diff --git a/Python/getargs.c b/Python/getargs.c
--- a/Python/getargs.c
+++ b/Python/getargs.c
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ typedef struct {
 typedef struct {
   int first_available;
   freelistentry_t *entries;
+  int entries_malloced;
 } freelist_t;
 
 
@@ -187,7 +188,8 @@ cleanreturn(int retval, freelist_t *free
                                               freelist->entries[index].item);
       }
     }
-    PyMem_FREE(freelist->entries);
+    if (freelist->entries_malloced)
+        PyMem_FREE(freelist->entries);
     return retval;
 }
 
@@ -197,6 +199,8 @@ vgetargs1(PyObject *args, const char *fo
 {
     char msgbuf[256];
     int levels[32];
+    freelistentry_t static_entries[8];
+    freelist_t freelist = {0, static_entries, 0};
     const char *fname = NULL;
     const char *message = NULL;
     int min = -1;
@@ -206,7 +210,6 @@ vgetargs1(PyObject *args, const char *fo
     const char *formatsave = format;
     Py_ssize_t i, len;
     char *msg;
-    freelist_t freelist = {0, NULL};
     int compat = flags & FLAG_COMPAT;
 
     assert(compat || (args != (PyObject*)NULL));
@@ -240,15 +243,15 @@ vgetargs1(PyObject *args, const char *fo
             message = format;
             endfmt = 1;
             break;
+        case '|':
+            if (level == 0)
+                min = max;
+            break;
         default:
             if (level == 0) {
-                if (c == 'O')
-                    max++;
-                else if (isalpha(Py_CHARMASK(c))) {
+                if (Py_ISALPHA(Py_CHARMASK(c)))
                     if (c != 'e') /* skip encoded */
                         max++;
-                } else if (c == '|')
-                    min = max;
             }
             break;
         }
@@ -262,10 +265,13 @@ vgetargs1(PyObject *args, const char *fo
 
     format = formatsave;
 
-    freelist.entries = PyMem_NEW(freelistentry_t, max);
-    if (freelist.entries == NULL) {
-        PyErr_NoMemory();
-        return 0;
+    if (max > 8) {
+        freelist.entries = PyMem_NEW(freelistentry_t, max);
+        if (freelist.entries == NULL) {
+            PyErr_NoMemory();
+            return 0;
+        }
+        freelist.entries_malloced = 1;
     }
 
     if (compat) {
@@ -336,7 +342,7 @@ vgetargs1(PyObject *args, const char *fo
         }
     }
 
-    if (*format != '\0' && !isalpha(Py_CHARMASK(*format)) &&
+    if (*format != '\0' && !Py_ISALPHA(Py_CHARMASK(*format)) &&
         *format != '(' &&
         *format != '|' && *format != ':' && *format != ';') {
         PyErr_Format(PyExc_SystemError,
@@ -429,7 +435,7 @@ converttuple(PyObject *arg, const char *
         }
         else if (c == ':' || c == ';' || c == '\0')
             break;
-        else if (level == 0 && isalpha(Py_CHARMASK(c)))
+        else if (level == 0 && Py_ISALPHA(Py_CHARMASK(c)))
             n++;
     }