diff --git a/Modules/_bz2module.c b/Modules/_bz2module.c
index 7dfd3072dc2..425845fd4a3 100644
--- a/Modules/_bz2module.c
+++ b/Modules/_bz2module.c
@@ -540,9 +540,8 @@ decompress(BZ2Decompressor *d, char *data, size_t len, Py_ssize_t max_length)
     if (d->eof) {
         d->needs_input = 0;
         if (d->bzs_avail_in_real > 0) {
-            Py_CLEAR(d->unused_data);
-            d->unused_data = PyBytes_FromStringAndSize(
-                bzs->next_in, d->bzs_avail_in_real);
+            Py_SETREF(d->unused_data,
+                      PyBytes_FromStringAndSize(bzs->next_in, d->bzs_avail_in_real));
             if (d->unused_data == NULL)
                 goto error;
         }
diff --git a/Modules/_io/bufferedio.c b/Modules/_io/bufferedio.c
index 6bb2200e20a..ae4af9d5ffd 100644
--- a/Modules/_io/bufferedio.c
+++ b/Modules/_io/bufferedio.c
@@ -1196,8 +1196,7 @@ found:
         Py_CLEAR(res);
         goto end;
     }
-    Py_CLEAR(res);
-    res = _PyBytes_Join(_PyIO_empty_bytes, chunks);
+    Py_SETREF(res, _PyBytes_Join(_PyIO_empty_bytes, chunks));
 
 end:
     LEAVE_BUFFERED(self)
@@ -1452,9 +1451,8 @@ _io_BufferedReader___init___impl(buffered *self, PyObject *raw,
     if (_PyIOBase_check_readable(raw, Py_True) == NULL)
         return -1;
 
-    Py_CLEAR(self->raw);
     Py_INCREF(raw);
-    self->raw = raw;
+    Py_SETREF(self->raw, raw);
     self->buffer_size = buffer_size;
     self->readable = 1;
     self->writable = 0;
@@ -1805,9 +1803,8 @@ _io_BufferedWriter___init___impl(buffered *self, PyObject *raw,
     if (_PyIOBase_check_writable(raw, Py_True) == NULL)
         return -1;
 
-    Py_CLEAR(self->raw);
     Py_INCREF(raw);
-    self->raw = raw;
+    Py_SETREF(self->raw, raw);
     self->readable = 0;
     self->writable = 1;
 
@@ -2309,9 +2306,8 @@ _io_BufferedRandom___init___impl(buffered *self, PyObject *raw,
     if (_PyIOBase_check_writable(raw, Py_True) == NULL)
         return -1;
 
-    Py_CLEAR(self->raw);
     Py_INCREF(raw);
-    self->raw = raw;
+    Py_SETREF(self->raw, raw);
     self->buffer_size = buffer_size;
     self->readable = 1;
     self->writable = 1;
diff --git a/Modules/_io/textio.c b/Modules/_io/textio.c
index b232b0242e5..b1d2b6febe9 100644
--- a/Modules/_io/textio.c
+++ b/Modules/_io/textio.c
@@ -995,8 +995,7 @@ _io_TextIOWrapper___init___impl(textio *self, PyObject *buffer,
                 "Oi", self->decoder, (int)self->readtranslate);
             if (incrementalDecoder == NULL)
                 goto error;
-            Py_CLEAR(self->decoder);
-            self->decoder = incrementalDecoder;
+            Py_SETREF(self->decoder, incrementalDecoder);
         }
     }
 
@@ -1374,8 +1373,7 @@ _io_TextIOWrapper_write_impl(textio *self, PyObject *text)
 static void
 textiowrapper_set_decoded_chars(textio *self, PyObject *chars)
 {
-    Py_CLEAR(self->decoded_chars);
-    self->decoded_chars = chars;
+    Py_SETREF(self->decoded_chars, chars);
     self->decoded_chars_used = 0;
 }
 
