diff --git a/Objects/abstract.c b/Objects/abstract.c
index bad9f96..c8e9ddc 100644
--- a/Objects/abstract.c
+++ b/Objects/abstract.c
@@ -8,8 +8,6 @@
 #define NEW_STYLE_NUMBER(o) PyType_HasFeature((o)->ob_type, \
 				Py_TPFLAGS_CHECKTYPES)
 
-#define HASINDEX(o) PyType_HasFeature((o)->ob_type, Py_TPFLAGS_HAVE_INDEX)
-
 
 /* Shorthands to return certain errors */
 
@@ -122,9 +120,9 @@
 		return m->mp_subscript(o, key);
 
 	if (o->ob_type->tp_as_sequence) {
-		PyNumberMethods *nb = key->ob_type->tp_as_number;
-		if (nb != NULL && HASINDEX(key) && nb->nb_index != NULL) {
-			Py_ssize_t key_value = nb->nb_index(key);
+		if (PyIndex_Check(key)) {
+			Py_ssize_t key_value;
+			key_value = PyNumber_AsSsize_t(key, PyExc_IndexError);
 			if (key_value == -1 && PyErr_Occurred())
 				return NULL;
 			return PySequence_GetItem(o, key_value);
@@ -151,9 +149,9 @@
 		return m->mp_ass_subscript(o, key, value);
 
 	if (o->ob_type->tp_as_sequence) {
-		PyNumberMethods *nb = key->ob_type->tp_as_number;
-		if (nb != NULL && HASINDEX(key) && nb->nb_index != NULL) {
-			Py_ssize_t key_value = nb->nb_index(key);
+		if (PyIndex_Check(key)) {
+			Py_ssize_t key_value;
+			key_value = PyNumber_AsSsize_t(key, PyExc_IndexError);
 			if (key_value == -1 && PyErr_Occurred())
 				return -1;
 			return PySequence_SetItem(o, key_value, value);
@@ -183,9 +181,9 @@
 		return m->mp_ass_subscript(o, key, (PyObject*)NULL);
 
 	if (o->ob_type->tp_as_sequence) {
-		PyNumberMethods *nb = key->ob_type->tp_as_number;
-		if (nb != NULL && HASINDEX(key) && nb->nb_index != NULL) {
-			Py_ssize_t key_value = nb->nb_index(key);
+		if (PyIndex_Check(key)) {
+			Py_ssize_t key_value;
+			key_value = PyNumber_AsSsize_t(key, PyExc_IndexError);
 			if (key_value == -1 && PyErr_Occurred())
 				return -1;
 			return PySequence_DelItem(o, key_value);
@@ -653,9 +651,8 @@
 sequence_repeat(ssizeargfunc repeatfunc, PyObject *seq, PyObject *n)
 {
 	Py_ssize_t count;
-	PyNumberMethods *nb = n->ob_type->tp_as_number;
-	if (nb != NULL && HASINDEX(n) && nb->nb_index != NULL) {
-		count = nb->nb_index(n);
+	if (PyIndex_Check(n)) {
+		count = PyNumber_AsSsize_t(n, PyExc_OverflowError);
 		if (count == -1 && PyErr_Occurred())
 			return NULL;
 	}
@@ -938,23 +935,89 @@
 	return x;
 }
 
