diff --git a/Objects/classobject.c b/Objects/classobject.c
index 2dcc88f..9c9c49e 100644
--- a/Objects/classobject.c
+++ b/Objects/classobject.c
@@ -227,7 +227,7 @@
 	PyObject *func = a->im_func;
 	PyObject *klass = a->im_class;
 	PyObject *funcname = NULL, *klassname = NULL, *result = NULL;
-	char *sfuncname = "?", *sklassname = "?";
+	char *defname = "?";
 
 	funcname = PyObject_GetAttrString(func, "__name__");
 	if (funcname == NULL) {
@@ -239,8 +239,6 @@
 		Py_DECREF(funcname);
 		funcname = NULL;
 	}
-	else
-		sfuncname = PyUnicode_AsString(funcname);
 	if (klass == NULL)
 		klassname = NULL;
 	else {
@@ -254,16 +252,16 @@
 			Py_DECREF(klassname);
 			klassname = NULL;
 		}
-		else
-			sklassname = PyUnicode_AsString(klassname);
 	}
 	if (self == NULL)
-		result = PyUnicode_FromFormat("<unbound method %s.%s>",
-					     sklassname, sfuncname);
+		result = PyUnicode_FromFormat("<unbound method %V.%V>",
+		                              klassname, defname,
+		                              funcname, defname);
 	else {
 		/* XXX Shouldn't use repr()/%R here! */
-		result = PyUnicode_FromFormat("<bound method %s.%s of %R>",
-		                              sklassname, sfuncname, self);
+		result = PyUnicode_FromFormat("<bound method %V.%V of %R>",
+		                              klassname, defname,
+		                              funcname, defname, self);
 	}
 	Py_XDECREF(funcname);
 	Py_XDECREF(klassname);
diff --git a/Objects/descrobject.c b/Objects/descrobject.c
index acd2400..e75fc80 100644
--- a/Objects/descrobject.c
+++ b/Objects/descrobject.c
@@ -12,51 +12,50 @@
 	PyObject_GC_Del(descr);
 }
 
-static char *
+static PyObject *
 descr_name(PyDescrObject *descr)
 {
 	if (descr->d_name != NULL && PyUnicode_Check(descr->d_name))
-		return PyUnicode_AsString(descr->d_name);
-	else if (descr->d_name != NULL && PyString_Check(descr->d_name))
-		/* XXX this should not happen */
-		return PyString_AS_STRING(descr->d_name);
-	else
-		return "?";
+		return descr->d_name;
+	return NULL;
 }
 
 static PyObject *
 descr_repr(PyDescrObject *descr, char *format)
 {
-	return PyUnicode_FromFormat(format, descr_name(descr),
-				   descr->d_type->tp_name);
+	PyObject *name = NULL;
+	if (descr->d_name != NULL && PyUnicode_Check(descr->d_name))
+		name = descr->d_name;
+
+	return PyUnicode_FromFormat(format, name, "?", descr->d_type->tp_name);
 }
 
 static PyObject *
 method_repr(PyMethodDescrObject *descr)
 {
 	return descr_repr((PyDescrObject *)descr,
-			  "<method '%s' of '%s' objects>");
+			  "<method '%V' of '%s' objects>");
 }
 
 static PyObject *
 member_repr(PyMemberDescrObject *descr)
 {
 	return descr_repr((PyDescrObject *)descr,
-			  "<member '%s' of '%s' objects>");
+			  "<member '%V' of '%s' objects>");
 }
 
 static PyObject *
 getset_repr(PyGetSetDescrObject *descr)
 {
 	return descr_repr((PyDescrObject *)descr,
-			  "<attribute '%s' of '%s' objects>");
+			  "<attribute '%V' of '%s' objects>");
 }
 
 static PyObject *
 wrapperdescr_repr(PyWrapperDescrObject *descr)
 {
 	return descr_repr((PyDescrObject *)descr,
-			  "<slot wrapper '%s' of '%s' objects>");
+			  "<slot wrapper '%V' of '%s' objects>");
 }
 
