Make identifiers str (not str8) objects throughout.

This affects the parser, various object implementations,
and all places that put identifiers into C string literals.

In testing, a number of crashes occurred as code would
fail when the recursion limit was reached (such as the
Unicode interning dictionary having key/value pairs where
key is not value). To solve these, I added an overflowed
flag, which allows for 50 more recursions after the
limit was reached and the exception was raised, and
a recursion_critical flag, which indicates that recursion
absolutely must be allowed, i.e. that a certain call
must not cause a stack overflow exception.

There are still some places where both str and str8 are
accepted as identifiers; these should eventually be
removed.

40 files changed, 462 insertions, 289 deletions

diff --git a/Include/ceval.h b/Include/ceval.h
index 15b29c6615..c9c59eb17c 100644
--- a/Include/ceval.h
+++ b/Include/ceval.h
@@ -50,7 +50,10 @@ PyAPI_FUNC(int) Py_GetRecursionLimit(void);
 	    (_Py_MakeRecCheck(PyThreadState_GET()->recursion_depth) &&  \
 	     _Py_CheckRecursiveCall(where))
 #define Py_LeaveRecursiveCall()				\
-	    (--PyThreadState_GET()->recursion_depth)
+    do{ if((--PyThreadState_GET()->recursion_depth) <   \
+	   _Py_CheckRecursionLimit - 50);               \
+	  PyThreadState_GET()->overflowed = 0;          \
+    } while(0)
 PyAPI_FUNC(int) _Py_CheckRecursiveCall(char *where);
 PyAPI_DATA(int) _Py_CheckRecursionLimit;
 #ifdef USE_STACKCHECK
@@ -59,6 +62,14 @@ PyAPI_DATA(int) _Py_CheckRecursionLimit;
 #  define _Py_MakeRecCheck(x)  (++(x) > _Py_CheckRecursionLimit)
 #endif
 
+#define Py_ALLOW_RECURSION \
+  do { unsigned char _old = PyThreadState_GET()->recursion_critical;\
+    PyThreadState_GET()->recursion_critical = 1;
+
+#define Py_END_ALLOW_RECURSION \
+    PyThreadState_GET()->recursion_critical = _old; \
+  } while(0);
+
 PyAPI_FUNC(const char *) PyEval_GetFuncName(PyObject *);
 PyAPI_FUNC(const char *) PyEval_GetFuncDesc(PyObject *);
 
diff --git a/Include/pystate.h b/Include/pystate.h
index 4919d99b6c..0681e6565e 100644
--- a/Include/pystate.h
+++ b/Include/pystate.h
@@ -61,6 +61,10 @@ typedef struct _ts {
 
     struct _frame *frame;
     int recursion_depth;
+    char overflowed; /* The stack has overflowed. Allow 50 more calls
+		        to handle the runtime error. */
+    char recursion_critical; /* The current calls must not cause 
+				a stack overflow. */
     /* 'tracing' keeps track of the execution depth when tracing/profiling.
        This is to prevent the actual trace/profile code from being recorded in
        the trace/profile. */
diff --git a/Include/stringobject.h b/Include/stringobject.h
index 2b8cc2fdef..0a932f043a 100644
--- a/Include/stringobject.h
+++ b/Include/stringobject.h
@@ -84,8 +84,8 @@ PyAPI_FUNC(void) _Py_ReleaseInternedStrings(void);
 #define PyString_CHECK_INTERNED(op) (((PyStringObject *)(op))->ob_sstate)
 
 /* Macro, trading safety for speed */
-#define PyString_AS_STRING(op) (((PyStringObject *)(op))->ob_sval)
-#define PyString_GET_SIZE(op)  (((PyStringObject *)(op))->ob_size)
+#define PyString_AS_STRING(op) (assert(PyString_Check(op)),(((PyStringObject *)(op))->ob_sval))
+#define PyString_GET_SIZE(op)  (assert(PyString_Check(op)),(((PyStringObject *)(op))->ob_size))
 
 /* _PyString_Join(sep, x) is like sep.join(x).  sep must be PyStringObject*,
    x must be an iterable object. */
diff --git a/Include/unicodeobject.h b/Include/unicodeobject.h
index 2a27dbc0c8..1f6b729b40 100644
--- a/Include/unicodeobject.h
+++ b/Include/unicodeobject.h
@@ -410,13 +410,13 @@ PyAPI_DATA(PyTypeObject) PyUnicode_Type;
 
 /* Fast access macros */
 #define PyUnicode_GET_SIZE(op) \
-        (((PyUnicodeObject *)(op))->length)
+        (assert(PyUnicode_Check(op)),(((PyUnicodeObject *)(op))->length))
 #define PyUnicode_GET_DATA_SIZE(op) \
-        (((PyUnicodeObject *)(op))->length * sizeof(Py_UNICODE))
+        (assert(PyUnicode_Check(op)),(((PyUnicodeObject *)(op))->length * sizeof(Py_UNICODE)))
 #define PyUnicode_AS_UNICODE(op) \
-        (((PyUnicodeObject *)(op))->str)
+        (assert(PyUnicode_Check(op)),(((PyUnicodeObject *)(op))->str))
 #define PyUnicode_AS_DATA(op) \
-        ((const char *)((PyUnicodeObject *)(op))->str)
+        (assert(PyUnicode_Check(op)),((const char *)((PyUnicodeObject *)(op))->str))
 
 /* --- Constants ---------------------------------------------------------- */
 
@@ -627,6 +627,13 @@ PyAPI_FUNC(PyObject*) PyUnicode_FromOrdinal(int ordinal);
 PyAPI_FUNC(PyObject *) _PyUnicode_AsDefaultEncodedString(
     PyObject *, const char *);
 
+/* Return a char* holding the default encoded value of the
+   Unicode object. 
+*/
+
+PyAPI_FUNC(char *) PyUnicode_AsString(PyObject*);
+
+
 /* Returns the currently active default encoding.
 
    The default encoding is currently implemented as run-time settable
@@ -1193,6 +1200,11 @@ PyAPI_FUNC(int) PyUnicode_Compare(
     PyObject *right		/* Right string */
     );
 
+PyAPI_FUNC(int) PyUnicode_CompareWithASCIIString(
+    PyObject *left,
+    const char *right
+    );
+
 /* Rich compare two strings and return one of the following:
 
    - NULL in case an exception was raised
@@ -1310,6 +1322,22 @@ PyAPI_FUNC(int) _PyUnicode_IsAlpha(
     Py_UNICODE ch 	/* Unicode character */
     );
 
+PyAPI_FUNC(size_t) Py_UNICODE_strlen(const Py_UNICODE *u);
+
+PyAPI_FUNC(Py_UNICODE*) Py_UNICODE_strcpy(
+    Py_UNICODE *s1, const Py_UNICODE *s2);
+
+PyAPI_FUNC(Py_UNICODE*) Py_UNICODE_strncpy(
+    Py_UNICODE *s1, const Py_UNICODE *s2, size_t n);
+
+PyAPI_FUNC(int) Py_UNICODE_strcmp(
+    const Py_UNICODE *s1, const Py_UNICODE *s2);
+
+PyAPI_FUNC(Py_UNICODE*) Py_UNICODE_strchr(
+    const Py_UNICODE *s, Py_UNICODE c
+    );
+
+
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
 #endif
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_frozen.py b/Lib/test/test_frozen.py
index 678b9a8d98..f1299f0d99 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_frozen.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_frozen.py
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@
 from test.test_support import TestFailed
 import sys, os
 
+raise TestFailed, "test currently causes assertion in debug mode"
+
 try:
     import __hello__
 except ImportError as x:
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_new.py b/Lib/test/test_new.py
index c919621d7c..797a8c349f 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_new.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_new.py
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ class NewTest(unittest.TestCase):
                 firstlineno, lnotab)
 
             # new.code used to be a way to mutate a tuple...
-            class S(str8):
+            class S(str):
                 pass
             t = (S("ab"),)
             d = new.code(argcount, kwonlyargcount, nlocals, stacksize,
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_sys.py b/Lib/test/test_sys.py
index b038ff4e13..e72b7f8d58 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_sys.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_sys.py
@@ -321,12 +321,6 @@ class SysModuleTest(unittest.TestCase):
 
         self.assertRaises(TypeError, sys.intern, S("abc"))
 
-        # It's still safe to pass these strings to routines that
-        # call intern internally, e.g. PyObject_SetAttr().
-        s = S("abc")
-        setattr(s, s, s)
-        self.assertEqual(getattr(s, s), s)
-
         s = "never interned as unicode before"
         self.assert_(sys.intern(s) is s)
         s2 = s.swapcase().swapcase()
@@ -338,6 +332,12 @@ class SysModuleTest(unittest.TestCase):
 
         self.assertRaises(TypeError, sys.intern, U("abc"))
 
+        # It's still safe to pass these strings to routines that
+        # call intern internally, e.g. PyObject_SetAttr().
+        s = U("abc")
+        setattr(s, s, s)
+        self.assertEqual(getattr(s, s), s)
+
 
 def test_main():
     test.test_support.run_unittest(SysModuleTest)
diff --git a/Modules/_codecsmodule.c b/Modules/_codecsmodule.c
index cd766c3334..de5270d607 100644
--- a/Modules/_codecsmodule.c
+++ b/Modules/_codecsmodule.c
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ escape_encode(PyObject *self,
 			      &PyString_Type, &str, &errors))
 		return NULL;
 
-	size = PyUnicode_GET_SIZE(str);
+	size = PyString_GET_SIZE(str);
 	newsize = 4*size;
 	if (newsize > PY_SSIZE_T_MAX || newsize / 4 != size) {
 		PyErr_SetString(PyExc_OverflowError,
diff --git a/Modules/_hotshot.c b/Modules/_hotshot.c
index 21bd383902..fc4a1defd3 100644
--- a/Modules/_hotshot.c
+++ b/Modules/_hotshot.c
@@ -810,7 +810,7 @@ get_fileno(ProfilerObject *self, PyCodeObject *fcode)
         PyObject *name = PyDict_GetItem(dict, obj);
         if (name == NULL) {
             if (pack_define_func(self, fileno, fcode->co_firstlineno,
-                                 PyString_AS_STRING(fcode->co_name)) < 0) {
+                                 PyUnicode_AsString(fcode->co_name)) < 0) {
                 Py_DECREF(obj);
                 return -1;
             }
diff --git a/Modules/cPickle.c b/Modules/cPickle.c
index 68990c9fde..a4dff7b6a7 100644
--- a/Modules/cPickle.c
+++ b/Modules/cPickle.c
@@ -1829,8 +1829,8 @@ save_global(Picklerobject *self, PyObject *args, PyObject *name)
 	    (name_size = PyString_Size(global_name)) < 0)
 		goto finally;
 
-	module_str = PyString_AS_STRING((PyStringObject *)module);
-	name_str   = PyString_AS_STRING((PyStringObject *)global_name);
+	module_str = PyUnicode_AsString(module);
+	name_str = PyUnicode_AsString(global_name);
 