-/* Return a Py_ssize_t integer from the object item */
-Py_ssize_t 
+/* Return a Python Int or Long from the object item 
+   Raise TypeError if the result is not an int-or-long
+   or if the object cannot be interpreted as an index. 
+*/
+PyObject *
 PyNumber_Index(PyObject *item)
 {
-	Py_ssize_t value = -1;
-	PyNumberMethods *nb = item->ob_type->tp_as_number;
-	if (nb != NULL && HASINDEX(item) && nb->nb_index != NULL) {
-		value = nb->nb_index(item);
+	PyObject *result = NULL;
+	if (item == NULL)
+		return null_error();
+	/* XXX(nnorwitz): should these be CheckExact?  Aren't subclasses ok? */
+	if (PyInt_CheckExact(item) || PyLong_CheckExact(item)) {
+		Py_INCREF(item);
+		return item;
+	}
+	if (PyIndex_Check(item)) {
+		result = item->ob_type->tp_as_number->nb_index(item);
+		/* XXX(nnorwitz): Aren't subclasses ok here too? */
+		if (result &&
+		    !PyInt_CheckExact(result) && !PyLong_CheckExact(result)) {
+			PyErr_Format(PyExc_TypeError,
+				     "__index__ returned non-(int,long) " \
+				     "(type %.200s)",
+				     result->ob_type->tp_name);
+			Py_DECREF(result);
+			return NULL;
+		}
 	}
 	else {
 		PyErr_Format(PyExc_TypeError,
 			     "'%.200s' object cannot be interpreted "
 			     "as an index", item->ob_type->tp_name);
 	}
-	return value;
+	return result;
 }
 
+/* Return an error on Overflow only if err is not NULL*/
+
+Py_ssize_t
+PyNumber_AsSsize_t(PyObject *item, PyObject *err)
+{
+	Py_ssize_t result;
+	PyObject *runerr;
+	PyObject *value = PyNumber_Index(item);
+	if (value == NULL)
+		return -1;
+
+	/* We're done if PyInt_AsSsize_t() returns without error. */
+	result = PyInt_AsSsize_t(value);
+	if (result != -1 || !(runerr = PyErr_Occurred()))
+		goto finish;
+
+	/* Error handling code -- only manage OverflowError differently */
+	if (!PyErr_GivenExceptionMatches(runerr, PyExc_OverflowError)) 
+		goto finish;
+
+	PyErr_Clear();
+	/* If no error-handling desired then the default clipping 
+	   is sufficient.
+	 */
+	if (!err) {
+		assert(PyLong_Check(value));
+		/* Whether or not it is less than or equal to 
+		   zero is determined by the sign of ob_size
+		*/
+		if (_PyLong_Sign(value) < 0) 
+			result = PY_SSIZE_T_MIN;
+		else
+			result = PY_SSIZE_T_MAX;
+	}
+	else {
+		/* Otherwise replace the error with caller's error object. */
+		PyErr_Format(err,
+			     "cannot fit '%.200s' into an index-sized integer", 
+			     item->ob_type->tp_name); 
+	}
+	
+ finish:
+	Py_DECREF(value);
+	return result;
+}
+
+
 PyObject *
 PyNumber_Int(PyObject *o)
 {
diff --git a/Objects/classobject.c b/Objects/classobject.c
index 56bf29c..1e93908 100644
--- a/Objects/classobject.c
+++ b/Objects/classobject.c
@@ -1670,40 +1670,28 @@
 	return outcome > 0;
 }
 
-static Py_ssize_t
+static PyObject *
 instance_index(PyInstanceObject *self)
 {
 	PyObject *func, *res;
-	Py_ssize_t outcome;
 	static PyObject *indexstr = NULL;
 
 	if (indexstr == NULL) {
 		indexstr = PyString_InternFromString("__index__");
 		if (indexstr == NULL)
-			return -1;
+			return NULL;
 	}	
 	if ((func = instance_getattr(self, indexstr)) == NULL) {
 		if (!PyErr_ExceptionMatches(PyExc_AttributeError))
-			return -1;
+			return NULL;
 		PyErr_Clear();
 		PyErr_SetString(PyExc_TypeError, 
 				"object cannot be interpreted as an index");
-		return -1;
+		return NULL;
 	}
 	res = PyEval_CallObject(func, (PyObject *)NULL);
 	Py_DECREF(func);
-	if (res == NULL)
-		return -1;
-	if (PyInt_Check(res) || PyLong_Check(res)) {
-		outcome = res->ob_type->tp_as_number->nb_index(res);
-	}
-	else {
-		PyErr_SetString(PyExc_TypeError, 
-				"__index__ must return an int or a long");
-		outcome = -1;
-	}
-	Py_DECREF(res);
-	return outcome;
+	return res;
 }
 