 static int
@@ -69,9 +68,9 @@
 	}
 	if (!PyObject_TypeCheck(obj, descr->d_type)) {
 		PyErr_Format(PyExc_TypeError,
-			     "descriptor '%s' for '%s' objects "
+			     "descriptor '%V' for '%s' objects "
 			     "doesn't apply to '%s' object",
-			     descr_name((PyDescrObject *)descr),
+			     descr_name((PyDescrObject *)descr), "?",
 			     descr->d_type->tp_name,
 			     obj->ob_type->tp_name);
 		*pres = NULL;
@@ -90,27 +89,27 @@
 		else {
 			/* Wot - no type?! */
 			PyErr_Format(PyExc_TypeError,
-				     "descriptor '%s' for type '%s' "
+				     "descriptor '%V' for type '%s' "
 				     "needs either an object or a type",
-				     descr_name((PyDescrObject *)descr),
+				     descr_name((PyDescrObject *)descr), "?",
 				     descr->d_type->tp_name);
 			return NULL;
 		}
 	}
 	if (!PyType_Check(type)) {
 		PyErr_Format(PyExc_TypeError,
-			     "descriptor '%s' for type '%s' "
+			     "descriptor '%V' for type '%s' "
 			     "needs a type, not a '%s' as arg 2",
-			     descr_name((PyDescrObject *)descr),
+			     descr_name((PyDescrObject *)descr), "?",
 			     descr->d_type->tp_name,
 			     type->ob_type->tp_name);
 		return NULL;
 	}
 	if (!PyType_IsSubtype((PyTypeObject *)type, descr->d_type)) {
 		PyErr_Format(PyExc_TypeError,
-			     "descriptor '%s' for type '%s' "
+			     "descriptor '%V' for type '%s' "
 			     "doesn't apply to type '%s'",
-			     descr_name((PyDescrObject *)descr),
+			     descr_name((PyDescrObject *)descr), "?",
 			     descr->d_type->tp_name,
 			     ((PyTypeObject *)type)->tp_name);
 		return NULL;
@@ -148,8 +147,8 @@
 	if (descr->d_getset->get != NULL)
 		return descr->d_getset->get(obj, descr->d_getset->closure);
 	PyErr_Format(PyExc_AttributeError,
-		     "attribute '%.300s' of '%.100s' objects is not readable",
-		     descr_name((PyDescrObject *)descr),
+		     "attribute '%V' of '%.100s' objects is not readable",
+		     descr_name((PyDescrObject *)descr), "?",
 		     descr->d_type->tp_name);
 	return NULL;
 }
@@ -171,9 +170,9 @@
 	assert(obj != NULL);
 	if (!PyObject_IsInstance(obj, (PyObject *)(descr->d_type))) {
 		PyErr_Format(PyExc_TypeError,
-			     "descriptor '%.200s' for '%.100s' objects "
+			     "descriptor '%V' for '%.100s' objects "
 			     "doesn't apply to '%.100s' object",
-			     descr_name(descr),
+			     descr_name(descr), "?",
 			     descr->d_type->tp_name,
 			     obj->ob_type->tp_name);
 		*pres = -1;
@@ -203,8 +202,8 @@
 		return descr->d_getset->set(obj, value,
 					    descr->d_getset->closure);
 	PyErr_Format(PyExc_AttributeError,
-		     "attribute '%.300s' of '%.100s' objects is not writable",
-		     descr_name((PyDescrObject *)descr),
+		     "attribute '%V' of '%.100s' objects is not writable",
+		     descr_name((PyDescrObject *)descr), "?",
 		     descr->d_type->tp_name);
 	return -1;
 }
@@ -220,19 +219,19 @@
 	argc = PyTuple_GET_SIZE(args);
 	if (argc < 1) {
 		PyErr_Format(PyExc_TypeError,
-			     "descriptor '%.300s' of '%.100s' "
+			     "descriptor '%V' of '%.100s' "
 			     "object needs an argument",
-			     descr_name((PyDescrObject *)descr),
+			     descr_name((PyDescrObject *)descr), "?",
 			     descr->d_type->tp_name);
 		return NULL;
 	}
 	self = PyTuple_GET_ITEM(args, 0);
 	if (!PyObject_IsInstance(self, (PyObject *)(descr->d_type))) {
 		PyErr_Format(PyExc_TypeError,
-			     "descriptor '%.200s' "
+			     "descriptor '%V' "
 			     "requires a '%.100s' object "
 			     "but received a '%.100s'",
-			     descr_name((PyDescrObject *)descr),
+			     descr_name((PyDescrObject *)descr), "?",
 			     descr->d_type->tp_name,
 			     self->ob_type->tp_name);
 		return NULL;
@@ -278,19 +277,19 @@
 	argc = PyTuple_GET_SIZE(args);
 	if (argc < 1) {
 		PyErr_Format(PyExc_TypeError,
-			     "descriptor '%.300s' of '%.100s' "
+			     "descriptor '%V' of '%.100s' "
 			     "object needs an argument",
-			     descr_name((PyDescrObject *)descr),
+			     descr_name((PyDescrObject *)descr), "?",
 			     descr->d_type->tp_name);
 		return NULL;
 	}
 	self = PyTuple_GET_ITEM(args, 0);
 	if (!PyObject_IsInstance(self, (PyObject *)(descr->d_type))) {
 		PyErr_Format(PyExc_TypeError,
-			     "descriptor '%.200s' "
+			     "descriptor '%V' "
 			     "requires a '%.100s' object "
 			     "but received a '%.100s'",
-			     descr_name((PyDescrObject *)descr),
+			     descr_name((PyDescrObject *)descr), "?",
 			     descr->d_type->tp_name,
 			     self->ob_type->tp_name);
 		return NULL;
diff --git a/Objects/unicodeobject.c b/Objects/unicodeobject.c
index 87c5c99..39b7462 100644
--- a/Objects/unicodeobject.c
+++ b/Objects/unicodeobject.c
@@ -631,6 +631,18 @@
 				n += PyUnicode_GET_SIZE(obj);
 				break;
 			}
+			case 'V':
+			{
+				PyObject *obj = va_arg(count, PyObject *);
+				const char *str = va_arg(count, const char *);
+				assert(obj || str);
+				assert(!obj || PyUnicode_Check(obj));
+				if (obj)
+					n += PyUnicode_GET_SIZE(obj);
+				else
+					n += strlen(str);
+				break;
+			}
 			case 'S':
 			{
 				PyObject *obj = va_arg(count, PyObject *);
@@ -775,6 +787,19 @@
 				s += size;
 				break;
 			}
+			case 'V':
+			{
+				PyObject *obj = va_arg(vargs, PyObject *);
+				const char *str = va_arg(vargs, const char *);
+				if (obj) {
+					Py_ssize_t size = PyUnicode_GET_SIZE(obj);
+					Py_UNICODE_COPY(s, PyUnicode_AS_UNICODE(obj), size);
+					s += size;
+				} else {
+					appendstring(str);
+				}
+				break;
+			}
 			case 'S':
 			case 'R':
 			{