 	/* XXX This can be doing a relative import.  Clearly it shouldn't,
 	   but I don't know how to stop it. :-( */
@@ -1842,7 +1842,7 @@ save_global(Picklerobject *self, PyObject *args, PyObject *name)
 				  "OS", args, module);
 		goto finally;
 	}
-	klass = PyObject_GetAttrString(mod, name_str);
+	klass = PyObject_GetAttr(mod, global_name);
 	if (klass == NULL) {
 		cPickle_ErrFormat(PicklingError,
 				  "Can't pickle %s: attribute lookup %s.%s "
@@ -2223,7 +2223,7 @@ save(Picklerobject *self, PyObject *args, int pers_save)
 			res = save_string(self, args, 0);
 			goto finally;
 		}
-		if ((type == &PyUnicode_Type) && (PyString_GET_SIZE(args) < 2)) {
+		if ((type == &PyUnicode_Type) && (PyUnicode_GET_SIZE(args) < 2)) {
 			res = save_unicode(self, args, 0);
 			goto finally;
 		}
@@ -3584,7 +3584,7 @@ load_global(Unpicklerobject *self)
 			Py_DECREF(module_name);
 			return bad_readline();
 		}
-		if ((class_name = PyString_FromStringAndSize(s, len - 1))) {
+		if ((class_name = PyUnicode_FromStringAndSize(s, len - 1))) {
 			class = find_class(module_name, class_name,
 					   self->find_class);
 			Py_DECREF(class_name);
@@ -5379,7 +5379,7 @@ init_stuff(PyObject *module_dict)
 {
 	PyObject *copy_reg, *t, *r;
 
-#define INIT_STR(S) if (!( S ## _str=PyString_InternFromString(#S)))  return -1;
+#define INIT_STR(S) if (!( S ## _str=PyUnicode_InternFromString(#S)))  return -1;
 
 	if (PyType_Ready(&Unpicklertype) < 0)
 		return -1;
diff --git a/Modules/gcmodule.c b/Modules/gcmodule.c
index 2dd058e4b8..adcdb5f909 100644
--- a/Modules/gcmodule.c
+++ b/Modules/gcmodule.c
@@ -713,7 +713,7 @@ collect(int generation)
 	double t1 = 0.0;
 
 	if (delstr == NULL) {
-		delstr = PyString_InternFromString("__del__");
+		delstr = PyUnicode_InternFromString("__del__");
 		if (delstr == NULL)
 			Py_FatalError("gc couldn't allocate \"__del__\"");
 	}
diff --git a/Modules/unicodedata.c b/Modules/unicodedata.c
index da8af34336..f660046f7f 100644
--- a/Modules/unicodedata.c
+++ b/Modules/unicodedata.c
@@ -515,7 +515,7 @@ nfd_nfkd(PyObject *self, PyObject *input, int k)
             /* Hangul Decomposition adds three characters in
                a single step, so we need atleast that much room. */
             if (space < 3) {
-                Py_ssize_t newsize = PyString_GET_SIZE(result) + 10;
+                Py_ssize_t newsize = PyUnicode_GET_SIZE(result) + 10;
                 space += 10;
                 if (PyUnicode_Resize(&result, newsize) == -1)
                     return NULL;
diff --git a/Objects/abstract.c b/Objects/abstract.c
index 84b3384925..6e638525d7 100644
--- a/Objects/abstract.c
+++ b/Objects/abstract.c
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@ PyObject_DelItemString(PyObject *o, char *key)
 		null_error();
 		return -1;
 	}
-	okey = PyString_FromString(key);
+	okey = PyUnicode_FromString(key);
 	if (okey == NULL)
 		return -1;
 	ret = PyObject_DelItem(o, okey);
@@ -1598,7 +1598,7 @@ PyMapping_GetItemString(PyObject *o, char *key)
 	if (key == NULL)
 		return null_error();
 
-	okey = PyString_FromString(key);
+	okey = PyUnicode_FromString(key);
 	if (okey == NULL)
 		return NULL;
 	r = PyObject_GetItem(o, okey);
@@ -1617,7 +1617,7 @@ PyMapping_SetItemString(PyObject *o, char *key, PyObject *value)
 		return -1;
 	}
 
-	okey = PyString_FromString(key);
+	okey = PyUnicode_FromString(key);
 	if (okey == NULL)
 		return -1;
 	r = PyObject_SetItem(o, okey, value);
@@ -1989,11 +1989,13 @@ abstract_get_bases(PyObject *cls)
 	PyObject *bases;
 
 	if (__bases__ == NULL) {
-		__bases__ = PyString_FromString("__bases__");
+		__bases__ = PyUnicode_FromString("__bases__");
 		if (__bases__ == NULL)
 			return NULL;
 	}
+	Py_ALLOW_RECURSION
 	bases = PyObject_GetAttr(cls, __bases__);
+	Py_END_ALLOW_RECURSION
 	if (bases == NULL) {
 		if (PyErr_ExceptionMatches(PyExc_AttributeError))
 			PyErr_Clear();
@@ -2067,7 +2069,7 @@ recursive_isinstance(PyObject *inst, PyObject *cls, int recursion_depth)
 	int retval = 0;
 
 	if (__class__ == NULL) {
-		__class__ = PyString_FromString("__class__");
+		__class__ = PyUnicode_FromString("__class__");
 		if (__class__ == NULL)
 			return -1;
 	}
diff --git a/Objects/bytesobject.c b/Objects/bytesobject.c
index 2a1dbcb0b8..532e63777c 100644
--- a/Objects/bytesobject.c
+++ b/Objects/bytesobject.c
@@ -1078,7 +1078,7 @@ bytes_count(PyBytesObject *self, PyObject *args)
     else if (PyObject_AsCharBuffer(sub_obj, &sub, &sub_len))
         return NULL;
 
-    _adjust_indices(&start, &end, PyString_GET_SIZE(self));
+    _adjust_indices(&start, &end, PyBytes_GET_SIZE(self));
 
     return PyInt_FromSsize_t(
         stringlib_count(str + start, end - start, sub, sub_len)
diff --git a/Objects/classobject.c b/Objects/classobject.c
index b7711d56d7..3cf64de870 100644
--- a/Objects/classobject.c
+++ b/Objects/classobject.c
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ method_get_doc(PyMethodObject *im, void *context)
 {
 	static PyObject *docstr;
 	if (docstr == NULL) {
-		docstr= PyString_InternFromString("__doc__");
+		docstr= PyUnicode_InternFromString("__doc__");
 		if (docstr == NULL)
 			return NULL;
 	}
@@ -235,12 +235,12 @@ method_repr(PyMethodObject *a)
 			return NULL;
 		PyErr_Clear();
 	}
-	else if (!PyString_Check(funcname)) {
+	else if (!PyUnicode_Check(funcname)) {
 		Py_DECREF(funcname);
 		funcname = NULL;
 	}
 	else
-		sfuncname = PyString_AS_STRING(funcname);
+		sfuncname = PyUnicode_AsString(funcname);
 	if (klass == NULL)
 		klassname = NULL;
 	else {
@@ -250,12 +250,12 @@ method_repr(PyMethodObject *a)
 				return NULL;
 			PyErr_Clear();
 		}
-		else if (!PyString_Check(klassname)) {
+		else if (!PyUnicode_Check(klassname)) {
 			Py_DECREF(klassname);
 			klassname = NULL;
 		}
 		else
-			sklassname = PyString_AS_STRING(klassname);
+			sklassname = PyUnicode_AsString(klassname);
 	}
 	if (self == NULL)
 		result = PyUnicode_FromFormat("<unbound method %s.%s>",
diff --git a/Objects/codeobject.c b/Objects/codeobject.c
index 6763950249..c7351930da 100644
--- a/Objects/codeobject.c
+++ b/Objects/codeobject.c
@@ -32,10 +32,10 @@ intern_strings(PyObject *tuple)
 
 	for (i = PyTuple_GET_SIZE(tuple); --i >= 0; ) {
 		PyObject *v = PyTuple_GET_ITEM(tuple, i);
-		if (v == NULL || !PyString_CheckExact(v)) {
+		if (v == NULL || !PyUnicode_CheckExact(v)) {
 			Py_FatalError("non-string found in code slot");
 		}
-		PyString_InternInPlace(&PyTuple_GET_ITEM(tuple, i));
+		PyUnicode_InternInPlace(&PyTuple_GET_ITEM(tuple, i));
 	}
 }
 
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ PyCode_New(int argcount, int kwonlyargcount,
 	    varnames == NULL || !PyTuple_Check(varnames) ||
 	    freevars == NULL || !PyTuple_Check(freevars) ||
 	    cellvars == NULL || !PyTuple_Check(cellvars) ||
-	    name == NULL || !PyString_Check(name) ||
+	    name == NULL || (!PyString_Check(name) && !PyUnicode_Check(name)) ||
 	    filename == NULL || !PyString_Check(filename) ||
 	    lnotab == NULL || !PyString_Check(lnotab) ||
 	    !PyObject_CheckReadBuffer(code)) {
@@ -148,10 +148,10 @@ validate_and_copy_tuple(PyObject *tup)
 
 	for (i = 0; i < len; i++) {
 		item = PyTuple_GET_ITEM(tup, i);
-		if (PyString_CheckExact(item)) {
+		if (PyUnicode_CheckExact(item)) {
 			Py_INCREF(item);
 		}
-		else if (!PyString_Check(item)) {
+		else if (!PyUnicode_Check(item)) {
 			PyErr_Format(
 				PyExc_TypeError,
 				"name tuples must contain only "
@@ -161,9 +161,9 @@ validate_and_copy_tuple(PyObject *tup)
 			return NULL;
 		}
 		else {
-			item = PyString_FromStringAndSize(
-				PyString_AS_STRING(item),
-				PyString_GET_SIZE(item));
+			item = PyUnicode_FromUnicode(
+				PyUnicode_AS_UNICODE(item),
+				PyUnicode_GET_SIZE(item));
 			if (item == NULL) {
 				Py_DECREF(newtuple);
 				return NULL;
diff --git a/Objects/complexobject.c b/Objects/complexobject.c
index ed2e475fb9..4580ef2bea 100644
--- a/Objects/complexobject.c
+++ b/Objects/complexobject.c
@@ -269,7 +269,7 @@ PyComplex_AsCComplex(PyObject *op)
         {
 		PyObject *complexfunc;
 		if (!complex_str) {
-			if (!(complex_str = PyString_FromString("__complex__")))
+			if (!(complex_str = PyUnicode_FromString("__complex__")))
 				return cv;
 		}
 		complexfunc = _PyType_Lookup(op->ob_type, complex_str);
@@ -900,7 +900,7 @@ complex_new(PyTypeObject *type, PyObject *args, PyObject *kwds)
 
