
+
+#define UNICODE_ENDSWITH_METHODDEF    \
+    {"endswith", _PyCFunction_CAST(unicode_endswith), METH_FASTCALL, unicode_endswith__doc__},
+
+static PyObject *
+unicode_endswith_impl(PyObject *self, PyObject *subobj, Py_ssize_t start,
+                      Py_ssize_t end);
+
+static PyObject *
+unicode_endswith(PyObject *self, PyObject *const *args, Py_ssize_t nargs)
+{
+    PyObject *return_value = NULL;
+    PyObject *subobj;
+    Py_ssize_t start = 0;
+    Py_ssize_t end = PY_SSIZE_T_MAX;
+
+    if (!_PyArg_CheckPositional("endswith", nargs, 1, 3)) {
+        goto exit;
+    }
+    subobj = args[0];
+    if (nargs < 2) {
+        goto skip_optional;
+    }
+    if (!_PyEval_SliceIndex(args[1], &start)) {
+        goto exit;
+    }
+    if (nargs < 3) {
+        goto skip_optional;
+    }
+    if (!_PyEval_SliceIndex(args[2], &end)) {
+        goto exit;
+    }
+skip_optional:
+    return_value = unicode_endswith_impl(self, subobj, start, end);
+
+exit:
+    return return_value;
+}
+
 PyDoc_STRVAR(unicode___format____doc__,
 "__format__($self, format_spec, /)\n"
 "--\n"
@@ -1507,4 +1609,4 @@ unicode_new(PyTypeObject *type, PyObject *args, PyObject *kwargs)
 exit:
     return return_value;
 }
-/*[clinic end generated code: output=1aab29bab5201c78 input=a9049054013a1b77]*/
+/*[clinic end generated code: output=1734aa1fcc9b076a input=a9049054013a1b77]*/
diff --git a/Objects/unicodeobject.c b/Objects/unicodeobject.c
index e412af5f797e7a..eb83312e9c3a69 100644
--- a/Objects/unicodeobject.c
+++ b/Objects/unicodeobject.c
@@ -13021,30 +13021,30 @@ unicode_zfill_impl(PyObject *self, Py_ssize_t width)
     return u;
 }
 
-PyDoc_STRVAR(startswith__doc__,
-             "S.startswith(prefix[, start[, end]]) -> bool\n\
-\n\
-Return True if S starts with the specified prefix, False otherwise.\n\
-With optional start, test S beginning at that position.\n\
-With optional end, stop comparing S at that position.\n\
-prefix can also be a tuple of strings to try.");
+/*[clinic input]
+@text_signature "($self, prefix[, start[, end]], /)"
+str.startswith as unicode_startswith
+
+    prefix as subobj: object
+        A string or a tuple of strings to try.
+    start: slice_index(accept={int, NoneType}, c_default='0') = None
+        Optional start position. Default: start of the string.
+    end: slice_index(accept={int, NoneType}, c_default='PY_SSIZE_T_MAX') = None
+        Optional stop position. Default: end of the string.
+    /
+
+Return True if the string starts with the specified prefix, False otherwise.
+[clinic start generated code]*/
 
 static PyObject *
-unicode_startswith(PyObject *self,
-                   PyObject *args)
+unicode_startswith_impl(PyObject *self, PyObject *subobj, Py_ssize_t start,
+                        Py_ssize_t end)
+/*[clinic end generated code: output=4bd7cfd0803051d4 input=5f918b5f5f89d856]*/
 {
-    PyObject *subobj;
-    PyObject *substring;
-    Py_ssize_t start = 0;
-    Py_ssize_t end = PY_SSIZE_T_MAX;
-    int result;
-
-    if (!asciilib_parse_args_finds("startswith", args, &subobj, &start, &end))
-        return NULL;
     if (PyTuple_Check(subobj)) {
         Py_ssize_t i;
         for (i = 0; i < PyTuple_GET_SIZE(subobj); i++) {
-            substring = PyTuple_GET_ITEM(subobj, i);
+            PyObject *substring = PyTuple_GET_ITEM(subobj, i);
             if (!PyUnicode_Check(substring)) {
                 PyErr_Format(PyExc_TypeError,
                              "tuple for startswith must only contain str, "
@@ -13052,9 +13052,10 @@ unicode_startswith(PyObject *self,
                              Py_TYPE(substring)->tp_name);
                 return NULL;
             }
-            result = tailmatch(self, substring, start, end, -1);
-            if (result == -1)
+            int result = tailmatch(self, substring, start, end, -1);
+            if (result < 0) {
                 return NULL;
+            }
             if (result) {
                 Py_RETURN_TRUE;
             }
@@ -13068,37 +13069,38 @@ unicode_startswith(PyObject *self,
                      "a tuple of str, not %.100s", Py_TYPE(subobj)->tp_name);
         return NULL;
     }
-    result = tailmatch(self, subobj, start, end, -1);
-    if (result == -1)
+    int result = tailmatch(self, subobj, start, end, -1);
+    if (result < 0) {
         return NULL;
+    }
     return PyBool_FromLong(result);
 }
 
