diff --git a/Lib/test/test_capi.py b/Lib/test/test_capi.py
index c3a04b49df..c6b2ee1617 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_capi.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_capi.py
@@ -448,7 +448,7 @@ class EmbeddingTests(unittest.TestCase):
         for line in out.splitlines():
             if line == "--- Pass {} ---".format(numloops):
                 self.assertEqual(len(current_run), 0)
-                if support.verbose:
+                if support.verbose > 1:
                     print(line)
                 numloops += 1
                 continue
@@ -461,7 +461,7 @@ class EmbeddingTests(unittest.TestCase):
             # Parse the line from the loop.  The first line is the main
             # interpreter and the 3 afterward are subinterpreters.
             interp = Interp(*match.groups())
-            if support.verbose:
+            if support.verbose > 1:
                 print(interp)
             self.assertTrue(interp.interp)
             self.assertTrue(interp.tstate)
@@ -553,6 +553,27 @@ class EmbeddingTests(unittest.TestCase):
         self.maxDiff = None
         self.assertEqual(out.strip(), expected_output)
 
+    def test_pre_initialization_api(self):
+        """
+        Checks some key parts of the C-API that need to work before the runtine
+        is initialized (via Py_Initialize()).
+        """
+        env = dict(os.environ, PYTHONPATH=os.pathsep.join(sys.path))
+        out, err = self.run_embedded_interpreter("pre_initialization_api", env=env)
+        # Allow debugging output on "out"
+        self.assertEqual(err, '')
+
+    def test_pre_initialization_sys_options(self):
+        """
+        Checks that sys.warnoptions and sys._xoptions can be set before the
+        runtime is initialized (otherwise they won't be effective).
+        """
+        env = dict(os.environ, PYTHONPATH=os.pathsep.join(sys.path))
+        out, err = self.run_embedded_interpreter(
+                        "pre_initialization_sys_options", env=env)
+        # Allow debugging output on "out"
+        self.assertEqual(err, '')
+
 
 class SkipitemTest(unittest.TestCase):
 
diff --git a/Programs/_testembed.c b/Programs/_testembed.c
index c7660f9581..d2a4622c7f 100644
--- a/Programs/_testembed.c
+++ b/Programs/_testembed.c
@@ -131,9 +131,59 @@ static int test_forced_io_encoding(void)
     return 0;
 }
 
+/**********************************************************
+  * Test parts of the C-API that work before initialization
+  *********************************************************/
+
+/* The pre-initialization tests tend to break by segfaulting, so explicitly
+ * flushed progress messages make the broken API easier to find when they fail.
+ */
+#define _Py_EMBED_PREINIT_CHECK(msg) \
+    do {printf(msg); fflush(stdout);} while (0);
+
+static int test_pre_initialization_api(void)
+{
+    /* Leading "./" ensures getpath.c can still find the standard library */
+    _Py_EMBED_PREINIT_CHECK("Checking Py_DecodeLocale\n");
+    wchar_t *program = Py_DecodeLocale("./spam", NULL);
+    if (program == NULL) {
+        fprintf(stderr, "Fatal error: cannot decode program name\n");
+        return 1;
+    }
+    _Py_EMBED_PREINIT_CHECK("Checking Py_SetProgramName\n");
+    Py_SetProgramName(program);
+
+    _Py_EMBED_PREINIT_CHECK("Initializing interpreter\n");
+    Py_Initialize();
+    _Py_EMBED_PREINIT_CHECK("Finalizing interpreter\n");
+    Py_Finalize();
+
+    _Py_EMBED_PREINIT_CHECK("Freeing memory allocated by Py_DecodeLocale\n");
+    PyMem_RawFree(program);
+    return 0;
+}
+
+
+/* bpo-33042: Ensure embedding apps can predefine sys module options */
+static int test_pre_initialization_sys_options(void)
+{
+    _Py_EMBED_PREINIT_CHECK("Checking Py_SysAddWarnOption\n");
+    PySys_AddWarnOption(L"default");
+    _Py_EMBED_PREINIT_CHECK("Checking Py_SysAddXOption\n");
+    PySys_AddXOption(L"not_an_option=1");
+
+    _Py_EMBED_PREINIT_CHECK("Initializing interpreter\n");
+    _testembed_Py_Initialize();
+    _Py_EMBED_PREINIT_CHECK("Finalizing interpreter\n");
+    Py_Finalize();
+
+    return 0;
+}
+
+
 /* *********************************************************
  * List of test cases and the function that implements it.
- * 
+ *
  * Names are compared case-sensitively with the first
  * argument. If no match is found, or no first argument was
  * provided, the names of all test cases are printed and
@@ -141,7 +191,7 @@ static int test_forced_io_encoding(void)
  *
  * The int returned from test functions is used as the exit
  * code, and test_capi treats all non-zero exit codes as a
- * failed test. 
+ * failed test.
  *********************************************************/
 struct TestCase
 {
@@ -152,6 +202,8 @@ struct TestCase
 static struct TestCase TestCases[] = {
     { "forced_io_encoding", test_forced_io_encoding },
     { "repeated_init_and_subinterpreters", test_repeated_init_and_subinterpreters },
+    { "pre_initialization_api", test_pre_initialization_api },
+    { "pre_initialization_sys_options", test_pre_initialization_sys_options },
     { NULL, NULL }
 };