@@ -1523,8 +1521,7 @@ textiowrapper_read_chunk(textio *self, Py_ssize_t size_hint)
             dec_buffer = NULL; /* Reference lost to PyBytes_Concat */
             goto fail;
         }
-        Py_CLEAR(self->snapshot);
-        self->snapshot = Py_BuildValue("NN", dec_flags, next_input);
+        Py_SETREF(self->snapshot, Py_BuildValue("NN", dec_flags, next_input));
     }
     Py_DECREF(input_chunk);
 
@@ -1630,8 +1627,7 @@ _io_TextIOWrapper_read_impl(textio *self, Py_ssize_t n)
         if (chunks != NULL) {
             if (result != NULL && PyList_Append(chunks, result) < 0)
                 goto fail;
-            Py_CLEAR(result);
-            result = PyUnicode_Join(_PyIO_empty_str, chunks);
+            Py_SETREF(result, PyUnicode_Join(_PyIO_empty_str, chunks));
             if (result == NULL)
                 goto fail;
             Py_CLEAR(chunks);
diff --git a/Modules/_lzmamodule.c b/Modules/_lzmamodule.c
index 7e4e2dfa8e9..9bc8033153b 100644
--- a/Modules/_lzmamodule.c
+++ b/Modules/_lzmamodule.c
@@ -1011,9 +1011,8 @@ decompress(Decompressor *d, uint8_t *data, size_t len, Py_ssize_t max_length)
     if (d->eof) {
         d->needs_input = 0;
         if (lzs->avail_in > 0) {
-            Py_CLEAR(d->unused_data);
-            d->unused_data = PyBytes_FromStringAndSize(
-                (char *)lzs->next_in, lzs->avail_in);
+            Py_SETREF(d->unused_data,
+                      PyBytes_FromStringAndSize((char *)lzs->next_in, lzs->avail_in));
             if (d->unused_data == NULL)
                 goto error;
         }
diff --git a/Modules/_pickle.c b/Modules/_pickle.c
index 56bbd587b59..2a070e22e7b 100644
--- a/Modules/_pickle.c
+++ b/Modules/_pickle.c
@@ -846,9 +846,8 @@ PyMemoTable_Set(PyMemoTable *self, PyObject *key, Py_ssize_t value)
 static int
 _Pickler_ClearBuffer(PicklerObject *self)
 {
-    Py_CLEAR(self->output_buffer);
-    self->output_buffer =
-        PyBytes_FromStringAndSize(NULL, self->max_output_len);
+    Py_SETREF(self->output_buffer,
+              PyBytes_FromStringAndSize(NULL, self->max_output_len));
     if (self->output_buffer == NULL)
         return -1;
     self->output_len = 0;
@@ -3089,9 +3088,8 @@ fix_imports(PyObject **module_name, PyObject **global_name)
                          Py_TYPE(item)->tp_name);
             return -1;
         }
-        Py_CLEAR(*module_name);
         Py_INCREF(item);
-        *module_name = item;
+        Py_SETREF(*module_name, item);
     }
     else if (PyErr_Occurred()) {
         return -1;
diff --git a/Modules/_struct.c b/Modules/_struct.c
index b61f9f6fa9c..1f1bb93ca94 100644
--- a/Modules/_struct.c
+++ b/Modules/_struct.c
@@ -1437,8 +1437,7 @@ s_init(PyObject *self, PyObject *args, PyObject *kwds)
         return -1;
     }
 
-    Py_CLEAR(soself->s_format);
-    soself->s_format = o_format;
+    Py_SETREF(soself->s_format, o_format);
 
