diff --git a/Objects/setobject.c b/Objects/setobject.c
--- a/Objects/setobject.c
+++ b/Objects/setobject.c
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@
 static setentry *
 set_lookkey(PySetObject *so, PyObject *key, Py_hash_t hash)
 {
-    setentry *table = so->table;
+    setentry *table;
     setentry *entry;
     size_t perturb;
     size_t mask = so->mask;
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@
     size_t j;
     int cmp;
 
-    entry = &table[i];
+    entry = &so->table[i];
     if (entry->key == NULL)
         return entry;
 
@@ -75,6 +75,7 @@
                 && PyUnicode_CheckExact(key)
                 && _PyUnicode_EQ(startkey, key))
                 return entry;
+            table = so->table;
             Py_INCREF(startkey);
             cmp = PyObject_RichCompareBool(startkey, key, Py_EQ);
             Py_DECREF(startkey);
@@ -101,6 +102,7 @@
                         && PyUnicode_CheckExact(key)
                         && _PyUnicode_EQ(startkey, key))
                         return entry;
+                    table = so->table;
                     Py_INCREF(startkey);
                     cmp = PyObject_RichCompareBool(startkey, key, Py_EQ);
                     Py_DECREF(startkey);
@@ -118,7 +120,7 @@
         perturb >>= PERTURB_SHIFT;
         i = (i * 5 + 1 + perturb) & mask;
 
-        entry = &table[i];
+        entry = &so->table[i];
         if (entry->key == NULL)
             return entry;
     }
@@ -144,11 +146,10 @@
 
   restart:
 
-    table = so->table;
     mask = so->mask;
     i = (size_t)hash & mask;
 
-    entry = &table[i];
+    entry = &so->table[i];
     if (entry->key == NULL)
         goto found_unused;
 
@@ -166,18 +167,19 @@
                 && PyUnicode_CheckExact(key)
                 && _PyUnicode_EQ(startkey, key))
                 goto found_active;
+            table = so->table;
             Py_INCREF(startkey);
             cmp = PyObject_RichCompareBool(startkey, key, Py_EQ);
             Py_DECREF(startkey);
-            if (cmp < 0)                                          /* unlikely */
-                goto comparison_error;
-            if (table != so->table || entry->key != startkey)     /* unlikely */
-                goto restart;
             if (cmp > 0)                                          /* likely */
                 goto found_active;
+            if (cmp < 0)
+                goto comparison_error;
+            if (table != so->table || entry->key != startkey)
+                goto restart;
             mask = so->mask;                 /* help avoid a register spill */
         }
-        if (entry->hash == -1 && freeslot == NULL)
+        else if (entry->hash == -1 && freeslot == NULL)
             freeslot = entry;
 
         if (i + LINEAR_PROBES <= mask) {
@@ -194,15 +196,16 @@
                         && PyUnicode_CheckExact(key)
                         && _PyUnicode_EQ(startkey, key))
                         goto found_active;
+                    table = so->table;
                     Py_INCREF(startkey);
                     cmp = PyObject_RichCompareBool(startkey, key, Py_EQ);
                     Py_DECREF(startkey);
+                    if (cmp > 0)
+                        goto found_active;
                     if (cmp < 0)
                         goto comparison_error;
                     if (table != so->table || entry->key != startkey)
                         goto restart;
-                    if (cmp > 0)
-                        goto found_active;
                     mask = so->mask;
                 }
                 else if (entry->hash == -1 && freeslot == NULL)
@@ -213,7 +216,7 @@
         perturb >>= PERTURB_SHIFT;
         i = (i * 5 + 1 + perturb) & mask;
 
-        entry = &table[i];
+        entry = &so->table[i];
         if (entry->key == NULL)
             goto found_unused_or_dummy;
     }