diff --git a/Misc/NEWS b/Misc/NEWS
index c458b3c..abd4a4d 100644
--- a/Misc/NEWS
+++ b/Misc/NEWS
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@
 - Issue #17357: Add missing verbosity messages for -v/-vv that were lost during
   the importlib transition.
 
+- Issue #17610: Don't rely on non-standard behavior of the C qsort() function.
+
 - Issue #17323: The "[X refs, Y blocks]" printed by debug builds has been
   disabled by default.  It can be re-enabled with the `-X showrefcount` option.
 
diff --git a/Objects/typeobject.c b/Objects/typeobject.c
index 01a5999..0c881b7 100644
--- a/Objects/typeobject.c
+++ b/Objects/typeobject.c
@@ -5658,15 +5658,16 @@
 }
 
 
-/* Table mapping __foo__ names to tp_foo offsets and slot_tp_foo wrapper
-   functions.  The offsets here are relative to the 'PyHeapTypeObject'
-   structure, which incorporates the additional structures used for numbers,
-   sequences and mappings.
-   Note that multiple names may map to the same slot (e.g. __eq__,
-   __ne__ etc. all map to tp_richcompare) and one name may map to multiple
-   slots (e.g. __str__ affects tp_str as well as tp_repr). The table is
-   terminated with an all-zero entry.  (This table is further initialized and
-   sorted in init_slotdefs() below.) */
+/*
+Table mapping __foo__ names to tp_foo offsets and slot_tp_foo wrapper functions.
+
+The table is ordered by offsets relative to the 'PyHeapTypeObject' structure,
+which incorporates the additional structures used for numbers, sequences and
+mappings.  Note that multiple names may map to the same slot (e.g. __eq__,
+__ne__ etc. all map to tp_richcompare) and one name may map to multiple slots
+(e.g. __str__ affects tp_str as well as tp_repr). The table is terminated with
+an all-zero entry.  (This table is further initialized in init_slotdefs().)
+*/
 
 typedef struct wrapperbase slotdef;
 
@@ -5716,43 +5717,53 @@
            "x." NAME "(y) <==> " DOC)
 