     ret = prepare_s(soself);
     return ret;
diff --git a/Modules/cjkcodecs/multibytecodec.c b/Modules/cjkcodecs/multibytecodec.c
index e4547f75c99..70a606fae17 100644
--- a/Modules/cjkcodecs/multibytecodec.c
+++ b/Modules/cjkcodecs/multibytecodec.c
@@ -793,8 +793,7 @@ encoder_encode_stateful(MultibyteStatefulEncoderContext *ctx,
                               ctx->errors, final ? MBENC_FLUSH | MBENC_RESET : 0);
     if (r == NULL) {
         /* recover the original pending buffer */
-        Py_CLEAR(ctx->pending);
-        ctx->pending = origpending;
+        Py_SETREF(ctx->pending, origpending);
         origpending = NULL;
         goto errorexit;
     }
diff --git a/Modules/itertoolsmodule.c b/Modules/itertoolsmodule.c
index 1c9a17301b9..ccd69be2fe0 100644
--- a/Modules/itertoolsmodule.c
+++ b/Modules/itertoolsmodule.c
@@ -159,15 +159,12 @@ groupby_setstate(groupbyobject *lz, PyObject *state)
     PyObject *currkey, *currvalue, *tgtkey;
     if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(state, "OOO", &currkey, &currvalue, &tgtkey))
         return NULL;
-    Py_CLEAR(lz->currkey);
-    lz->currkey = currkey;
-    Py_INCREF(lz->currkey);
-    Py_CLEAR(lz->currvalue);
-    lz->currvalue = currvalue;
-    Py_INCREF(lz->currvalue);
-    Py_CLEAR(lz->tgtkey);
-    lz->tgtkey = tgtkey;
-    Py_INCREF(lz->tgtkey);
+    Py_INCREF(currkey);
+    Py_SETREF(lz->currkey, currkey);
+    Py_INCREF(currvalue);
+    Py_SETREF(lz->currvalue, currvalue);
+    Py_INCREF(tgtkey);
+    Py_SETREF(lz->tgtkey, tgtkey);
     Py_RETURN_NONE;
 }
 
@@ -747,9 +744,8 @@ tee_setstate(teeobject *to, PyObject *state)
         PyErr_SetString(PyExc_ValueError, "Index out of range");
         return NULL;
     }
-    Py_CLEAR(to->dataobj);
-    to->dataobj = tdo;
-    Py_INCREF(to->dataobj);
+    Py_INCREF(tdo);
+    Py_SETREF(to->dataobj, tdo);
     to->index = index;
     Py_RETURN_NONE;
 }
@@ -974,9 +970,8 @@ cycle_setstate(cycleobject *lz, PyObject *state)
     int firstpass;
     if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(state, "Oi", &saved, &firstpass))
         return NULL;
-    Py_CLEAR(lz->saved);
-    lz->saved = saved;
-    Py_XINCREF(lz->saved);
+    Py_XINCREF(saved);
+    Py_SETREF(lz->saved, saved);
     lz->firstpass = firstpass != 0;
     Py_RETURN_NONE;
 }
@@ -1901,12 +1896,10 @@ chain_setstate(chainobject *lz, PyObject *state)
     if (! PyArg_ParseTuple(state, "O|O", &source, &active))
         return NULL;
 
-    Py_CLEAR(lz->source);
-    lz->source = source;
-    Py_INCREF(lz->source);
-    Py_CLEAR(lz->active);
-    lz->active = active;
-    Py_XINCREF(lz->active);
+    Py_INCREF(source);
+    Py_SETREF(lz->source, source);
+    Py_XINCREF(active);
+    Py_SETREF(lz->active, active);
     Py_RETURN_NONE;
 }
 
@@ -2262,8 +2255,7 @@ product_setstate(productobject *lz, PyObject *state)
         Py_INCREF(element);
         PyTuple_SET_ITEM(result, i, element);
     }
-    Py_CLEAR(lz->result);
-    lz->result = result;
+    Py_SETREF(lz->result, result);
     Py_RETURN_NONE;
 }
 
@@ -2585,8 +2577,7 @@ combinations_setstate(combinationsobject *lz, PyObject *state)
         PyTuple_SET_ITEM(result, i, element);
     }
 
-    Py_CLEAR(lz->result);
-    lz->result = result;
+    Py_SETREF(lz->result, result);
     Py_RETURN_NONE;
 }
 
@@ -2916,8 +2907,7 @@ cwr_setstate(cwrobject *lz, PyObject *state)
         Py_INCREF(element);
         PyTuple_SET_ITEM(result, i, element);
     }
-    Py_CLEAR(lz->result);
-    lz->result = result;
+    Py_SETREF(lz->result, result);
     Py_RETURN_NONE;
 }
 