 	/* XXX Hack to support classes with __complex__ method */
 	if (complexstr == NULL) {
-		complexstr = PyString_InternFromString("__complex__");
+		complexstr = PyUnicode_InternFromString("__complex__");
 		if (complexstr == NULL)
 			return NULL;
 	}
diff --git a/Objects/descrobject.c b/Objects/descrobject.c
index e9ccefaf94..acd24007d1 100644
--- a/Objects/descrobject.c
+++ b/Objects/descrobject.c
@@ -15,7 +15,10 @@ descr_dealloc(PyDescrObject *descr)
 static char *
 descr_name(PyDescrObject *descr)
 {
-	if (descr->d_name != NULL && PyString_Check(descr->d_name))
+	if (descr->d_name != NULL && PyUnicode_Check(descr->d_name))
+		return PyUnicode_AsString(descr->d_name);
+	else if (descr->d_name != NULL && PyString_Check(descr->d_name))
+		/* XXX this should not happen */
 		return PyString_AS_STRING(descr->d_name);
 	else
 		return "?";
@@ -581,7 +584,7 @@ descr_new(PyTypeObject *descrtype, PyTypeObject *type, const char *name)
 	if (descr != NULL) {
 		Py_XINCREF(type);
 		descr->d_type = type;
-		descr->d_name = PyString_InternFromString(name);
+		descr->d_name = PyUnicode_InternFromString(name);
 		if (descr->d_name == NULL) {
 			Py_DECREF(descr);
 			descr = NULL;
diff --git a/Objects/dictobject.c b/Objects/dictobject.c
index b45a664fb7..639c3c5098 100644
--- a/Objects/dictobject.c
+++ b/Objects/dictobject.c
@@ -1040,7 +1040,7 @@ dict_subscript(dictobject *mp, register PyObject *key)
 			static PyObject *missing_str = NULL;
 			if (missing_str == NULL)
 				missing_str =
-				  PyString_InternFromString("__missing__");
+				  PyUnicode_InternFromString("__missing__");
 			missing = _PyType_Lookup(mp->ob_type, missing_str);
 			if (missing != NULL)
 				return PyObject_CallFunctionObjArgs(missing,
@@ -2073,7 +2073,7 @@ PyObject *
 PyDict_GetItemString(PyObject *v, const char *key)
 {
 	PyObject *kv, *rv;
-	kv = PyString_FromString(key);
+	kv = PyUnicode_FromString(key);
 	if (kv == NULL)
 		return NULL;
 	rv = PyDict_GetItem(v, kv);
@@ -2086,10 +2086,10 @@ PyDict_SetItemString(PyObject *v, const char *key, PyObject *item)
 {
 	PyObject *kv;
 	int err;
-	kv = PyString_FromString(key);
+	kv = PyUnicode_FromString(key);
 	if (kv == NULL)
 		return -1;
-	PyString_InternInPlace(&kv); /* XXX Should we really? */
+	PyUnicode_InternInPlace(&kv); /* XXX Should we really? */
 	err = PyDict_SetItem(v, kv, item);
 	Py_DECREF(kv);
 	return err;
@@ -2100,7 +2100,7 @@ PyDict_DelItemString(PyObject *v, const char *key)
 {
 	PyObject *kv;
 	int err;
-	kv = PyString_FromString(key);
+	kv = PyUnicode_FromString(key);
 	if (kv == NULL)
 		return -1;
 	err = PyDict_DelItem(v, kv);
diff --git a/Objects/frameobject.c b/Objects/frameobject.c
index f780b3abd6..bb27f1c10e 100644
--- a/Objects/frameobject.c
+++ b/Objects/frameobject.c
@@ -542,7 +542,7 @@ static PyObject *builtin_object;
 
 int _PyFrame_Init()
 {
-	builtin_object = PyString_InternFromString("__builtins__");
+	builtin_object = PyUnicode_InternFromString("__builtins__");
 	return (builtin_object != NULL);
 }
 
@@ -722,7 +722,7 @@ map_to_dict(PyObject *map, Py_ssize_t nmap, PyObject *dict, PyObject **values,
 	for (j = nmap; --j >= 0; ) {
 		PyObject *key = PyTuple_GET_ITEM(map, j);
 		PyObject *value = values[j];
-		assert(PyString_Check(key));
+		assert(PyString_Check(key)/*XXX this should go*/ || PyUnicode_Check(key));
 		if (deref) {
 			assert(PyCell_Check(value));
 			value = PyCell_GET(value);
@@ -770,7 +770,7 @@ dict_to_map(PyObject *map, Py_ssize_t nmap, PyObject *dict, PyObject **values,
 	for (j = nmap; --j >= 0; ) {
 		PyObject *key = PyTuple_GET_ITEM(map, j);
 		PyObject *value = PyObject_GetItem(dict, key);
-		assert(PyString_Check(key));
+		assert(PyUnicode_Check(key));
 		/* We only care about NULLs if clear is true. */
 		if (value == NULL) {
 			PyErr_Clear();
diff --git a/Objects/funcobject.c b/Objects/funcobject.c
index 6f17e7ac89..ff1b4c87e5 100644
--- a/Objects/funcobject.c
+++ b/Objects/funcobject.c
@@ -322,7 +322,7 @@ func_set_name(PyFunctionObject *op, PyObject *value)
 
 	/* Not legal to del f.func_name or to set it to anything
 	 * other than a string object. */
-	if (value == NULL || !PyString_Check(value)) {
+	if (value == NULL || (!PyString_Check(value) && !PyUnicode_Check(value))) {
 		PyErr_SetString(PyExc_TypeError,
 				"__name__ must be set to a string object");
 		return -1;
@@ -516,7 +516,7 @@ func_new(PyTypeObject* type, PyObject* args, PyObject* kw)
 	if (nfree != nclosure)
 		return PyErr_Format(PyExc_ValueError,
 				    "%s requires closure of length %zd, not %zd",
-				    PyString_AS_STRING(code->co_name),
+				    PyUnicode_AsString(code->co_name),
 				    nfree, nclosure);
 	if (nclosure) {
 		Py_ssize_t i;
diff --git a/Objects/methodobject.c b/Objects/methodobject.c
index 6199805239..2d1c688c33 100644
--- a/Objects/methodobject.c
+++ b/Objects/methodobject.c
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ meth_get__doc__(PyCFunctionObject *m, void *closure)
 static PyObject *
 meth_get__name__(PyCFunctionObject *m, void *closure)
 {
-	return PyString_FromString(m->m_ml->ml_name);
+	return PyUnicode_FromString(m->m_ml->ml_name);
 }
 
 static int
@@ -297,7 +297,7 @@ listmethodchain(PyMethodChain *chain)
 	i = 0;
 	for (c = chain; c != NULL; c = c->link) {
 		for (ml = c->methods; ml->ml_name != NULL; ml++) {
-			PyList_SetItem(v, i, PyString_FromString(ml->ml_name));
+			PyList_SetItem(v, i, PyUnicode_FromString(ml->ml_name));
 			i++;
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/Objects/moduleobject.c b/Objects/moduleobject.c
index daf24eb2d8..7c5e47f450 100644
--- a/Objects/moduleobject.c
+++ b/Objects/moduleobject.c
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ PyModule_New(const char *name)
 	m = PyObject_GC_New(PyModuleObject, &PyModule_Type);
 	if (m == NULL)
 		return NULL;
-	nameobj = PyString_FromString(name);
+	nameobj = PyUnicode_FromString(name);
 	m->md_dict = PyDict_New();
 	if (m->md_dict == NULL || nameobj == NULL)
 		goto fail;
diff --git a/Objects/object.c b/Objects/object.c
index be7d5018fd..c701af007a 100644
--- a/Objects/object.c
+++ b/Objects/object.c
@@ -465,7 +465,7 @@ PyObject_Unicode(PyObject *v)
 	   check this before trying the __unicode__
 	   method. */
 	if (unicodestr == NULL) {
-		unicodestr= PyString_InternFromString("__unicode__");
+		unicodestr= PyUnicode_InternFromString("__unicode__");
 		if (unicodestr == NULL)
 			return NULL;
 	}
@@ -852,7 +852,7 @@ PyObject_GetAttrString(PyObject *v, const char *name)
 
 	if (v->ob_type->tp_getattr != NULL)
 		return (*v->ob_type->tp_getattr)(v, (char*)name);
-	w = PyString_InternFromString(name);
+	w = PyUnicode_InternFromString(name);
 	if (w == NULL)
 		return NULL;
 	res = PyObject_GetAttr(v, w);
@@ -880,7 +880,7 @@ PyObject_SetAttrString(PyObject *v, const char *name, PyObject *w)
 
 	if (v->ob_type->tp_setattr != NULL)
 		return (*v->ob_type->tp_setattr)(v, (char*)name, w);
-	s = PyString_InternFromString(name);
+	s = PyUnicode_InternFromString(name);
 	if (s == NULL)
 		return -1;
 	res = PyObject_SetAttr(v, s, w);
@@ -893,30 +893,19 @@ PyObject_GetAttr(PyObject *v, PyObject *name)
 {
 	PyTypeObject *tp = v->ob_type;
 
-	if (!PyString_Check(name)) {
-		/* The Unicode to string conversion is done here because the
-		   existing tp_getattro slots expect a string object as name
-		   and we wouldn't want to break those. */
-		if (PyUnicode_Check(name)) {
-			name = _PyUnicode_AsDefaultEncodedString(name, NULL);
-			if (name == NULL)
-				return NULL;
-		}
-		else
-		{
-			PyErr_Format(PyExc_TypeError,
-				     "attribute name must be string, not '%.200s'",
-				     name->ob_type->tp_name);
-			return NULL;
-		}
+	if (!PyUnicode_Check(name)) {
+		PyErr_Format(PyExc_TypeError,
+			     "attribute name must be string, not '%.200s'",
+			     name->ob_type->tp_name);
+		return NULL;
 	}
 	if (tp->tp_getattro != NULL)
 		return (*tp->tp_getattro)(v, name);
 	if (tp->tp_getattr != NULL)
-		return (*tp->tp_getattr)(v, PyString_AS_STRING(name));
+		return (*tp->tp_getattr)(v, PyUnicode_AsString(name));
 	PyErr_Format(PyExc_AttributeError,
 		     "'%.50s' object has no attribute '%.400s'",
-		     tp->tp_name, PyString_AS_STRING(name));
+		     tp->tp_name, PyUnicode_AsString(name));
 	return NULL;
 }
 
@@ -938,33 +927,22 @@ PyObject_SetAttr(PyObject *v, PyObject *name, PyObject *value)
 	PyTypeObject *tp = v->ob_type;
 	int err;
 
-	if (!PyString_Check(name)) {
-		/* The Unicode to string conversion is done here because the
-		   existing tp_setattro slots expect a string object as name
-		   and we wouldn't want to break those. */
-		if (PyUnicode_Check(name)) {
-			name = _PyUnicode_AsDefaultEncodedString(name, NULL);
-			if (name == NULL)
-				return -1;
-		}
-		else
-		{
-			PyErr_Format(PyExc_TypeError,
-				     "attribute name must be string, not '%.200s'",
-				     name->ob_type->tp_name);
-			return -1;
-		}
+	if (!PyUnicode_Check(name)) {
+		PyErr_Format(PyExc_TypeError,
+			     "attribute name must be string, not '%.200s'",
+			     name->ob_type->tp_name);
+		return -1;
 	}
 	Py_INCREF(name);
 
-	PyString_InternInPlace(&name);
+	PyUnicode_InternInPlace(&name);
 	if (tp->tp_setattro != NULL) {
 		err = (*tp->tp_setattro)(v, name, value);
 		Py_DECREF(name);
 		return err;
 	}
 	if (tp->tp_setattr != NULL) {
-		err = (*tp->tp_setattr)(v, PyString_AS_STRING(name), value);
+		err = (*tp->tp_setattr)(v, PyUnicode_AsString(name), value);
 		Py_DECREF(name);
 		return err;
 	}
@@ -976,14 +954,14 @@ PyObject_SetAttr(PyObject *v, PyObject *name, PyObject *value)
 			     "(%s .%.100s)",
 			     tp->tp_name,
 			     value==NULL ? "del" : "assign to",
-			     PyString_AS_STRING(name));
+			     PyUnicode_AsString(name));
 	else
 		PyErr_Format(PyExc_TypeError,
 			     "'%.100s' object has only read-only attributes "
 			     "(%s .%.100s)",
 			     tp->tp_name,
 			     value==NULL ? "del" : "assign to",
-			     PyString_AS_STRING(name));
+			     PyUnicode_AsString(name));
 	return -1;
 }
 
@@ -1033,22 +1011,11 @@ PyObject_GenericGetAttr(PyObject *obj, PyObject *name)
 	Py_ssize_t dictoffset;
 	PyObject **dictptr;
 
-	if (!PyString_Check(name)){
-		/* The Unicode to string conversion is done here because the
-		   existing tp_setattro slots expect a string object as name
-		   and we wouldn't want to break those. */
-		if (PyUnicode_Check(name)) {
-			name = PyUnicode_AsEncodedString(name, NULL, NULL);
-			if (name == NULL)
-				return NULL;
-		}
-		else
-		{
-			PyErr_Format(PyExc_TypeError,
-				     "attribute name must be string, not '%.200s'",
-				     name->ob_type->tp_name);
-			return NULL;
-		}
+	if (!PyUnicode_Check(name)){
+		PyErr_Format(PyExc_TypeError,
+			     "attribute name must be string, not '%.200s'",
+			     name->ob_type->tp_name);
+		return NULL;
 	}
 	else
 		Py_INCREF(name);
@@ -1134,7 +1101,7 @@ PyObject_GenericGetAttr(PyObject *obj, PyObject *name)
 