 static slotdef slotdefs[] = {
-    SQSLOT("__len__", sq_length, slot_sq_length, wrap_lenfunc,
-           "x.__len__() <==> len(x)"),
-    /* Heap types defining __add__/__mul__ have sq_concat/sq_repeat == NULL.
-       The logic in abstract.c always falls back to nb_add/nb_multiply in
-       this case.  Defining both the nb_* and the sq_* slots to call the
-       user-defined methods has unexpected side-effects, as shown by
-       test_descr.notimplemented() */
-    SQSLOT("__add__", sq_concat, NULL, wrap_binaryfunc,
-      "x.__add__(y) <==> x+y"),
-    SQSLOT("__mul__", sq_repeat, NULL, wrap_indexargfunc,
-      "x.__mul__(n) <==> x*n"),
-    SQSLOT("__rmul__", sq_repeat, NULL, wrap_indexargfunc,
-      "x.__rmul__(n) <==> n*x"),
-    SQSLOT("__getitem__", sq_item, slot_sq_item, wrap_sq_item,
-           "x.__getitem__(y) <==> x[y]"),
-    SQSLOT("__setitem__", sq_ass_item, slot_sq_ass_item, wrap_sq_setitem,
-           "x.__setitem__(i, y) <==> x[i]=y"),
-    SQSLOT("__delitem__", sq_ass_item, slot_sq_ass_item, wrap_sq_delitem,
-           "x.__delitem__(y) <==> del x[y]"),
-    SQSLOT("__contains__", sq_contains, slot_sq_contains, wrap_objobjproc,
-           "x.__contains__(y) <==> y in x"),
-    SQSLOT("__iadd__", sq_inplace_concat, NULL,
-      wrap_binaryfunc, "x.__iadd__(y) <==> x+=y"),
-    SQSLOT("__imul__", sq_inplace_repeat, NULL,
-      wrap_indexargfunc, "x.__imul__(y) <==> x*=y"),
-
-    MPSLOT("__len__", mp_length, slot_mp_length, wrap_lenfunc,
-           "x.__len__() <==> len(x)"),
-    MPSLOT("__getitem__", mp_subscript, slot_mp_subscript,
-           wrap_binaryfunc,
-           "x.__getitem__(y) <==> x[y]"),
-    MPSLOT("__setitem__", mp_ass_subscript, slot_mp_ass_subscript,
-           wrap_objobjargproc,
-           "x.__setitem__(i, y) <==> x[i]=y"),
-    MPSLOT("__delitem__", mp_ass_subscript, slot_mp_ass_subscript,
-           wrap_delitem,
-           "x.__delitem__(y) <==> del x[y]"),
+    TPSLOT("__getattribute__", tp_getattr, NULL, NULL, ""),
+    TPSLOT("__getattr__", tp_getattr, NULL, NULL, ""),
+    TPSLOT("__setattr__", tp_setattr, NULL, NULL, ""),
+    TPSLOT("__delattr__", tp_setattr, NULL, NULL, ""),
+    TPSLOT("__repr__", tp_repr, slot_tp_repr, wrap_unaryfunc,
+           "x.__repr__() <==> repr(x)"),
+    TPSLOT("__hash__", tp_hash, slot_tp_hash, wrap_hashfunc,
+           "x.__hash__() <==> hash(x)"),
+    FLSLOT("__call__", tp_call, slot_tp_call, (wrapperfunc)wrap_call,
+           "x.__call__(...) <==> x(...)", PyWrapperFlag_KEYWORDS),
+    TPSLOT("__str__", tp_str, slot_tp_str, wrap_unaryfunc,
+           "x.__str__() <==> str(x)"),
+    TPSLOT("__getattribute__", tp_getattro, slot_tp_getattr_hook,
+           wrap_binaryfunc, "x.__getattribute__('name') <==> x.name"),
+    TPSLOT("__getattr__", tp_getattro, slot_tp_getattr_hook, NULL, ""),
+    TPSLOT("__setattr__", tp_setattro, slot_tp_setattro, wrap_setattr,
+           "x.__setattr__('name', value) <==> x.name = value"),
+    TPSLOT("__delattr__", tp_setattro, slot_tp_setattro, wrap_delattr,
+           "x.__delattr__('name') <==> del x.name"),
+    TPSLOT("__lt__", tp_richcompare, slot_tp_richcompare, richcmp_lt,
+           "x.__lt__(y) <==> x<y"),
+    TPSLOT("__le__", tp_richcompare, slot_tp_richcompare, richcmp_le,
+           "x.__le__(y) <==> x<=y"),
+    TPSLOT("__eq__", tp_richcompare, slot_tp_richcompare, richcmp_eq,
+           "x.__eq__(y) <==> x==y"),
+    TPSLOT("__ne__", tp_richcompare, slot_tp_richcompare, richcmp_ne,
+           "x.__ne__(y) <==> x!=y"),
+    TPSLOT("__gt__", tp_richcompare, slot_tp_richcompare, richcmp_gt,
+           "x.__gt__(y) <==> x>y"),
+    TPSLOT("__ge__", tp_richcompare, slot_tp_richcompare, richcmp_ge,
+           "x.__ge__(y) <==> x>=y"),
+    TPSLOT("__iter__", tp_iter, slot_tp_iter, wrap_unaryfunc,
+           "x.__iter__() <==> iter(x)"),
+    TPSLOT("__next__", tp_iternext, slot_tp_iternext, wrap_next,
+           "x.__next__() <==> next(x)"),
+    TPSLOT("__get__", tp_descr_get, slot_tp_descr_get, wrap_descr_get,
+           "descr.__get__(obj[, type]) -> value"),
+    TPSLOT("__set__", tp_descr_set, slot_tp_descr_set, wrap_descr_set,
+           "descr.__set__(obj, value)"),
+    TPSLOT("__delete__", tp_descr_set, slot_tp_descr_set,
+           wrap_descr_delete, "descr.__delete__(obj)"),
+    FLSLOT("__init__", tp_init, slot_tp_init, (wrapperfunc)wrap_init,
+           "x.__init__(...) initializes x; "
+           "see help(type(x)) for signature",
+           PyWrapperFlag_KEYWORDS),
+    TPSLOT("__new__", tp_new, slot_tp_new, NULL, ""),
+    TPSLOT("__del__", tp_del, slot_tp_del, NULL, ""),
 
     BINSLOT("__add__", nb_add, slot_nb_add,
         "+"),
@@ -5799,8 +5810,6 @@
            "int(x)"),
     UNSLOT("__float__", nb_float, slot_nb_float, wrap_unaryfunc,
            "float(x)"),
-    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, "+="),
     IBSLOT("__isub__", nb_inplace_subtract, slot_nb_inplace_subtract,
@@ -5829,54 +5838,47 @@
            slot_nb_inplace_floor_divide, wrap_binaryfunc, "//"),
     IBSLOT("__itruediv__", nb_inplace_true_divide,
            slot_nb_inplace_true_divide, wrap_binaryfunc, "/"),
+    NBSLOT("__index__", nb_index, slot_nb_index, wrap_unaryfunc,
+           "x[y:z] <==> x[y.__index__():z.__index__()]"),
 