@@ -3310,8 +3300,7 @@ permutations_setstate(permutationsobject *po, PyObject *state)
         Py_INCREF(element);
         PyTuple_SET_ITEM(result, i, element);
     }
-    Py_CLEAR(po->result);
-    po->result = result;
+    Py_SETREF(po->result, result);
     Py_RETURN_NONE;
 }
 
@@ -3481,9 +3470,8 @@ accumulate_reduce(accumulateobject *lz)
 static PyObject *
 accumulate_setstate(accumulateobject *lz, PyObject *state)
 {
-    Py_CLEAR(lz->total);
-    lz->total = state;
-    Py_INCREF(lz->total);
+    Py_INCREF(state);
+    Py_SETREF(lz->total, state);
     Py_RETURN_NONE;
 }
 
@@ -4464,9 +4452,8 @@ zip_longest_reduce(ziplongestobject *lz)
 static PyObject *
 zip_longest_setstate(ziplongestobject *lz, PyObject *state)
 {
-    Py_CLEAR(lz->fillvalue);
-    lz->fillvalue = state;
-    Py_INCREF(lz->fillvalue);
+    Py_INCREF(state);
+    Py_SETREF(lz->fillvalue, state);
     Py_RETURN_NONE;
 }
 
diff --git a/Objects/exceptions.c b/Objects/exceptions.c
index 62ea3789f75..351304fe433 100644
--- a/Objects/exceptions.c
+++ b/Objects/exceptions.c
@@ -206,8 +206,7 @@ BaseException_set_args(PyBaseExceptionObject *self, PyObject *val)
     seq = PySequence_Tuple(val);
     if (!seq)
         return -1;
-    Py_CLEAR(self->args);
-    self->args = seq;
+    Py_SETREF(self->args, seq);
     return 0;
 }
 
@@ -646,9 +645,8 @@ ImportError_init(PyImportErrorObject *self, PyObject *args, PyObject *kwds)
     if (!PyArg_UnpackTuple(args, "ImportError", 1, 1, &msg))
         return -1;
 
-    Py_CLEAR(self->msg);          /* replacing */
-    self->msg = msg;
-    Py_INCREF(self->msg);
+    Py_INCREF(msg);
+    Py_SETREF(self->msg, msg);
 
     return 0;
 }
@@ -858,8 +856,7 @@ oserror_init(PyOSErrorObject *self, PyObject **p_args,
 #endif
 
     /* Steals the reference to args */
-    Py_CLEAR(self->args);
-    self->args = args;
+    Py_SETREF(self->args, args);
     *p_args = args = NULL;
 
     return 0;
@@ -1278,9 +1275,8 @@ SyntaxError_init(PySyntaxErrorObject *self, PyObject *args, PyObject *kwds)
         return -1;
 
     if (lenargs >= 1) {
-        Py_CLEAR(self->msg);
-        self->msg = PyTuple_GET_ITEM(args, 0);
-        Py_INCREF(self->msg);
+        Py_INCREF(PyTuple_GET_ITEM(args, 0));
+        Py_SETREF(self->msg, PyTuple_GET_ITEM(args, 0));
     }
     if (lenargs == 2) {
         info = PyTuple_GET_ITEM(args, 1);
@@ -1295,21 +1291,17 @@ SyntaxError_init(PySyntaxErrorObject *self, PyObject *args, PyObject *kwds)
             return -1;
         }
 
-        Py_CLEAR(self->filename);
-        self->filename = PyTuple_GET_ITEM(info, 0);
-        Py_INCREF(self->filename);
+        Py_INCREF(PyTuple_GET_ITEM(info, 0));
+        Py_SETREF(self->filename, PyTuple_GET_ITEM(info, 0));
 
-        Py_CLEAR(self->lineno);
-        self->lineno = PyTuple_GET_ITEM(info, 1);
-        Py_INCREF(self->lineno);
+        Py_INCREF(PyTuple_GET_ITEM(info, 1));
+        Py_SETREF(self->lineno, PyTuple_GET_ITEM(info, 1));
 
-        Py_CLEAR(self->offset);
-        self->offset = PyTuple_GET_ITEM(info, 2);
-        Py_INCREF(self->offset);
+        Py_INCREF(PyTuple_GET_ITEM(info, 2));
+        Py_SETREF(self->offset, PyTuple_GET_ITEM(info, 2));
 