 
-PyDoc_STRVAR(endswith__doc__,
-             "S.endswith(suffix[, start[, end]]) -> bool\n\
-\n\
-Return True if S ends with the specified suffix, False otherwise.\n\
-With optional start, test S beginning at that position.\n\
-With optional end, stop comparing S at that position.\n\
-suffix can also be a tuple of strings to try.");
+/*[clinic input]
+@text_signature "($self, suffix[, start[, end]], /)"
+str.endswith as unicode_endswith
+
+    suffix as subobj: object
+        A string or a tuple of strings to try.
+    start: slice_index(accept={int, NoneType}, c_default='0') = None
+        Optional start position. Default: start of the string.
+    end: slice_index(accept={int, NoneType}, c_default='PY_SSIZE_T_MAX') = None
+        Optional stop position. Default: end of the string.
+    /
+
+Return True if the string ends with the specified suffix, False otherwise.
+[clinic start generated code]*/
 
 static PyObject *
-unicode_endswith(PyObject *self,
-                 PyObject *args)
+unicode_endswith_impl(PyObject *self, PyObject *subobj, Py_ssize_t start,
+                      Py_ssize_t end)
+/*[clinic end generated code: output=cce6f8ceb0102ca9 input=00fbdc774a7d4d71]*/
 {
-    PyObject *subobj;
-    PyObject *substring;
-    Py_ssize_t start = 0;
-    Py_ssize_t end = PY_SSIZE_T_MAX;
-    int result;
-
-    if (!asciilib_parse_args_finds("endswith", args, &subobj, &start, &end))
-        return NULL;
     if (PyTuple_Check(subobj)) {
         Py_ssize_t i;
         for (i = 0; i < PyTuple_GET_SIZE(subobj); i++) {
-            substring = PyTuple_GET_ITEM(subobj, i);
+            PyObject *substring = PyTuple_GET_ITEM(subobj, i);
             if (!PyUnicode_Check(substring)) {
                 PyErr_Format(PyExc_TypeError,
                              "tuple for endswith must only contain str, "
@@ -13106,9 +13108,10 @@ unicode_endswith(PyObject *self,
                              Py_TYPE(substring)->tp_name);
                 return NULL;
             }
-            result = tailmatch(self, substring, start, end, +1);
-            if (result == -1)
+            int result = tailmatch(self, substring, start, end, +1);
+            if (result < 0) {
                 return NULL;
+            }
             if (result) {
                 Py_RETURN_TRUE;
             }
@@ -13121,9 +13124,10 @@ unicode_endswith(PyObject *self,
                      "a tuple of str, not %.100s", Py_TYPE(subobj)->tp_name);
         return NULL;
     }
-    result = tailmatch(self, subobj, start, end, +1);
-    if (result == -1)
+    int result = tailmatch(self, subobj, start, end, +1);
+    if (result < 0) {
         return NULL;
+    }
     return PyBool_FromLong(result);
 }
 
@@ -13576,8 +13580,8 @@ static PyMethodDef unicode_methods[] = {
     UNICODE_SWAPCASE_METHODDEF
     UNICODE_TRANSLATE_METHODDEF
     UNICODE_UPPER_METHODDEF
-    {"startswith", (PyCFunction) unicode_startswith, METH_VARARGS, startswith__doc__},
-    {"endswith", (PyCFunction) unicode_endswith, METH_VARARGS, endswith__doc__},
+    UNICODE_STARTSWITH_METHODDEF
+    UNICODE_ENDSWITH_METHODDEF
     UNICODE_REMOVEPREFIX_METHODDEF
     UNICODE_REMOVESUFFIX_METHODDEF
     UNICODE_ISASCII_METHODDEF
diff --git a/Objects/weakrefobject.c b/Objects/weakrefobject.c
index b7b29064151609..d8dd6aea3aff02 100644
--- a/Objects/weakrefobject.c
+++ b/Objects/weakrefobject.c
@@ -177,13 +177,13 @@ weakref_repr(PyObject *self)
     PyObject *repr;
     if (name == NULL || !PyUnicode_Check(name)) {
         repr = PyUnicode_FromFormat(
-            "<weakref at %p; to '%s' at %p>",
-            self, Py_TYPE(obj)->tp_name, obj);
+            "<weakref at %p; to '%T' at %p>",
+            self, obj, obj);
     }
     else {
         repr = PyUnicode_FromFormat(
-            "<weakref at %p; to '%s' at %p (%U)>",
-            self, Py_TYPE(obj)->tp_name, obj, name);
+            "<weakref at %p; to '%T' at %p (%U)>",
+            self, obj, obj, name);
     }
     Py_DECREF(obj);
     Py_XDECREF(name);
@@ -471,10 +471,18 @@ static PyObject *
 proxy_repr(PyObject *proxy)
 {
     PyObject *obj = _PyWeakref_GET_REF(proxy);
-    PyObject *repr = PyUnicode_FromFormat(
-        "<weakproxy at %p to %s at %p>",
-        proxy, Py_TYPE(obj)->tp_name, obj);
-    Py_DECREF(obj);
+    PyObject *repr;
+    if (obj != NULL) {
+        repr = PyUnicode_FromFormat(
+            "<weakproxy at %p; to '%T' at %p>",
+            proxy, obj, obj);
+        Py_DECREF(obj);
+    }
+    else {
+        repr = PyUnicode_FromFormat(
+            "<weakproxy at %p; dead>",
+            proxy);
+    }
     return repr;
 }
 
diff --git a/Tools/build/stable_abi.py b/Tools/build/stable_abi.py
index 95fc4dfbf11e49..8b01c91e0d6bb3 100644
--- a/Tools/build/stable_abi.py
+++ b/Tools/build/stable_abi.py
@@ -275,7 +275,10 @@ def gen_ctypes_test(manifest, args, outfile):
         import sys
         import unittest
         from test.support.import_helper import import_module
-        from _testcapi import get_feature_macros
+        try:
+            from _testcapi import get_feature_macros
+        except ImportError:
+            raise unittest.SkipTest("requires _testcapi")
 
         feature_macros = get_feature_macros()