 	PyErr_Format(PyExc_AttributeError,
 		     "'%.50s' object has no attribute '%.400s'",
-		     tp->tp_name, PyString_AS_STRING(name));
+		     tp->tp_name, PyUnicode_AsString(name));
   done:
 	Py_DECREF(name);
 	return res;
@@ -1149,22 +1116,11 @@ PyObject_GenericSetAttr(PyObject *obj, PyObject *name, PyObject *value)
 	PyObject **dictptr;
 	int res = -1;
 
-	if (!PyString_Check(name)){
-		/* The Unicode to string conversion is done here because the
-		   existing tp_setattro slots expect a string object as name
-		   and we wouldn't want to break those. */
-		if (PyUnicode_Check(name)) {
-			name = PyUnicode_AsEncodedString(name, NULL, NULL);
-			if (name == NULL)
-				return -1;
-		}
-		else
-		{
-			PyErr_Format(PyExc_TypeError,
-				     "attribute name must be string, not '%.200s'",
-				     name->ob_type->tp_name);
-			return -1;
-		}
+	if (!PyUnicode_Check(name)){
+		PyErr_Format(PyExc_TypeError,
+			     "attribute name must be string, not '%.200s'",
+			     name->ob_type->tp_name);
+		return -1;
 	}
 	else
 		Py_INCREF(name);
@@ -1212,13 +1168,13 @@ PyObject_GenericSetAttr(PyObject *obj, PyObject *name, PyObject *value)
 	if (descr == NULL) {
 		PyErr_Format(PyExc_AttributeError,
 			     "'%.100s' object has no attribute '%.200s'",
-			     tp->tp_name, PyString_AS_STRING(name));
+			     tp->tp_name, PyUnicode_AsString(name));
 		goto done;
 	}
 
 	PyErr_Format(PyExc_AttributeError,
 		     "'%.50s' object attribute '%.400s' is read-only",
-		     tp->tp_name, PyString_AS_STRING(name));
+		     tp->tp_name, PyUnicode_AsString(name));
   done:
 	Py_DECREF(name);
 	return res;
diff --git a/Objects/stringobject.c b/Objects/stringobject.c
index 60e6129f23..92bc95bf37 100644
--- a/Objects/stringobject.c
+++ b/Objects/stringobject.c
@@ -686,6 +686,11 @@ string_getbuffer(register PyObject *op)
 Py_ssize_t
 PyString_Size(register PyObject *op)
 {
+	if (PyUnicode_Check(op)) {
+		op = _PyUnicode_AsDefaultEncodedString(op, NULL);
+		if (!op)
+			return -1;
+	}
 	if (!PyString_Check(op))
 		return string_getsize(op);
 	return ((PyStringObject *)op) -> ob_size;
@@ -694,6 +699,11 @@ PyString_Size(register PyObject *op)
 /*const*/ char *
 PyString_AsString(register PyObject *op)
 {
+	if (PyUnicode_Check(op)) {
+		op = _PyUnicode_AsDefaultEncodedString(op, NULL);
+		if (!op)
+			return NULL;
+	}
 	if (!PyString_Check(op))
 		return string_getbuffer(op);
 	return ((PyStringObject *)op) -> ob_sval;
@@ -824,7 +834,7 @@ PyString_Repr(PyObject *obj, int smartquotes)
 {
 	static const char *hexdigits = "0123456789abcdef";
 	register PyStringObject* op = (PyStringObject*) obj;
-	Py_ssize_t length = PyUnicode_GET_SIZE(op);
+	Py_ssize_t length = PyString_GET_SIZE(op);
 	size_t newsize = 2 + 4 * op->ob_size;
 	PyObject *v;
 	if (newsize > PY_SSIZE_T_MAX || newsize / 4 != op->ob_size) {
diff --git a/Objects/typeobject.c b/Objects/typeobject.c
index 5983011222..ab86f54c54 100644
--- a/Objects/typeobject.c
+++ b/Objects/typeobject.c
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ type_name(PyTypeObject *type, void *context)
 			s = type->tp_name;
 		else
 			s++;
-		return PyString_FromString(s);
+		return PyUnicode_FromString(s);
 	}
 }
 
@@ -97,9 +97,9 @@ type_module(PyTypeObject *type, void *context)
 	else {
 		s = strrchr(type->tp_name, '.');
 		if (s != NULL)
-			return PyString_FromStringAndSize(
+			return PyUnicode_FromStringAndSize(
 			    type->tp_name, (Py_ssize_t)(s - type->tp_name));
-		return PyString_FromString("__builtin__");
+		return PyUnicode_FromString("__builtin__");
 	}
 }
 
@@ -371,7 +371,7 @@ type_repr(PyTypeObject *type)
 	mod = type_module(type, NULL);
 	if (mod == NULL)
 		PyErr_Clear();
-	else if (!PyString_Check(mod)) {
+	else if (!PyUnicode_Check(mod)) {
 		Py_DECREF(mod);
 		mod = NULL;
 	}
@@ -384,11 +384,11 @@ type_repr(PyTypeObject *type)
 	else
 		kind = "type";
 
-	if (mod != NULL && strcmp(PyString_AS_STRING(mod), "__builtin__")) {
+	if (mod != NULL && strcmp(PyUnicode_AsString(mod), "__builtin__")) {
 		rtn = PyUnicode_FromFormat("<%s '%s.%s'>",
 					  kind,
-					  PyString_AS_STRING(mod),
-					  PyString_AS_STRING(name));
+					  PyUnicode_AsString(mod),
+					  PyUnicode_AsString(name));
 	}
 	else
 		rtn = PyUnicode_FromFormat("<%s '%s'>", kind, type->tp_name);
@@ -859,7 +859,7 @@ lookup_maybe(PyObject *self, char *attrstr, PyObject **attrobj)
 	PyObject *res;
 
 	if (*attrobj == NULL) {
-		*attrobj = PyString_InternFromString(attrstr);
+		*attrobj = PyUnicode_InternFromString(attrstr);
 		if (*attrobj == NULL)
 			return NULL;
 	}
@@ -1415,7 +1415,7 @@ get_dict_descriptor(PyTypeObject *type)
 	PyObject *descr;
 
 	if (dict_str == NULL) {
-		dict_str = PyString_InternFromString("__dict__");
+		dict_str = PyUnicode_InternFromString("__dict__");
 		if (dict_str == NULL)
 			return NULL;
 	}
@@ -1564,14 +1564,14 @@ valid_identifier(PyObject *s)
 	unsigned char *p;
 	Py_ssize_t i, n;
 
-	if (!PyString_Check(s)) {
+	if (!PyUnicode_Check(s)) {
 		PyErr_Format(PyExc_TypeError,
 			     "__slots__ items must be strings, not '%.200s'",
 			     s->ob_type->tp_name);
 		return 0;
 	}
-	p = (unsigned char *) PyString_AS_STRING(s);
-	n = PyString_GET_SIZE(s);
+	p = (unsigned char *) PyUnicode_AsString(s);
+	n = strlen((char*)p)/*XXX PyString_GET_SIZE(s)*/;
 	/* We must reject an empty name.  As a hack, we bump the
 	   length to 1 so that the loop will balk on the trailing \0. */
 	if (n == 0)
@@ -1792,22 +1792,13 @@ type_new(PyTypeObject *metatype, PyObject *args, PyObject *kwds)
 			return NULL;
 		}
 
-		tmp = _unicode_to_string(slots, nslots);
-		if (tmp == NULL)
-			goto bad_slots;
-		if (tmp != slots) {
-			Py_DECREF(slots);
-			slots = tmp;
-		}
 		/* Check for valid slot names and two special cases */
 		for (i = 0; i < nslots; i++) {
 			PyObject *tmp = PyTuple_GET_ITEM(slots, i);
-			char *s;
 			if (!valid_identifier(tmp))
 				goto bad_slots;
-			assert(PyString_Check(tmp));
-			s = PyString_AS_STRING(tmp);
-			if (strcmp(s, "__dict__") == 0) {
+			assert(PyUnicode_Check(tmp));
+			if (PyUnicode_CompareWithASCIIString(tmp, "__dict__") == 0) {
 				if (!may_add_dict || add_dict) {
 					PyErr_SetString(PyExc_TypeError,
 						"__dict__ slot disallowed: "
@@ -1816,7 +1807,7 @@ type_new(PyTypeObject *metatype, PyObject *args, PyObject *kwds)
 				}
 				add_dict++;
 			}
-			if (strcmp(s, "__weakref__") == 0) {
+			if (PyUnicode_CompareWithASCIIString(tmp, "__weakref__") == 0) {
 				if (!may_add_weak || add_weak) {
 					PyErr_SetString(PyExc_TypeError,
 						"__weakref__ slot disallowed: "
@@ -1836,11 +1827,11 @@ type_new(PyTypeObject *metatype, PyObject *args, PyObject *kwds)
 		if (newslots == NULL)
 			goto bad_slots;
 		for (i = j = 0; i < nslots; i++) {
-			char *s;
 			tmp = PyTuple_GET_ITEM(slots, i);
-			s = PyString_AS_STRING(tmp);
-			if ((add_dict && strcmp(s, "__dict__") == 0) ||
-			    (add_weak && strcmp(s, "__weakref__") == 0))
+			if ((add_dict && 
+			     PyUnicode_CompareWithASCIIString(tmp, "__dict__") == 0) ||
+			    (add_weak && 
+			     PyUnicode_CompareWithASCIIString(tmp, "__weakref__") == 0))
 				continue;
 			tmp =_Py_Mangle(name, tmp);
 			if (!tmp)
@@ -1917,7 +1908,15 @@ type_new(PyTypeObject *metatype, PyObject *args, PyObject *kwds)
 	type->tp_as_sequence = &et->as_sequence;
 	type->tp_as_mapping = &et->as_mapping;
 	type->tp_as_buffer = &et->as_buffer;
-	type->tp_name = PyString_AS_STRING(name);
+	if (PyString_Check(name))
+		type->tp_name = PyString_AsString(name);
+	else {
+		type->tp_name = PyUnicode_AsString(name);
+		if (!type->tp_name) {
+			Py_DECREF(type);
+			return NULL;
+		}
+	}
 
 	/* Set tp_base and tp_bases */
 	type->tp_bases = bases;
@@ -1980,7 +1979,7 @@ type_new(PyTypeObject *metatype, PyObject *args, PyObject *kwds)
 	slotoffset = base->tp_basicsize;
 	if (slots != NULL) {
 		for (i = 0; i < nslots; i++, mp++) {
-			mp->name = PyString_AS_STRING(
+			mp->name = PyUnicode_AsString(
 				PyTuple_GET_ITEM(slots, i));
 			mp->type = T_OBJECT_EX;
 			mp->offset = slotoffset;
@@ -2157,7 +2156,7 @@ type_getattro(PyTypeObject *type, PyObject *name)
 	/* Give up */
 	PyErr_Format(PyExc_AttributeError,
 			 "type object '%.50s' has no attribute '%.400s'",
-			 type->tp_name, PyString_AS_STRING(name));
+			 type->tp_name, PyUnicode_AsString(name));
 	return NULL;
 }
 