-        Py_CLEAR(self->text);
-        self->text = PyTuple_GET_ITEM(info, 3);
-        Py_INCREF(self->text);
+        Py_INCREF(PyTuple_GET_ITEM(info, 3));
+        Py_SETREF(self->text, PyTuple_GET_ITEM(info, 3));
 
         Py_DECREF(info);
 
@@ -1554,8 +1546,7 @@ set_unicodefromstring(PyObject **attr, const char *value)
     PyObject *obj = PyUnicode_FromString(value);
     if (!obj)
         return -1;
-    Py_CLEAR(*attr);
-    *attr = obj;
+    Py_SETREF(*attr, obj);
     return 0;
 }
 
@@ -1961,8 +1952,7 @@ UnicodeDecodeError_init(PyObject *self, PyObject *args, PyObject *kwds)
         Py_buffer view;
         if (PyObject_GetBuffer(ude->object, &view, PyBUF_SIMPLE) != 0)
             goto error;
-        Py_CLEAR(ude->object);
-        ude->object = PyBytes_FromStringAndSize(view.buf, view.len);
+        Py_SETREF(ude->object, PyBytes_FromStringAndSize(view.buf, view.len));
         PyBuffer_Release(&view);
         if (!ude->object)
             goto error;
@@ -2871,9 +2861,8 @@ _check_for_legacy_statements(PySyntaxErrorObject *self, Py_ssize_t start)
     }
     if (PyUnicode_Tailmatch(self->text, print_prefix,
                             start, text_len, -1)) {
-        Py_CLEAR(self->msg);
-        self->msg = PyUnicode_FromString(
-                   "Missing parentheses in call to 'print'");
+        Py_SETREF(self->msg,
+                  PyUnicode_FromString("Missing parentheses in call to 'print'"));
         return 1;
     }
 
@@ -2886,9 +2875,8 @@ _check_for_legacy_statements(PySyntaxErrorObject *self, Py_ssize_t start)
     }
     if (PyUnicode_Tailmatch(self->text, exec_prefix,
                             start, text_len, -1)) {
-        Py_CLEAR(self->msg);
-        self->msg = PyUnicode_FromString(
-                    "Missing parentheses in call to 'exec'");
+        Py_SETREF(self->msg,
+                  PyUnicode_FromString("Missing parentheses in call to 'exec'"));
         return 1;
     }
     /* Fall back to the default error message */
diff --git a/Objects/rangeobject.c b/Objects/rangeobject.c
index f858cd25df6..45656d257f1 100644
--- a/Objects/rangeobject.c
+++ b/Objects/rangeobject.c
@@ -1001,8 +1001,7 @@ longrangeiter_setstate(longrangeiterobject *r, PyObject *state)
         return NULL;
     cmp = PyObject_RichCompareBool(state, zero, Py_LT);
     if (cmp > 0) {
-        Py_CLEAR(r->index);
-        r->index = zero;
+        Py_SETREF(r->index, zero);
         Py_RETURN_NONE;
     }
     Py_DECREF(zero);
@@ -1015,9 +1014,8 @@ longrangeiter_setstate(longrangeiterobject *r, PyObject *state)
     if (cmp > 0)
         state = r->len;
 
-    Py_CLEAR(r->index);
-    r->index = state;
-    Py_INCREF(r->index);
+    Py_INCREF(state);
+    Py_SETREF(r->index, state);
     Py_RETURN_NONE;
 }
 
diff --git a/Python/ceval.c b/Python/ceval.c
index 5fa555ed436..786adbf7e19 100644
--- a/Python/ceval.c
+++ b/Python/ceval.c
@@ -4410,10 +4410,8 @@ _PyEval_SetCoroutineWrapper(PyObject *wrapper)
 {
     PyThreadState *tstate = PyThreadState_GET();
 
-    Py_CLEAR(tstate->coroutine_wrapper);
-
     Py_XINCREF(wrapper);
-    tstate->coroutine_wrapper = wrapper;
+    Py_SETREF(tstate->coroutine_wrapper, wrapper);
 }
 
 PyObject *