Index: Python/ceval.c
===================================================================
--- Python/ceval.c	(revision 45831)
+++ Python/ceval.c	(working copy)
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@
 static PyObject *ext_do_call(PyObject *, PyObject ***, int, int, int);
 static PyObject *update_keyword_args(PyObject *, int, PyObject ***,PyObject *);
 static PyObject *update_star_args(int, int, PyObject *, PyObject ***);
-static PyObject *load_args(PyObject ***, int);
+static PyObject *load_args(PyObject ***, int, int*);
 #define CALL_FLAG_VAR 1
 #define CALL_FLAG_KW 2
 
@@ -3509,11 +3509,11 @@
 	if (PyCFunction_Check(func) && nk == 0) {
 		int flags = PyCFunction_GET_FLAGS(func);
 		PyThreadState *tstate = PyThreadState_GET();
+		PyCFunction meth = PyCFunction_GET_FUNCTION(func);
+		PyObject *self = PyCFunction_GET_SELF(func);
 
 		PCALL(PCALL_CFUNCTION);
 		if (flags & (METH_NOARGS | METH_O)) {
-			PyCFunction meth = PyCFunction_GET_FUNCTION(func);
-			PyObject *self = PyCFunction_GET_SELF(func);
 			if (flags & METH_NOARGS && na == 0) {
 				C_TRACE(x, (*meth)(self,NULL));
 			}
@@ -3528,11 +3528,26 @@
 			}
 		}
 		else {
+			int needs_free;
 			PyObject *callargs;
-			callargs = load_args(pp_stack, na);
+			callargs = load_args(pp_stack, na, &needs_free);
 			READ_TIMESTAMP(*pintr0);
-			C_TRACE(x, PyCFunction_Call(func,callargs,NULL));
+			if ((flags & ~(METH_CLASS | METH_STATIC | METH_COEXIST))
+ == METH_VARARGS) {
+				C_TRACE(x, (*meth)(self,callargs));
+			}
+			else {
+				C_TRACE(x, PyCFunction_Call(func,callargs,NULL));
+			}
 			READ_TIMESTAMP(*pintr1);
+			if (needs_free) {
+				int i;
+				for (i = 0; i < na; i++) {
+					w = PyTuple_GET_ITEM(callargs, i);
+					Py_DECREF(w);
+				}
+				((PyVarObject*)callargs)->ob_size = 0;
+			}
 			Py_XDECREF(callargs);
 		}
 	} else {
@@ -3698,14 +3713,36 @@
 	return callargs;
 }
 
+#define _MAX_ARG_COUNT 8
+#define _NUM_ARG_HOLDERS 64
+static PyObject* _args_holder[_NUM_ARG_HOLDERS];
+static int _last_index = 0;
+
+int
+_PyEval_Init(void)
+{
+	int i;
+	for (i = 0; i < _NUM_ARG_HOLDERS; i++)
+		_args_holder[i] = PyTuple_New(_MAX_ARG_COUNT);
+	return !PyErr_Occurred();
+}
+
 static PyObject *
-load_args(PyObject ***pp_stack, int na)
+load_args(PyObject ***pp_stack, int na, int *needs_free)
 {
-	PyObject *args = PyTuple_New(na);
+	PyObject *args = _args_holder[_last_index++ & (_NUM_ARG_HOLDERS - 1)];
 	PyObject *w;
 
-	if (args == NULL)
-		return NULL;
+	*needs_free = na <= _MAX_ARG_COUNT && args->ob_refcnt == 1;
+	if (*needs_free) {
+		((PyVarObject*)args)->ob_size = na;
+		Py_INCREF(args);
+	}
+	else {
+		args = PyTuple_New(na);
+		if (args == NULL)
+			return NULL;
+	}
 	while (--na >= 0) {
 		w = EXT_POP(*pp_stack);
 		PyTuple_SET_ITEM(args, na, w);
@@ -3719,13 +3756,14 @@
 	PyObject *callargs = NULL;
 	PyObject *kwdict = NULL;
 	PyObject *result = NULL;
+	int needs_free;
 
 	if (nk > 0) {
 		kwdict = update_keyword_args(NULL, nk, pp_stack, func);
 		if (kwdict == NULL)
 			goto call_fail;
 	}
-	callargs = load_args(pp_stack, na);
+	callargs = load_args(pp_stack, na, &needs_free);
 	if (callargs == NULL)
 		goto call_fail;
 #ifdef CALL_PROFILE
@@ -3743,6 +3781,14 @@
 		PCALL(PCALL_OTHER);
 #endif
 	result = PyObject_Call(func, callargs, kwdict);
+	if (needs_free) {
+		int i;
+		for (i = 0; i < na; i++) {
+			PyObject *tmp = PyTuple_GET_ITEM(callargs, i);
+			Py_DECREF(tmp);
+		}
+		((PyVarObject*)callargs)->ob_size = 0;
+	}
  call_fail:
 	Py_XDECREF(callargs);
 	Py_XDECREF(kwdict);
Index: Python/pythonrun.c
===================================================================
--- Python/pythonrun.c	(revision 45831)
+++ Python/pythonrun.c	(working copy)
@@ -156,6 +156,7 @@
 	char *saved_locale;
 	PyObject *sys_stream, *sys_isatty;
 #endif
+	extern int _PyEval_Init(void);
 	extern void _Py_ReadyTypes(void);
 
 	if (initialized)
@@ -183,6 +184,9 @@
 	if (!_PyFrame_Init())
 		Py_FatalError("Py_Initialize: can't init frames");
 
+	if (!_PyEval_Init())
+		Py_FatalError("Py_Initialize: can't init eval");
+
 	if (!_PyInt_Init())
 		Py_FatalError("Py_Initialize: can't init ints");