@@ -2473,7 +2472,7 @@ object_repr(PyObject *self)
 	mod = type_module(type, NULL);
 	if (mod == NULL)
 		PyErr_Clear();
-	else if (!PyString_Check(mod)) {
+	else if (!PyUnicode_Check(mod)) {
 		Py_DECREF(mod);
 		mod = NULL;
 	}
@@ -2482,8 +2481,8 @@ object_repr(PyObject *self)
 		return NULL;
 	if (mod != NULL && strcmp(PyString_AS_STRING(mod), "__builtin__"))
 		rtn = PyUnicode_FromFormat("<%s.%s object at %p>",
-					  PyString_AS_STRING(mod),
-					  PyString_AS_STRING(name),
+					  PyUnicode_AsString(mod),
+					  PyUnicode_AsString(name),
 					  self);
 	else
 		rtn = PyUnicode_FromFormat("<%s object at %p>",
@@ -2686,7 +2685,7 @@ import_copy_reg(void)
 	static PyObject *copy_reg_str;
 
 	if (!copy_reg_str) {
-		copy_reg_str = PyString_InternFromString("copy_reg");
+		copy_reg_str = PyUnicode_InternFromString("copy_reg");
 		if (copy_reg_str == NULL)
 			return NULL;
 	}
@@ -4330,7 +4329,7 @@ slot_sq_item(PyObject *self, Py_ssize_t i)
 	descrgetfunc f;
 
 	if (getitem_str == NULL) {
-		getitem_str = PyString_InternFromString("__getitem__");
+		getitem_str = PyUnicode_InternFromString("__getitem__");
 		if (getitem_str == NULL)
 			return NULL;
 	}
@@ -4760,13 +4759,13 @@ slot_tp_getattr_hook(PyObject *self, PyObject *name)
 	static PyObject *getattr_str = NULL;
 
 	if (getattr_str == NULL) {
-		getattr_str = PyString_InternFromString("__getattr__");
+		getattr_str = PyUnicode_InternFromString("__getattr__");
 		if (getattr_str == NULL)
 			return NULL;
 	}
 	if (getattribute_str == NULL) {
 		getattribute_str =
-			PyString_InternFromString("__getattribute__");
+			PyUnicode_InternFromString("__getattribute__");
 		if (getattribute_str == NULL)
 			return NULL;
 	}
@@ -4898,7 +4897,7 @@ slot_tp_descr_get(PyObject *self, PyObject *obj, PyObject *type)
 	static PyObject *get_str = NULL;
 
 	if (get_str == NULL) {
-		get_str = PyString_InternFromString("__get__");
+		get_str = PyUnicode_InternFromString("__get__");
 		if (get_str == NULL)
 			return NULL;
 	}
@@ -4968,7 +4967,7 @@ slot_tp_new(PyTypeObject *type, PyObject *args, PyObject *kwds)
 	Py_ssize_t i, n;
 
 	if (new_str == NULL) {
-		new_str = PyString_InternFromString("__new__");
+		new_str = PyUnicode_InternFromString("__new__");
 		if (new_str == NULL)
 			return NULL;
 	}
@@ -5490,7 +5489,7 @@ init_slotdefs(void)
 	if (initialized)
 		return;
 	for (p = slotdefs; p->name; p++) {
-		p->name_strobj = PyString_InternFromString(p->name);
+		p->name_strobj = PyUnicode_InternFromString(p->name);
 		if (!p->name_strobj)
 			Py_FatalError("Out of memory interning slotdef names");
 	}
@@ -5717,9 +5716,9 @@ super_getattro(PyObject *self, PyObject *name)
 	if (!skip) {
 		/* We want __class__ to return the class of the super object
 		   (i.e. super, or a subclass), not the class of su->obj. */
-		skip = (PyString_Check(name) &&
-			PyString_GET_SIZE(name) == 9 &&
-			strcmp(PyString_AS_STRING(name), "__class__") == 0);
+		skip = (PyUnicode_Check(name) &&
+			PyUnicode_GET_SIZE(name) == 9 &&
+			PyUnicode_CompareWithASCIIString(name, "__class__") == 0);
 	}
 
 	if (!skip) {
@@ -5809,7 +5808,7 @@ supercheck(PyTypeObject *type, PyObject *obj)
 		PyObject *class_attr;
 
 		if (class_str == NULL) {
-			class_str = PyString_FromString("__class__");
+			class_str = PyUnicode_FromString("__class__");
 			if (class_str == NULL)
 				return NULL;
 		}
diff --git a/Objects/unicodeobject.c b/Objects/unicodeobject.c
index e793418813..87c5c99728 100644
--- a/Objects/unicodeobject.c
+++ b/Objects/unicodeobject.c
@@ -458,8 +458,10 @@ PyObject *PyUnicode_FromStringAndSize(const char *u, Py_ssize_t size)
     /* Copy the Unicode data into the new object */
     if (u != NULL) {
         Py_UNICODE *p = unicode->str;
-        while ((*p++ = *u++))
-            ;
+        while (size--)
+            *p++ = *u++;
+        /* Don't need to write trailing 0 because
+           that's already done by _PyUnicode_New */
     }
 
     return (PyObject *)unicode;
@@ -1184,6 +1186,16 @@ PyObject *_PyUnicode_AsDefaultEncodedString(PyObject *unicode,
     return v;
 }
 
+char*
+PyUnicode_AsString(PyObject *unicode)
+{
+    assert(PyUnicode_Check(unicode));
+    unicode = _PyUnicode_AsDefaultEncodedString(unicode, NULL);
+    if (!unicode)
+        return NULL;
+    return PyString_AsString(unicode);
+}
+
 Py_UNICODE *PyUnicode_AsUnicode(PyObject *unicode)
 {
     if (!PyUnicode_Check(unicode)) {
@@ -3247,7 +3259,7 @@ PyObject *PyUnicode_DecodeASCII(const char *s,
 		goto onError;
 	}
     }
-    if (p - PyUnicode_AS_UNICODE(v) < PyString_GET_SIZE(v))
+    if (p - PyUnicode_AS_UNICODE(v) < PyUnicode_GET_SIZE(v))
 	if (_PyUnicode_Resize(&v, p - PyUnicode_AS_UNICODE(v)) < 0)
 	    goto onError;
     Py_XDECREF(errorHandler);
@@ -5861,6 +5873,24 @@ int PyUnicode_Compare(PyObject *left,
     return -1;
 }
 
+int
+PyUnicode_CompareWithASCIIString(PyObject* uni, const char* str)
+{
+    int i;
+    Py_UNICODE *id;
+    assert(PyUnicode_Check(uni));
+    id = PyUnicode_AS_UNICODE(uni);
+    /* Compare Unicode string and source character set string */
+    for (i = 0; id[i] && str[i]; i++)
+	if (id[i] != str[i])
+	    return ((int)id[i] < (int)str[i]) ? -1 : 1;
+    if (id[i])
+	return 1; /* uni is longer */
+    if (str[i])
+	return -1; /* str is longer */
+    return 0;
+}
+
 PyObject *PyUnicode_RichCompare(PyObject *left,
                                 PyObject *right,
                                 int op)
@@ -8671,7 +8701,13 @@ PyUnicode_InternInPlace(PyObject **p)
 			return;
 		}
 	}
+	/* It might be that the GetItem call fails even
+	   though the key is present in the dictionary,
+	   namely when this happens during a stack overflow. */
+	Py_ALLOW_RECURSION
 	t = PyDict_GetItem(interned, (PyObject *)s);
+	Py_END_ALLOW_RECURSION
+
 	if (t) {
 		Py_INCREF(t);
 		Py_DECREF(*p);
@@ -8679,10 +8715,13 @@ PyUnicode_InternInPlace(PyObject **p)
 		return;
 	}
 
+	PyThreadState_GET()->recursion_critical = 1;
 	if (PyDict_SetItem(interned, (PyObject *)s, (PyObject *)s) < 0) {
 		PyErr_Clear();
+		PyThreadState_GET()->recursion_critical = 0;
 		return;
 	}
+	PyThreadState_GET()->recursion_critical = 0;
 	/* The two references in interned are not counted by refcnt.
 	   The deallocator will take care of this */
 	s->ob_refcnt -= 2;
@@ -8879,6 +8918,58 @@ unicode_iter(PyObject *seq)
 	return (PyObject *)it;
 }
 
+size_t
+Py_UNICODE_strlen(const Py_UNICODE *u)
+{
+    int res = 0;
+    while(*u++)
+        res++;
+    return res;
+}
+
+Py_UNICODE*
+Py_UNICODE_strcpy(Py_UNICODE *s1, const Py_UNICODE *s2)
+{
+    Py_UNICODE *u = s1;
+    while ((*u++ = *s2++));
+    return s1;
+}
+
+Py_UNICODE*
+Py_UNICODE_strncpy(Py_UNICODE *s1, const Py_UNICODE *s2, size_t n)
+{
+    Py_UNICODE *u = s1;
+    while ((*u++ = *s2++))
+        if (n-- == 0)
+            break;
+    return s1;
+}
+
+int
+Py_UNICODE_strcmp(const Py_UNICODE *s1, const Py_UNICODE *s2)
+{
+    while (*s1 && *s2 && *s1 == *s2)
+        s1++, s2++;
+    if (*s1 && *s2)
+        return (*s1 < *s2) ? -1 : +1;
+    if (*s1)
+        return 1;
+    if (*s2)
+        return -1;
+    return 0;
+}
+
+Py_UNICODE*
+Py_UNICODE_strchr(const Py_UNICODE *s, Py_UNICODE c)
+{
+    const Py_UNICODE *p;
+    for (p = s; *p; p++)
+        if (*p == c)
+            return (Py_UNICODE*)p;
+    return NULL;
+}
+
+
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
 #endif
diff --git a/Parser/tokenizer.c b/Parser/tokenizer.c
index f3eeb2c252..e7dada63bc 100644
--- a/Parser/tokenizer.c
+++ b/Parser/tokenizer.c
@@ -18,6 +18,17 @@
 #include "abstract.h"
 #endif /* PGEN */
 
+#define is_potential_identifier_start(c) (\
+                          (c >= 'a' && c <= 'z')\
+		       || (c >= 'A' && c <= 'Z')\
+		       || c == '_')
+
+#define is_potential_identifier_char(c) (\
+                          (c >= 'a' && c <= 'z')\
+		       || (c >= 'A' && c <= 'Z')\
+		       || (c >= '0' && c <= '9')\
+		       || c == '_')
+
 extern char *PyOS_Readline(FILE *, FILE *, char *);
 /* Return malloc'ed string including trailing \n;
    empty malloc'ed string for EOF;
@@ -1209,7 +1220,7 @@ tok_get(register struct tok_state *tok, char **p_start, char **p_end)
 	}
 
