diff --git a/Python/ceval.c b/Python/ceval.c
index 7862643..8ec00bc 100644
--- a/Python/ceval.c
+++ b/Python/ceval.c
@@ -107,17 +107,19 @@ static long dxp[256];
 #endif
 
 /* per opcode cache */
-#ifdef Py_DEBUG
-// --with-pydebug is used to find memory leak.  opcache makes it harder.
-// So we disable opcache when Py_DEBUG is defined.
-// See bpo-37146
-#define OPCACHE_MIN_RUNS 0  /* disable opcache */
-#else
-#define OPCACHE_MIN_RUNS 1024  /* create opcache when code executed this time */
-#endif
+static int opcache_min_runs = 1024;  /* create opcache when code executed this many times */
 #define OPCODE_CACHE_MAX_TRIES 20
 #define OPCACHE_STATS 0  /* Enable stats */
 
+// This function allows to deactivate the opcode cache. As different cache mechanisms may hold
+// references, this can mess with the reference leak detector functionality so the cache needs
+// to be deactivated in such scenarios to avoid false positives. See bpo-3714 for more information.
+void
+_PyEval_DeactivateOpCache(void)
+{
+    opcache_min_runs = 0;
+}
+
 #if OPCACHE_STATS
 static size_t opcache_code_objects = 0;
 static size_t opcache_code_objects_extra_mem = 0;
@@ -1705,9 +1707,9 @@ _PyEval_EvalFrameDefault(PyThreadState *tstate, PyFrameObject *f, int throwflag)
     f->f_stackdepth = -1;
     f->f_state = FRAME_EXECUTING;
 
-    if (co->co_opcache_flag < OPCACHE_MIN_RUNS) {
+    if (co->co_opcache_flag < opcache_min_runs) {
         co->co_opcache_flag++;
-        if (co->co_opcache_flag == OPCACHE_MIN_RUNS) {
+        if (co->co_opcache_flag == opcache_min_runs) {
             if (_PyCode_InitOpcache(co) < 0) {
                 goto exit_eval_frame;
             }
diff --git a/Python/clinic/sysmodule.c.h b/Python/clinic/sysmodule.c.h
index addd589..04c8481 100644
--- a/Python/clinic/sysmodule.c.h
+++ b/Python/clinic/sysmodule.c.h
@@ -938,6 +938,24 @@ sys_getandroidapilevel(PyObject *module, PyObject *Py_UNUSED(ignored))
 
 #endif /* defined(ANDROID_API_LEVEL) */
 
+PyDoc_STRVAR(sys__deactivate_opcache__doc__,
+"_deactivate_opcache($module, /)\n"
+"--\n"
+"\n"
+"Deactivate the opcode cache permanently");
+
+#define SYS__DEACTIVATE_OPCACHE_METHODDEF    \
+    {"_deactivate_opcache", (PyCFunction)sys__deactivate_opcache, METH_NOARGS, sys__deactivate_opcache__doc__},
+
+static PyObject *
+sys__deactivate_opcache_impl(PyObject *module);
+
+static PyObject *
+sys__deactivate_opcache(PyObject *module, PyObject *Py_UNUSED(ignored))
+{
+    return sys__deactivate_opcache_impl(module);
+}
+
 #ifndef SYS_GETWINDOWSVERSION_METHODDEF
     #define SYS_GETWINDOWSVERSION_METHODDEF
 #endif /* !defined(SYS_GETWINDOWSVERSION_METHODDEF) */
@@ -965,4 +983,4 @@ sys_getandroidapilevel(PyObject *module, PyObject *Py_UNUSED(ignored))
 #ifndef SYS_GETANDROIDAPILEVEL_METHODDEF
     #define SYS_GETANDROIDAPILEVEL_METHODDEF
 #endif /* !defined(SYS_GETANDROIDAPILEVEL_METHODDEF) */
-/*[clinic end generated code: output=bbc4963fe86a29d9 input=a9049054013a1b77]*/
+/*[clinic end generated code: output=68c62b9ca317a0c8 input=a9049054013a1b77]*/
diff --git a/Python/sysmodule.c b/Python/sysmodule.c
index 13b9034..686b6ca 100644
--- a/Python/sysmodule.c
+++ b/Python/sysmodule.c
@@ -1958,6 +1958,20 @@ sys_getandroidapilevel_impl(PyObject *module)
 #endif   /* ANDROID_API_LEVEL */
 
 
+/*[clinic input]
+sys._deactivate_opcache
+
+Deactivate the opcode cache permanently
+[clinic start generated code]*/
+
+static PyObject *
+sys__deactivate_opcache_impl(PyObject *module)
+/*[clinic end generated code: output=00e20982bd012122 input=501eac146735ccf9]*/
+{
+    _PyEval_DeactivateOpCache();
+    Py_RETURN_NONE;
+}
+
 
 static PyMethodDef sys_methods[] = {
     /* Might as well keep this in alphabetic order */
@@ -2011,6 +2025,7 @@ static PyMethodDef sys_methods[] = {
     SYS_GET_ASYNCGEN_HOOKS_METHODDEF
     SYS_GETANDROIDAPILEVEL_METHODDEF
     SYS_UNRAISABLEHOOK_METHODDEF
+    SYS__DEACTIVATE_OPCACHE_METHODDEF
     {NULL,              NULL}           /* sentinel */
 };