 
@@ -2026,7 +2014,7 @@
 	instance_truediv,		/* nb_true_divide */
 	instance_ifloordiv,		/* nb_inplace_floor_divide */
 	instance_itruediv,		/* nb_inplace_true_divide */
-	(lenfunc)instance_index,	/* nb_index */
+	(unaryfunc)instance_index,	/* nb_index */
 };
 
 PyTypeObject PyInstance_Type = {
diff --git a/Objects/intobject.c b/Objects/intobject.c
index 2062bee..c7137df 100644
--- a/Objects/intobject.c
+++ b/Objects/intobject.c
@@ -193,16 +193,21 @@
 	PyIntObject *io;
 	Py_ssize_t val;
 #endif
-	if (op && !PyInt_CheckExact(op) && PyLong_Check(op))
+
+	if (op == NULL) {
+		PyErr_SetString(PyExc_TypeError, "an integer is required");
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	if (PyInt_Check(op))
+		return PyInt_AS_LONG((PyIntObject*) op);
+	if (PyLong_Check(op))
 		return _PyLong_AsSsize_t(op);
 #if SIZEOF_SIZE_T == SIZEOF_LONG
 	return PyInt_AsLong(op);
 #else
 
-	if (op && PyInt_Check(op))
-		return PyInt_AS_LONG((PyIntObject*) op);
-
-	if (op == NULL || (nb = op->ob_type->tp_as_number) == NULL ||
+	if ((nb = op->ob_type->tp_as_number) == NULL ||
 	    (nb->nb_int == NULL && nb->nb_long == 0)) {
 		PyErr_SetString(PyExc_TypeError, "an integer is required");
 		return -1;
@@ -1079,7 +1084,7 @@
 	int_true_divide,	/* nb_true_divide */
 	0,			/* nb_inplace_floor_divide */
 	0,			/* nb_inplace_true_divide */
-	PyInt_AsSsize_t,	/* nb_index */
+	(unaryfunc)int_int,	/* nb_index */
 };
 
 PyTypeObject PyInt_Type = {
diff --git a/Objects/listobject.c b/Objects/listobject.c
index f917385..ad27644 100644
--- a/Objects/listobject.c
+++ b/Objects/listobject.c
@@ -2450,14 +2450,13 @@
 "list() -> new list\n"
 "list(sequence) -> new list initialized from sequence's items");
 
-#define HASINDEX(o) PyType_HasFeature((o)->ob_type, Py_TPFLAGS_HAVE_INDEX)
 
 static PyObject *
 list_subscript(PyListObject* self, PyObject* item)
 {
-	PyNumberMethods *nb = item->ob_type->tp_as_number;	
-	if (nb != NULL && HASINDEX(item) && nb->nb_index != NULL) {
-		Py_ssize_t i = nb->nb_index(item);
+	if (PyIndex_Check(item)) {
+		Py_ssize_t i;
+		i = PyNumber_AsSsize_t(item, PyExc_IndexError);
 		if (i == -1 && PyErr_Occurred())
 			return NULL;
 		if (i < 0)
@@ -2504,9 +2503,8 @@
 static int
 list_ass_subscript(PyListObject* self, PyObject* item, PyObject* value)
 {
-	PyNumberMethods *nb = item->ob_type->tp_as_number;
-	if (nb != NULL && HASINDEX(item) && nb->nb_index != NULL) {
-		Py_ssize_t i = nb->nb_index(item);
+	if (PyIndex_Check(item)) {
+		Py_ssize_t i = PyNumber_AsSsize_t(item, PyExc_IndexError);
 		if (i == -1 && PyErr_Occurred())
 			return -1;
 		if (i < 0)
diff --git a/Objects/longobject.c b/Objects/longobject.c
index 4ce9479..e32c425 100644
--- a/Objects/longobject.c
+++ b/Objects/longobject.c
@@ -240,8 +240,11 @@
 	return -1;
 }
 