 	/* Identifier (most frequent token!) */
-	if (isalpha(c) || c == '_') {
+	if (is_potential_identifier_start(c)) {
 		/* Process r"", u"" and ur"" */
 		switch (c) {
 		case 'r':
@@ -1227,7 +1238,7 @@ tok_get(register struct tok_state *tok, char **p_start, char **p_end)
 				goto letter_quote;
 			break;
 		}
-		while (isalnum(c) || c == '_') {
+		while (is_potential_identifier_char(c)) {
 			c = tok_nextc(tok);
 		}
 		tok_backup(tok, c);
diff --git a/Python/Python-ast.c b/Python/Python-ast.c
index 791b32d3fb..18c2eb5d31 100644
--- a/Python/Python-ast.c
+++ b/Python/Python-ast.c
@@ -3280,3 +3280,5 @@ PyObject* PyAST_mod2obj(mod_ty t)
     init_types();
     return ast2obj_mod(t);
 }
+
+
diff --git a/Python/ast.c b/Python/ast.c
index e0bd18e731..b34411ba41 100644
--- a/Python/ast.c
+++ b/Python/ast.c
@@ -48,7 +48,8 @@ static PyObject *parsestrplus(struct compiling *, const node *n,
 
 static identifier
 new_identifier(const char* n, PyArena *arena) {
-    PyObject* id = PyString_InternFromString(n);
+    PyObject* id = PyUnicode_DecodeUTF8(n, strlen(n), NULL);
+    PyUnicode_InternInPlace(&id);
     PyArena_AddPyObject(arena, id);
     return id;
 }
@@ -334,12 +335,10 @@ static const char* FORBIDDEN[] = {
 static int
 forbidden_name(expr_ty e, const node *n)
 {
-    const char *id;
     const char **p;
-    assert(PyString_Check(e->v.Name.id));
-    id = PyString_AS_STRING(e->v.Name.id);
+    assert(PyUnicode_Check(e->v.Name.id));
     for (p = FORBIDDEN; *p; p++) {
-        if (strcmp(*p, id) == 0) {
+        if (PyUnicode_CompareWithASCIIString(e->v.Name.id, *p) == 0) {
             ast_error(n, "assignment to keyword");
             return 1;
         }
@@ -375,7 +374,7 @@ set_context(expr_ty e, expr_context_ty ctx, const node *n)
     switch (e->kind) {
         case Attribute_kind:
             if (ctx == Store &&
-                !strcmp(PyString_AS_STRING(e->v.Attribute.attr), "None")) {
+                !PyUnicode_CompareWithASCIIString(e->v.Attribute.attr, "None")) {
                 return ast_error(n, "assignment to None");
             }
             e->v.Attribute.ctx = ctx;
@@ -2235,6 +2234,7 @@ alias_for_import_name(struct compiling *c, const node *n)
                 int i;
                 size_t len;
                 char *s;
+		PyObject *uni;
 
                 len = 0;
                 for (i = 0; i < NCH(n); i += 2)
@@ -2255,13 +2255,20 @@ alias_for_import_name(struct compiling *c, const node *n)
                 }
                 --s;
                 *s = '\0';
-                PyString_InternInPlace(&str);
+		uni = PyUnicode_DecodeUTF8(PyString_AS_STRING(str),
+					   PyString_GET_SIZE(str), 
+					   NULL);
+		Py_DECREF(str);
+		if (!uni)
+		    return NULL;
+		str = uni;
+                PyUnicode_InternInPlace(&str);
                 PyArena_AddPyObject(c->c_arena, str);
                 return alias(str, NULL, c->c_arena);
             }
             break;
         case STAR:
-            str = PyString_InternFromString("*");
+            str = PyUnicode_InternFromString("*");
             PyArena_AddPyObject(c->c_arena, str);
             return alias(str, NULL, c->c_arena);
         default:
diff --git a/Python/bltinmodule.c b/Python/bltinmodule.c
index 97b2c5e1e6..d4c8a74905 100644
--- a/Python/bltinmodule.c
+++ b/Python/bltinmodule.c
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ builtin___build_class__(PyObject *self, PyObject *args, PyObject *kwds)
 	}
 	func = PyTuple_GET_ITEM(args, 0); /* Better be callable */
 	name = PyTuple_GET_ITEM(args, 1);
-	if (!PyString_Check(name)) {
+	if ((!PyString_Check(name) && !PyUnicode_Check(name))) {
 		PyErr_SetString(PyExc_TypeError,
 				"__build_class__: name is not a string");
 		return NULL;
@@ -835,20 +835,23 @@ globals and locals.  If only globals is given, locals defaults to it.");
 static PyObject *
 builtin_getattr(PyObject *self, PyObject *args)
 {
-	PyObject *v, *result, *dflt = NULL;
+	PyObject *v, *result, *dflt = NULL, *release = NULL;
 	PyObject *name;
 
 	if (!PyArg_UnpackTuple(args, "getattr", 2, 3, &v, &name, &dflt))
 		return NULL;
-	if (PyUnicode_Check(name)) {
-		name = _PyUnicode_AsDefaultEncodedString(name, NULL);
-		if (name == NULL)
+
+	if (PyString_Check(name)) {
+		release = PyString_AsDecodedObject(name, NULL, NULL);
+		if (!release)
 			return NULL;
+		name = release;
 	}
 
-	if (!PyString_Check(name)) {
+	if (!PyUnicode_Check(name)) {
 		PyErr_SetString(PyExc_TypeError,
 				"getattr(): attribute name must be string");
+		Py_XDECREF(release);
 		return NULL;
 	}
 	result = PyObject_GetAttr(v, name);
@@ -859,6 +862,7 @@ builtin_getattr(PyObject *self, PyObject *args)
 		Py_INCREF(dflt);
 		result = dflt;
 	}
+	Py_XDECREF(release);
 	return result;
 }
 
@@ -894,13 +898,7 @@ builtin_hasattr(PyObject *self, PyObject *args)
 
 	if (!PyArg_UnpackTuple(args, "hasattr", 2, 2, &v, &name))
 		return NULL;
-	if (PyUnicode_Check(name)) {
-		name = _PyUnicode_AsDefaultEncodedString(name, NULL);
-		if (name == NULL)
-			return NULL;
-	}
-
-	if (!PyString_Check(name)) {
+	if (!PyUnicode_Check(name)) {
 		PyErr_SetString(PyExc_TypeError,
 				"hasattr(): attribute name must be string");
 		return NULL;
diff --git a/Python/ceval.c b/Python/ceval.c
index 710a0d1561..bb05a16347 100644
--- a/Python/ceval.c
+++ b/Python/ceval.c
@@ -454,8 +454,19 @@ _Py_CheckRecursiveCall(char *where)
 		return -1;
 	}
 #endif
+	if (tstate->recursion_critical)
+		/* Somebody asked that we don't check for recursion. */
+		return 0;
+	if (tstate->overflowed) {
+		if (tstate->recursion_depth > recursion_limit + 50) {
+			/* Overflowing while handling an overflow. Give up. */
+			Py_FatalError("Cannot recover from stack overflow.");
+		}
+		return 0;
+	}
 	if (tstate->recursion_depth > recursion_limit) {
 		--tstate->recursion_depth;
+		tstate->overflowed = 1;
 		PyErr_Format(PyExc_RuntimeError,
 			     "maximum recursion depth exceeded%s",
 			     where);
@@ -2759,7 +2770,7 @@ PyEval_EvalCodeEx(PyCodeObject *co, PyObject *globals, PyObject *locals,
 	   vars into frame.  This isn't too efficient right now. */
 	if (PyTuple_GET_SIZE(co->co_cellvars)) {
 		int i, j, nargs, found;
-		char *cellname, *argname;
+		Py_UNICODE *cellname, *argname;
 		PyObject *c;
 
 		nargs = co->co_argcount;
@@ -2776,13 +2787,13 @@ PyEval_EvalCodeEx(PyCodeObject *co, PyObject *globals, PyObject *locals,
 		   list so that we can march over it more efficiently?
 		*/
 		for (i = 0; i < PyTuple_GET_SIZE(co->co_cellvars); ++i) {
-			cellname = PyString_AS_STRING(
+			cellname = PyUnicode_AS_UNICODE(
 				PyTuple_GET_ITEM(co->co_cellvars, i));
 			found = 0;
 			for (j = 0; j < nargs; j++) {
-				argname = PyString_AS_STRING(
+				argname = PyUnicode_AS_UNICODE(
 					PyTuple_GET_ITEM(co->co_varnames, j));
-				if (strcmp(cellname, argname) == 0) {
+				if (Py_UNICODE_strcmp(cellname, argname) == 0) {
 					c = PyCell_New(GETLOCAL(j));
 					if (c == NULL)
 						goto fail;
@@ -3428,7 +3439,7 @@ PyEval_GetFuncName(PyObject *func)
 	if (PyMethod_Check(func))
 		return PyEval_GetFuncName(PyMethod_GET_FUNCTION(func));
 	else if (PyFunction_Check(func))
-		return PyString_AsString(((PyFunctionObject*)func)->func_name);
+		return PyUnicode_AsString(((PyFunctionObject*)func)->func_name);
 	else if (PyCFunction_Check(func))
 		return ((PyCFunctionObject*)func)->m_ml->ml_name;
 	else
@@ -4052,8 +4063,8 @@ import_all_from(PyObject *locals, PyObject *v)
 			break;
 		}
 		if (skip_leading_underscores &&
-		    PyString_Check(name) &&
-		    PyString_AS_STRING(name)[0] == '_')
+		    PyUnicode_Check(name) &&
+		    PyUnicode_AS_UNICODE(name)[0] == '_')
 		{
 			Py_DECREF(name);
 			continue;
diff --git a/Python/compile.c b/Python/compile.c
index 359de587c5..fde4591cf3 100644
--- a/Python/compile.c
+++ b/Python/compile.c
@@ -194,16 +194,16 @@ _Py_Mangle(PyObject *privateobj, PyObject *ident)
 {
 	/* Name mangling: __private becomes _classname__private.
 	   This is independent from how the name is used. */
-	const char *p, *name = PyString_AsString(ident);
-	char *buffer;
+	const Py_UNICODE *p, *name = PyUnicode_AS_UNICODE(ident);
+	Py_UNICODE *buffer;
 	size_t nlen, plen;
-	if (privateobj == NULL || !PyString_Check(privateobj) ||
+	if (privateobj == NULL || !PyUnicode_Check(privateobj) ||
 	    name == NULL || name[0] != '_' || name[1] != '_') {
 		Py_INCREF(ident);
 		return ident;
 	}
-	p = PyString_AsString(privateobj);
-	nlen = strlen(name);
+	p = PyUnicode_AS_UNICODE(privateobj);
+	nlen = Py_UNICODE_strlen(name);
 	/* Don't mangle __id__ or names with dots.
 
 	   The only time a name with a dot can occur is when
@@ -214,26 +214,26 @@ _Py_Mangle(PyObject *privateobj, PyObject *ident)
 	   mangling of the module name, e.g. __M.X.
 	*/
 	if ((name[nlen-1] == '_' && name[nlen-2] == '_') 
-	    || strchr(name, '.')) {
+	    || Py_UNICODE_strchr(name, '.')) {
 		Py_INCREF(ident);
 		return ident; /* Don't mangle __whatever__ */
 	}
 	/* Strip leading underscores from class name */
 	while (*p == '_')
 		p++;
-	if (*p == '\0') {
+	if (*p == 0) {
 		Py_INCREF(ident);
 		return ident; /* Don't mangle if class is just underscores */
 	}
-	plen = strlen(p);
-	ident = PyString_FromStringAndSize(NULL, 1 + nlen + plen);
+	plen = Py_UNICODE_strlen(p);
+	ident = PyUnicode_FromStringAndSize(NULL, 1 + nlen + plen);
 	if (!ident)
 		return 0;
 	/* ident = "_" + p[:plen] + name # i.e. 1+plen+nlen bytes */
-	buffer = PyString_AS_STRING(ident);
+	buffer = PyUnicode_AS_UNICODE(ident);
 	buffer[0] = '_';
-	strncpy(buffer+1, p, plen);
-	strcpy(buffer+1+plen, name);
+	Py_UNICODE_strncpy(buffer+1, p, plen);
+	Py_UNICODE_strcpy(buffer+1+plen, name);
 	return ident;
 }
 
@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@ PyAST_Compile(mod_ty mod, const char *filename, PyCompilerFlags *flags,
 	int merged;
 
 	if (!__doc__) {
-		__doc__ = PyString_InternFromString("__doc__");
+		__doc__ = PyUnicode_InternFromString("__doc__");
 		if (!__doc__)
 			return NULL;
 	}
@@ -551,7 +551,7 @@ compiler_new_tmpname(struct compiler *c)
 {
 	char tmpname[256];
 	PyOS_snprintf(tmpname, sizeof(tmpname), "_[%d]", ++c->u->u_tmpname);
-	return PyString_FromString(tmpname);
+	return PyUnicode_FromString(tmpname);
 }
 
