diff --git a/Python/pystate.c b/Python/pystate.c
index eb2dfa6..7154aea 100644
--- a/Python/pystate.c
+++ b/Python/pystate.c
@@ -47,7 +47,9 @@
 
 static PyInterpreterState *interp_head = NULL;
 
-PyThreadState *_PyThreadState_Current = NULL;
+/* Assuming the current thread holds the GIL, this is the
+   PyThreadState for the current thread. */
+_Py_atomic_address _PyThreadState_Current = {NULL};
 PyThreadFrameGetter _PyThreadState_GetFrame = NULL;
 
 #ifdef WITH_THREAD
@@ -334,7 +336,7 @@
 void
 PyThreadState_Delete(PyThreadState *tstate)
 {
-	if (tstate == _PyThreadState_Current)
+	if (tstate == _Py_atomic_load_relaxed(&_PyThreadState_Current))
 		Py_FatalError("PyThreadState_Delete: tstate is still current");
 	tstate_delete_common(tstate);
 #ifdef WITH_THREAD
@@ -348,11 +350,12 @@
 void
 PyThreadState_DeleteCurrent()
 {
-	PyThreadState *tstate = _PyThreadState_Current;
+	PyThreadState *tstate = (PyThreadState*)_Py_atomic_load_relaxed(
+		&_PyThreadState_Current);
 	if (tstate == NULL)
 		Py_FatalError(
 			"PyThreadState_DeleteCurrent: no current tstate");
-	_PyThreadState_Current = NULL;
+	_Py_atomic_store_relaxed(&_PyThreadState_Current, NULL);
 	tstate_delete_common(tstate);
 	if (autoTLSkey && PyThread_get_key_value(autoTLSkey) == tstate)
 		PyThread_delete_key_value(autoTLSkey);
@@ -364,19 +367,22 @@
 PyThreadState *
 PyThreadState_Get(void)
 {
-	if (_PyThreadState_Current == NULL)
+	PyThreadState *tstate = (PyThreadState*)_Py_atomic_load_relaxed(
+		&_PyThreadState_Current);
+	if (tstate == NULL)
 		Py_FatalError("PyThreadState_Get: no current thread");
 
-	return _PyThreadState_Current;
+	return tstate;
 }
 
 
 PyThreadState *
 PyThreadState_Swap(PyThreadState *newts)
 {
-	PyThreadState *oldts = _PyThreadState_Current;
+	PyThreadState *oldts = (PyThreadState*)_Py_atomic_load_relaxed(
+		&_PyThreadState_Current);
 
-	_PyThreadState_Current = newts;
+	_Py_atomic_store_relaxed(&_PyThreadState_Current, newts);
 	/* It should not be possible for more than one thread state
 	   to be used for a thread.  Check this the best we can in debug
 	   builds.
@@ -405,16 +411,18 @@
 PyObject *
 PyThreadState_GetDict(void)
 {
-	if (_PyThreadState_Current == NULL)
+	PyThreadState *tstate = (PyThreadState*)_Py_atomic_load_relaxed(
+		&_PyThreadState_Current);
+	if (tstate == NULL)
 		return NULL;
 
-	if (_PyThreadState_Current->dict == NULL) {
+	if (tstate->dict == NULL) {
 		PyObject *d;
-		_PyThreadState_Current->dict = d = PyDict_New();
+		tstate->dict = d = PyDict_New();
 		if (d == NULL)
 			PyErr_Clear();
 	}
-	return _PyThreadState_Current->dict;
+	return tstate->dict;
 }
 
 
@@ -550,10 +558,7 @@
 {
 	/* Must be the tstate for this thread */
 	assert(PyGILState_GetThisThreadState()==tstate);
-	/* On Windows at least, simple reads and writes to 32 bit values
-	   are atomic.
-	*/
-	return tstate == _PyThreadState_Current;
+	return tstate == _Py_atomic_load_relaxed(&_PyThreadState_Current);
 }
 
 /* Internal initialization/finalization functions called by