-static Py_ssize_t
-_long_as_ssize_t(PyObject *vv) {
+/* Get a Py_ssize_t from a long int object.
+   Returns -1 and sets an error condition if overflow occurs. */
+
+Py_ssize_t
+_PyLong_AsSsize_t(PyObject *vv) {
 	register PyLongObject *v;
 	size_t x, prev;
 	Py_ssize_t i;
@@ -277,45 +280,7 @@
  overflow:
 	PyErr_SetString(PyExc_OverflowError,
 			"long int too large to convert to int");
-	if (sign > 0)
-		return PY_SSIZE_T_MAX;
-	else
-		return PY_SSIZE_T_MIN;
-}
-
-/* Get a Py_ssize_t from a long int object.
-   Returns -1 and sets an error condition if overflow occurs. */
-
-Py_ssize_t
-_PyLong_AsSsize_t(PyObject *vv)
-{
-	Py_ssize_t x;
-
-	x = _long_as_ssize_t(vv);
-	if (PyErr_Occurred()) return -1;
-	return x;
-}
-
-
-/* Get a Py_ssize_t from a long int object.
-   Silently reduce values larger than PY_SSIZE_T_MAX to PY_SSIZE_T_MAX,
-   and silently boost values less than -PY_SSIZE_T_MAX-1 to -PY_SSIZE_T_MAX-1.
-   On error, return -1 with an exception set.
-*/
-
-static Py_ssize_t
-long_index(PyObject *vv)
-{
-	Py_ssize_t x;
-
-	x = _long_as_ssize_t(vv);
-	if (PyErr_Occurred()) {
-		/* If overflow error, ignore the error */
-		if (x != -1) {
-			PyErr_Clear();
-		}
-	}
-	return x;
+	return -1;
 }
 
 /* Get a C unsigned long int from a long int object.
@@ -3405,7 +3370,7 @@
 	long_true_divide,		/* nb_true_divide */
 	0,				/* nb_inplace_floor_divide */
 	0,				/* nb_inplace_true_divide */
-	long_index,			/* nb_index */
+	long_long,			/* nb_index */
 };
 
 PyTypeObject PyLong_Type = {
diff --git a/Objects/sliceobject.c b/Objects/sliceobject.c
index 271a9ad..d8a2465 100644
--- a/Objects/sliceobject.c
+++ b/Objects/sliceobject.c
@@ -252,7 +252,7 @@
 {
 	Py_ssize_t ilen, start, stop, step, slicelength;
 
-	ilen = PyInt_AsSsize_t(len);
+	ilen = PyNumber_AsSsize_t(len, PyExc_OverflowError);
 
 	if (ilen == -1 && PyErr_Occurred()) {
 		return NULL;
diff --git a/Objects/stringobject.c b/Objects/stringobject.c
index 91f0103..bbbeaa6 100644
--- a/Objects/stringobject.c
+++ b/Objects/stringobject.c
@@ -1184,14 +1184,11 @@
 	return x;
 }
 
-#define HASINDEX(o) PyType_HasFeature((o)->ob_type, Py_TPFLAGS_HAVE_INDEX)
-
 static PyObject*
 string_subscript(PyStringObject* self, PyObject* item)
 {
-	PyNumberMethods *nb = item->ob_type->tp_as_number;
-	if (nb != NULL && HASINDEX(item) && nb->nb_index != NULL) {
-		Py_ssize_t i = nb->nb_index(item);
+	if (PyIndex_Check(item)) {
+		Py_ssize_t i = PyNumber_AsSsize_t(item, PyExc_IndexError);
 		if (i == -1 && PyErr_Occurred())
 			return NULL;
 		if (i < 0)
diff --git a/Objects/tupleobject.c b/Objects/tupleobject.c
index 2161ab9..6f3711f 100644
--- a/Objects/tupleobject.c
+++ b/Objects/tupleobject.c
@@ -577,14 +577,11 @@
 	(objobjproc)tuplecontains,		/* sq_contains */
 };
 