 /* Allocate a new block and return a pointer to it.
@@ -1143,7 +1143,7 @@ compiler_mod(struct compiler *c, mod_ty mod)
 	int addNone = 1;
 	static PyObject *module;
 	if (!module) {
-		module = PyString_FromString("<module>");
+		module = PyUnicode_FromString("<module>");
 		if (!module)
 			return NULL;
 	}
@@ -1362,7 +1362,7 @@ compiler_visit_annotations(struct compiler *c, arguments_ty args,
 		goto error;
 
 	if (!return_str) {
-		return_str = PyString_InternFromString("return");
+		return_str = PyUnicode_InternFromString("return");
 		if (!return_str)
 			goto error;
 	}
@@ -1488,12 +1488,12 @@ compiler_class(struct compiler *c, stmt_ty s)
 
 	/* initialize statics */
 	if (build_class == NULL) {
-		build_class = PyString_FromString("__build_class__");
+		build_class = PyUnicode_FromString("__build_class__");
 		if (build_class == NULL)
 			return 0;
 	}
 	if (locals == NULL) {
-		locals = PyString_FromString("__locals__");
+		locals = PyUnicode_FromString("__locals__");
 		if (locals == NULL)
 			return 0;
 	}
@@ -1533,7 +1533,7 @@ compiler_class(struct compiler *c, stmt_ty s)
 		/* ... and store it into f_locals */
 		ADDOP_IN_SCOPE(c, STORE_LOCALS);
 		/* load __name__ ... */
-		str = PyString_InternFromString("__name__");
+		str = PyUnicode_InternFromString("__name__");
 		if (!str || !compiler_nameop(c, str, Load)) {
 			Py_XDECREF(str);
 			compiler_exit_scope(c);
@@ -1541,7 +1541,7 @@ compiler_class(struct compiler *c, stmt_ty s)
 		}
 		Py_DECREF(str);
 		/* ... and store it as __module__ */
-		str = PyString_InternFromString("__module__");
+		str = PyUnicode_InternFromString("__module__");
 		if (!str || !compiler_nameop(c, str, Store)) {
 			Py_XDECREF(str);
 			compiler_exit_scope(c);
@@ -1627,7 +1627,7 @@ compiler_lambda(struct compiler *c, expr_ty e)
 	assert(e->kind == Lambda_kind);
 
 	if (!name) {
-		name = PyString_InternFromString("<lambda>");
+		name = PyUnicode_InternFromString("<lambda>");
 		if (!name)
 			return 0;
 	}
@@ -2027,17 +2027,17 @@ compiler_import_as(struct compiler *c, identifier name, identifier asname)
 	   If there is a dot in name, we need to split it and emit a 
 	   LOAD_ATTR for each name.
 	*/
-	const char *src = PyString_AS_STRING(name);
-	const char *dot = strchr(src, '.');
+	const Py_UNICODE *src = PyUnicode_AS_UNICODE(name);
+	const Py_UNICODE *dot = Py_UNICODE_strchr(src, '.');
 	if (dot) {
 		/* Consume the base module name to get the first attribute */
 		src = dot + 1;
 		while (dot) {
 			/* NB src is only defined when dot != NULL */
 			PyObject *attr;
-			dot = strchr(src, '.');
-			attr = PyString_FromStringAndSize(src, 
-					    dot ? dot - src : strlen(src));
+			dot = Py_UNICODE_strchr(src, '.');
+			attr = PyUnicode_FromUnicode(src, 
+					    dot ? dot - src : Py_UNICODE_strlen(src));
 			if (!attr)
 				return -1;
 			ADDOP_O(c, LOAD_ATTR, attr, names);
@@ -2081,11 +2081,11 @@ compiler_import(struct compiler *c, stmt_ty s)
 		}
 		else {
 			identifier tmp = alias->name;
-			const char *base = PyString_AS_STRING(alias->name);
-			char *dot = strchr(base, '.');
+			const Py_UNICODE *base = PyUnicode_AS_UNICODE(alias->name);
+			Py_UNICODE *dot = Py_UNICODE_strchr(base, '.');
 			if (dot)
-				tmp = PyString_FromStringAndSize(base, 
-								 dot - base);
+				tmp = PyUnicode_FromUnicode(base, 
+							    dot - base);
 			r = compiler_nameop(c, tmp, Store);
 			if (dot) {
 				Py_DECREF(tmp);
@@ -2122,8 +2122,8 @@ compiler_from_import(struct compiler *c, stmt_ty s)
 	}
 
 	if (s->lineno > c->c_future->ff_lineno) {
-		if (!strcmp(PyString_AS_STRING(s->v.ImportFrom.module),
-			    "__future__")) {
+		if (!PyUnicode_CompareWithASCIIString(s->v.ImportFrom.module,
+						      "__future__")) {
 			Py_DECREF(level);
 			Py_DECREF(names);
 			return compiler_error(c, 
@@ -2142,7 +2142,7 @@ compiler_from_import(struct compiler *c, stmt_ty s)
 		alias_ty alias = (alias_ty)asdl_seq_GET(s->v.ImportFrom.names, i);
 		identifier store_name;
 
-		if (i == 0 && *PyString_AS_STRING(alias->name) == '*') {
+		if (i == 0 && *PyUnicode_AS_UNICODE(alias->name) == '*') {
 			assert(n == 1);
 			ADDOP(c, IMPORT_STAR);
 			return 1;
@@ -2172,7 +2172,7 @@ compiler_assert(struct compiler *c, stmt_ty s)
 	if (Py_OptimizeFlag)
 		return 1;
 	if (assertion_error == NULL) {
-		assertion_error = PyString_FromString("AssertionError");
+		assertion_error = PyUnicode_FromString("AssertionError");
 		if (assertion_error == NULL)
 			return 0;
 	}
@@ -2417,7 +2417,7 @@ compiler_nameop(struct compiler *c, identifier name, expr_context_ty ctx)
 
 	/* First check for assignment to __debug__. Param? */
 	if ((ctx == Store || ctx == AugStore || ctx == Del)
-	    && !strcmp(PyString_AS_STRING(name), "__debug__")) {
+	    && !PyUnicode_CompareWithASCIIString(name, "__debug__")) {
 		return compiler_error(c, "can not assign to __debug__");
 	}
 
@@ -2455,7 +2455,7 @@ mangled = _Py_Mangle(c->u->u_private, name);
 	}
 
 	/* XXX Leave assert here, but handle __doc__ and the like better */
-	assert(scope || PyString_AS_STRING(name)[0] == '_');
+	assert(scope || PyUnicode_AS_UNICODE(name)[0] == '_');
 
 	switch (optype) {
 	case OP_DEREF:
@@ -2889,7 +2889,7 @@ compiler_genexp(struct compiler *c, expr_ty e)
 {
 	static identifier name;
 	if (!name) {
-		name = PyString_FromString("<genexp>");
+		name = PyUnicode_FromString("<genexp>");
 		if (!name)
 			return 0;
 	}
@@ -2904,7 +2904,7 @@ compiler_listcomp(struct compiler *c, expr_ty e)
 {
 	static identifier name;
 	if (!name) {
-		name = PyString_FromString("<listcomp>");
+		name = PyUnicode_FromString("<listcomp>");
 		if (!name)
 			return 0;
 	}
@@ -2919,7 +2919,7 @@ compiler_setcomp(struct compiler *c, expr_ty e)
 {
 	static identifier name;
 	if (!name) {
-		name = PyString_FromString("<setcomp>");
+		name = PyUnicode_FromString("<setcomp>");
 		if (!name)
 			return 0;
 	}
@@ -2957,8 +2957,8 @@ expr_constant(expr_ty e)
 	case Name_kind:
 		/* __debug__ is not assignable, so we can optimize
 		 * it away in if and while statements */
-		if (strcmp(PyString_AS_STRING(e->v.Name.id),
-			   "__debug__") == 0)
+		if (PyUnicode_CompareWithASCIIString(e->v.Name.id,
+						     "__debug__") == 0)
 			   return ! Py_OptimizeFlag;
 		/* fall through */
 	default:
@@ -2999,12 +2999,12 @@ compiler_with(struct compiler *c, stmt_ty s)
     assert(s->kind == With_kind);
 
     if (!enter_attr) {
-	enter_attr = PyString_InternFromString("__enter__");
+	enter_attr = PyUnicode_InternFromString("__enter__");
 	if (!enter_attr)
 	    return 0;
     }
     if (!exit_attr) {
-	exit_attr = PyString_InternFromString("__exit__");
+	exit_attr = PyUnicode_InternFromString("__exit__");
 	if (!exit_attr)
 	    return 0;
     }
diff --git a/Python/future.c b/Python/future.c
index d6f11a4469..2092f58753 100644
--- a/Python/future.c
+++ b/Python/future.c
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ future_parse(PyFutureFeatures *ff, mod_ty mod, const char *filename)
 
 	static PyObject *future;
 	if (!future) {
-		future = PyString_InternFromString("__future__");
+		future = PyUnicode_InternFromString("__future__");
 		if (!future)
 			return 0;
 	}
diff --git a/Python/import.c b/Python/import.c
index 75f1e015b0..0e4e50c8f5 100644
--- a/Python/import.c
+++ b/Python/import.c
@@ -1920,7 +1920,7 @@ PyImport_ImportFrozenModule(char *name)
 		if (m == NULL)
 			goto err_return;
 		d = PyModule_GetDict(m);
-		s = PyString_InternFromString(name);
+		s = PyUnicode_InternFromString(name);
 		if (s == NULL)
 			goto err_return;
 		err = PyDict_SetItemString(d, "__path__", s);
@@ -1949,7 +1949,7 @@ PyImport_ImportModule(const char *name)
 	PyObject *pname;
 	PyObject *result;
 
-	pname = PyString_FromString(name);
+	pname = PyUnicode_FromString(name);
 	if (pname == NULL)
 		return NULL;
 	result = PyImport_Import(pname);
@@ -2084,12 +2084,12 @@ get_parent(PyObject *globals, char *buf, Py_ssize_t *p_buflen, int level)
 		return Py_None;
 
 	if (namestr == NULL) {
-		namestr = PyString_InternFromString("__name__");
+		namestr = PyUnicode_InternFromString("__name__");
 		if (namestr == NULL)
 			return NULL;
 	}
 	if (pathstr == NULL) {
-		pathstr = PyString_InternFromString("__path__");
+		pathstr = PyUnicode_InternFromString("__path__");
 		if (pathstr == NULL)
 			return NULL;
 	}
@@ -2097,9 +2097,18 @@ get_parent(PyObject *globals, char *buf, Py_ssize_t *p_buflen, int level)
 	*buf = '\0';
 	*p_buflen = 0;
 	modname = PyDict_GetItem(globals, namestr);
-	if (modname == NULL || !PyString_Check(modname))
+	if (modname == NULL || (!PyString_Check(modname) && !PyUnicode_Check(modname)))
 		return Py_None;
 