-#define HASINDEX(o) PyType_HasFeature((o)->ob_type, Py_TPFLAGS_HAVE_INDEX)
-
 static PyObject*
 tuplesubscript(PyTupleObject* self, PyObject* item)
 {
-	PyNumberMethods *nb = item->ob_type->tp_as_number;
-	if (nb != NULL && HASINDEX(item) && nb->nb_index != NULL) {
-		Py_ssize_t i = nb->nb_index(item);
+	if (PyIndex_Check(item)) {
+		Py_ssize_t i = PyNumber_AsSsize_t(item, PyExc_IndexError);
 		if (i == -1 && PyErr_Occurred())
 			return NULL;
 		if (i < 0)
diff --git a/Objects/typeobject.c b/Objects/typeobject.c
index 485d2bb..517d4db 100644
--- a/Objects/typeobject.c
+++ b/Objects/typeobject.c
@@ -3527,7 +3527,7 @@
 
 	if (!PyArg_UnpackTuple(args, "", 1, 1, &o))
 		return NULL;
-	i = PyNumber_Index(o);
+	i = PyNumber_AsSsize_t(o, PyExc_OverflowError);
 	if (i == -1 && PyErr_Occurred())
 		return NULL;
 	return (*func)(self, i);
@@ -3538,7 +3538,7 @@
 {
 	Py_ssize_t i;
 
-	i = PyNumber_Index(arg);
+	i = PyNumber_AsSsize_t(arg, PyExc_OverflowError);
 	if (i == -1 && PyErr_Occurred())
 		return -1;
 	if (i < 0) {
@@ -4344,26 +4344,11 @@
 }
 
 
-static Py_ssize_t 
+static PyObject *
 slot_nb_index(PyObject *self)
 {
 	static PyObject *index_str;
-	PyObject *temp = call_method(self, "__index__", &index_str, "()");
-	Py_ssize_t result;
-
-	if (temp == NULL)
-		return -1;
-	if (PyInt_CheckExact(temp) || PyLong_CheckExact(temp)) {
-		result = temp->ob_type->tp_as_number->nb_index(temp);
-	}
-	else {
-		PyErr_Format(PyExc_TypeError, 
-			     "__index__ must return an int or a long, "
-			     "not '%.200s'", temp->ob_type->tp_name);
-		result = -1;
-	}
-	Py_DECREF(temp);
-	return result;
+	return call_method(self, "__index__", &index_str, "()");
 }
 
 
@@ -5109,7 +5094,7 @@
 	       "oct(x)"),
 	UNSLOT("__hex__", nb_hex, slot_nb_hex, wrap_unaryfunc,
 	       "hex(x)"),
-	NBSLOT("__index__", nb_index, slot_nb_index, wrap_lenfunc, 
+	NBSLOT("__index__", nb_index, slot_nb_index, wrap_unaryfunc, 
 	       "x[y:z] <==> x[y.__index__():z.__index__()]"),
 	IBSLOT("__iadd__", nb_inplace_add, slot_nb_inplace_add,
 	       wrap_binaryfunc, "+"),
diff --git a/Objects/unicodeobject.c b/Objects/unicodeobject.c
index 096dfc6..ababda1 100644
--- a/Objects/unicodeobject.c
+++ b/Objects/unicodeobject.c
@@ -6985,14 +6985,11 @@
     PyUnicode_Contains, 		/* sq_contains */
 };
 
-#define HASINDEX(o) PyType_HasFeature((o)->ob_type, Py_TPFLAGS_HAVE_INDEX)
-
 static PyObject*
 unicode_subscript(PyUnicodeObject* self, PyObject* item)
 {
-    PyNumberMethods *nb = item->ob_type->tp_as_number;
-    if (nb != NULL && HASINDEX(item) && nb->nb_index != NULL) {
-        Py_ssize_t i = nb->nb_index(item);
+    if (PyIndex_Check(item)) {
+        Py_ssize_t i = PyNumber_AsSsize_t(item, PyExc_IndexError);
         if (i == -1 && PyErr_Occurred())
             return NULL;
         if (i < 0)