+	if (PyUnicode_Check(modname)) {
+		/* XXX need to support Unicode better */
+		modname = _PyUnicode_AsDefaultEncodedString(modname, NULL);
+		if (!modname) {
+			PyErr_Clear();
+			return NULL;
+		}
+	}
+
 	modpath = PyDict_GetItem(globals, pathstr);
 	if (modpath != NULL) {
 		Py_ssize_t len = PyString_GET_SIZE(modname);
@@ -2254,13 +2263,23 @@ ensure_fromlist(PyObject *mod, PyObject *fromlist, char *buf, Py_ssize_t buflen,
 			}
 			return 0;
 		}
-		if (!PyString_Check(item)) {
+		if (PyString_Check(item)) {
+			/* XXX there shouldn't be any str8 objects here */
+			PyObject *uni = PyUnicode_DecodeASCII(PyString_AsString(item),
+							      PyString_Size(item),
+							      "strict");
+			Py_DECREF(item);
+			if (!uni)
+				return 0;
+			item = uni;
+		}
+		if (!PyUnicode_Check(item)) {
 			PyErr_SetString(PyExc_TypeError,
-					"Item in ``from list'' not a string");
+					"Item in ``from list'' not a unicode string");
 			Py_DECREF(item);
 			return 0;
 		}
-		if (PyString_AS_STRING(item)[0] == '*') {
+		if (PyUnicode_AS_UNICODE(item)[0] == '*') {
 			PyObject *all;
 			Py_DECREF(item);
 			/* See if the package defines __all__ */
@@ -2279,9 +2298,23 @@ ensure_fromlist(PyObject *mod, PyObject *fromlist, char *buf, Py_ssize_t buflen,
 		}
 		hasit = PyObject_HasAttr(mod, item);
 		if (!hasit) {
-			char *subname = PyString_AS_STRING(item);
+			PyObject *item8;
+			char *subname;
 			PyObject *submod;
 			char *p;
+			if (!Py_FileSystemDefaultEncoding) {
+				item8 = PyUnicode_EncodeASCII(PyUnicode_AsUnicode(item),
+							      PyUnicode_GetSize(item),
+							      "strict");
+			} else {
+				item8 = PyUnicode_AsEncodedObject(item, 
+				Py_FileSystemDefaultEncoding, "strict");
+			}
+			if (!item8) {
+				PyErr_SetString(PyExc_ValueError, "Cannot encode path item");
+				return 0;
+			}
+			subname = PyBytes_AsString(item8);
 			if (buflen + strlen(subname) >= MAXPATHLEN) {
 				PyErr_SetString(PyExc_ValueError,
 						"Module name too long");
@@ -2292,6 +2325,7 @@ ensure_fromlist(PyObject *mod, PyObject *fromlist, char *buf, Py_ssize_t buflen,
 			*p++ = '.';
 			strcpy(p, subname);
 			submod = import_submodule(mod, subname, buf);
+			Py_DECREF(item8);
 			Py_XDECREF(submod);
 			if (submod == NULL) {
 				Py_DECREF(item);
@@ -2515,10 +2549,10 @@ PyImport_Import(PyObject *module_name)
 
 	/* Initialize constant string objects */
 	if (silly_list == NULL) {
-		import_str = PyString_InternFromString("__import__");
+		import_str = PyUnicode_InternFromString("__import__");
 		if (import_str == NULL)
 			return NULL;
-		builtins_str = PyString_InternFromString("__builtins__");
+		builtins_str = PyUnicode_InternFromString("__builtins__");
 		if (builtins_str == NULL)
 			return NULL;
 		silly_list = Py_BuildValue("[s]", "__doc__");
diff --git a/Python/modsupport.c b/Python/modsupport.c
index a272ce3135..1ea08c39a5 100644
--- a/Python/modsupport.c
+++ b/Python/modsupport.c
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ Py_InitModule4(const char *name, PyMethodDef *methods, const char *doc,
 		return NULL;
 	d = PyModule_GetDict(m);
 	if (methods != NULL) {
-		n = PyString_FromString(name);
+		n = PyUnicode_FromString(name);
 		if (n == NULL)
 			return NULL;
 		for (ml = methods; ml->ml_name != NULL; ml++) {
@@ -689,5 +689,5 @@ PyModule_AddIntConstant(PyObject *m, const char *name, long value)
 int 
 PyModule_AddStringConstant(PyObject *m, const char *name, const char *value)
 {
-	return PyModule_AddObject(m, name, PyString_FromString(value));
+	return PyModule_AddObject(m, name, PyUnicode_FromString(value));
 }
diff --git a/Python/pystate.c b/Python/pystate.c
index 086789d355..1914ba8e14 100644
--- a/Python/pystate.c
+++ b/Python/pystate.c
@@ -167,6 +167,8 @@ PyThreadState_New(PyInterpreterState *interp)
 
 		tstate->frame = NULL;
 		tstate->recursion_depth = 0;
+		tstate->overflowed = 0;
+		tstate->recursion_critical = 0;
 		tstate->tracing = 0;
 		tstate->use_tracing = 0;
 		tstate->tick_counter = 0;
diff --git a/Python/pythonrun.c b/Python/pythonrun.c
index c2005f1baf..5daf7dd0ec 100644
--- a/Python/pythonrun.c
+++ b/Python/pythonrun.c
@@ -1133,6 +1133,8 @@ PyErr_Display(PyObject *exception, PyObject *value, PyObject *tb)
 	PyObject *f = PySys_GetObject("stderr");
 	Py_INCREF(value);
 	if (f == NULL)
+		_PyObject_Dump(value);
+	if (f == NULL)
 		fprintf(stderr, "lost sys.stderr\n");
 	else {
 		fflush(stdout);
diff --git a/Python/symtable.c b/Python/symtable.c
index f3a2c78c16..5df7318d17 100644
--- a/Python/symtable.c
+++ b/Python/symtable.c
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ ste_repr(PySTEntryObject *ste)
 
 	PyOS_snprintf(buf, sizeof(buf),
 		      "<symtable entry %.100s(%ld), line %d>",
-		      PyString_AS_STRING(ste->ste_name),
+		      PyUnicode_AsString(ste->ste_name),
 		      PyInt_AS_LONG(ste->ste_id), ste->ste_lineno);
 	return PyUnicode_FromString(buf);
 }
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ static identifier top = NULL, lambda = NULL, genexpr = NULL,
     listcomp = NULL, setcomp = NULL;
 
 #define GET_IDENTIFIER(VAR) \
-	((VAR) ? (VAR) : ((VAR) = PyString_InternFromString(# VAR)))
+	((VAR) ? (VAR) : ((VAR) = PyUnicode_InternFromString(# VAR)))
 
 #define DUPLICATE_ARGUMENT \
 "duplicate argument '%s' in function definition"
@@ -390,13 +390,13 @@ analyze_name(PySTEntryObject *ste, PyObject *scopes, PyObject *name, long flags,
 		if (flags & DEF_PARAM) {
 			PyErr_Format(PyExc_SyntaxError,
 				     "name '%s' is parameter and global",
-				     PyString_AS_STRING(name));
+				     PyUnicode_AsString(name));
 			return 0;
 		}
                 if (flags & DEF_NONLOCAL) {
 			PyErr_Format(PyExc_SyntaxError,
 				     "name '%s' is nonlocal and global",
-				     PyString_AS_STRING(name));
+				     PyUnicode_AsString(name));
 			return 0;
                 }
 		SET_SCOPE(scopes, name, GLOBAL_EXPLICIT);
@@ -410,7 +410,7 @@ analyze_name(PySTEntryObject *ste, PyObject *scopes, PyObject *name, long flags,
 		if (flags & DEF_PARAM) {
 			PyErr_Format(PyExc_SyntaxError,
 				     "name '%s' is parameter and nonlocal",
-				     PyString_AS_STRING(name));
+				     PyUnicode_AsString(name));
 			return 0;
 		}
 		if (!bound) {
@@ -421,7 +421,7 @@ analyze_name(PySTEntryObject *ste, PyObject *scopes, PyObject *name, long flags,
                 if (!PySet_Contains(bound, name)) {
                         PyErr_Format(PyExc_SyntaxError,
                                      "no binding for nonlocal '%s' found",
-				     PyString_AS_STRING(name));
+				     PyUnicode_AsString(name));
                                      
                         return 0;
                 }
@@ -524,7 +524,7 @@ check_unoptimized(const PySTEntryObject* ste) {
 		PyOS_snprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), 
 			      "import * is not allowed in function '%.100s' "
 			      "because it is %s",
-			      PyString_AS_STRING(ste->ste_name), trailer);
+			      PyUnicode_AsString(ste->ste_name), trailer);
 		break;
 	}
 
@@ -984,7 +984,7 @@ symtable_new_tmpname(struct symtable *st)
 
 	PyOS_snprintf(tmpname, sizeof(tmpname), "_[%d]",
 		      ++st->st_cur->ste_tmpname);
-	tmp = PyString_InternFromString(tmpname);
+	tmp = PyUnicode_InternFromString(tmpname);
 	if (!tmp)
 		return 0;
 	if (!symtable_add_def(st, tmp, DEF_LOCAL))
@@ -1129,7 +1129,7 @@ symtable_visit_stmt(struct symtable *st, stmt_ty s)
 		asdl_seq *seq = s->v.Global.names;
 		for (i = 0; i < asdl_seq_LEN(seq); i++) {
 			identifier name = (identifier)asdl_seq_GET(seq, i);
-			char *c_name = PyString_AS_STRING(name);
+			char *c_name = PyUnicode_AsString(name);
 			long cur = symtable_lookup(st, name);
 			if (cur < 0)
 				return 0;
@@ -1156,7 +1156,7 @@ symtable_visit_stmt(struct symtable *st, stmt_ty s)
 		asdl_seq *seq = s->v.Nonlocal.names;
 		for (i = 0; i < asdl_seq_LEN(seq); i++) {
 			identifier name = (identifier)asdl_seq_GET(seq, i);
-			char *c_name = PyString_AS_STRING(name);
+			char *c_name = PyUnicode_AsString(name);
 			long cur = symtable_lookup(st, name);
 			if (cur < 0)
 				return 0;
@@ -1316,7 +1316,7 @@ symtable_visit_expr(struct symtable *st, expr_ty e)
 static int
 symtable_implicit_arg(struct symtable *st, int pos)
 {
-	PyObject *id = PyString_FromFormat(".%d", pos);
+	PyObject *id = PyUnicode_FromFormat(".%d", pos);
 	if (id == NULL)
 		return 0;
 	if (!symtable_add_def(st, id, DEF_PARAM)) {
@@ -1425,10 +1425,10 @@ symtable_visit_alias(struct symtable *st, alias_ty a)
 	*/
 	PyObject *store_name;
 	PyObject *name = (a->asname == NULL) ? a->name : a->asname;
-	const char *base = PyString_AS_STRING(name);
-	char *dot = strchr(base, '.');
+	const Py_UNICODE *base = PyUnicode_AS_UNICODE(name);
+	Py_UNICODE *dot = Py_UNICODE_strchr(base, '.');
 	if (dot) {
-		store_name = PyString_FromStringAndSize(base, dot - base);
+		store_name = PyUnicode_FromUnicode(base, dot - base);
 		if (!store_name)
 			return 0;
 	}
@@ -1436,7 +1436,7 @@ symtable_visit_alias(struct symtable *st, alias_ty a)
 		store_name = name;
 		Py_INCREF(store_name);
 	}
-	if (strcmp(PyString_AS_STRING(name), "*")) {
+	if (PyUnicode_CompareWithASCIIString(name, "*")) {
 		int r = symtable_add_def(st, store_name, DEF_IMPORT); 
 		Py_DECREF(store_name);
 		return r;
diff --git a/Python/sysmodule.c b/Python/sysmodule.c
index 30e0180da9..1b7674b9b0 100644
--- a/Python/sysmodule.c
+++ b/Python/sysmodule.c
@@ -280,7 +280,7 @@ trace_init(void)
 	int i;
 	for (i = 0; i < 7; ++i) {
 		if (whatstrings[i] == NULL) {
-			name = PyString_InternFromString(whatnames[i]);
+			name = PyUnicode_InternFromString(whatnames[i]);
 			if (name == NULL)
 				return -1;
 			whatstrings[i] = name;
@@ -801,7 +801,7 @@ list_builtin_module_names(void)
 	if (list == NULL)
 		return NULL;
 	for (i = 0; PyImport_Inittab[i].name != NULL; i++) {
-		PyObject *name = PyString_FromString(
+		PyObject *name = PyUnicode_FromString(
 			PyImport_Inittab[i].name);
 		if (name == NULL)
 			break;