-    TPSLOT("__str__", tp_str, slot_tp_str, wrap_unaryfunc,
-           "x.__str__() <==> str(x)"),
-    TPSLOT("__repr__", tp_repr, slot_tp_repr, wrap_unaryfunc,
-           "x.__repr__() <==> repr(x)"),
-    TPSLOT("__hash__", tp_hash, slot_tp_hash, wrap_hashfunc,
-           "x.__hash__() <==> hash(x)"),
-    FLSLOT("__call__", tp_call, slot_tp_call, (wrapperfunc)wrap_call,
-           "x.__call__(...) <==> x(...)", PyWrapperFlag_KEYWORDS),
-    TPSLOT("__getattribute__", tp_getattro, slot_tp_getattr_hook,
-           wrap_binaryfunc, "x.__getattribute__('name') <==> x.name"),
-    TPSLOT("__getattribute__", tp_getattr, NULL, NULL, ""),
-    TPSLOT("__getattr__", tp_getattro, slot_tp_getattr_hook, NULL, ""),
-    TPSLOT("__getattr__", tp_getattr, NULL, NULL, ""),
-    TPSLOT("__setattr__", tp_setattro, slot_tp_setattro, wrap_setattr,
-           "x.__setattr__('name', value) <==> x.name = value"),
-    TPSLOT("__setattr__", tp_setattr, NULL, NULL, ""),
-    TPSLOT("__delattr__", tp_setattro, slot_tp_setattro, wrap_delattr,
-           "x.__delattr__('name') <==> del x.name"),
-    TPSLOT("__delattr__", tp_setattr, NULL, NULL, ""),
-    TPSLOT("__lt__", tp_richcompare, slot_tp_richcompare, richcmp_lt,
-           "x.__lt__(y) <==> x<y"),
-    TPSLOT("__le__", tp_richcompare, slot_tp_richcompare, richcmp_le,
-           "x.__le__(y) <==> x<=y"),
-    TPSLOT("__eq__", tp_richcompare, slot_tp_richcompare, richcmp_eq,
-           "x.__eq__(y) <==> x==y"),
-    TPSLOT("__ne__", tp_richcompare, slot_tp_richcompare, richcmp_ne,
-           "x.__ne__(y) <==> x!=y"),
-    TPSLOT("__gt__", tp_richcompare, slot_tp_richcompare, richcmp_gt,
-           "x.__gt__(y) <==> x>y"),
-    TPSLOT("__ge__", tp_richcompare, slot_tp_richcompare, richcmp_ge,
-           "x.__ge__(y) <==> x>=y"),
-    TPSLOT("__iter__", tp_iter, slot_tp_iter, wrap_unaryfunc,
-           "x.__iter__() <==> iter(x)"),
-    TPSLOT("__next__", tp_iternext, slot_tp_iternext, wrap_next,
-           "x.__next__() <==> next(x)"),
-    TPSLOT("__get__", tp_descr_get, slot_tp_descr_get, wrap_descr_get,
-           "descr.__get__(obj[, type]) -> value"),
-    TPSLOT("__set__", tp_descr_set, slot_tp_descr_set, wrap_descr_set,
-           "descr.__set__(obj, value)"),
-    TPSLOT("__delete__", tp_descr_set, slot_tp_descr_set,
-           wrap_descr_delete, "descr.__delete__(obj)"),
-    FLSLOT("__init__", tp_init, slot_tp_init, (wrapperfunc)wrap_init,
-           "x.__init__(...) initializes x; "
-           "see help(type(x)) for signature",
-           PyWrapperFlag_KEYWORDS),
-    TPSLOT("__new__", tp_new, slot_tp_new, NULL, ""),
-    TPSLOT("__del__", tp_del, slot_tp_del, NULL, ""),
+    MPSLOT("__len__", mp_length, slot_mp_length, wrap_lenfunc,
+           "x.__len__() <==> len(x)"),
+    MPSLOT("__getitem__", mp_subscript, slot_mp_subscript,
+           wrap_binaryfunc,
+           "x.__getitem__(y) <==> x[y]"),
+    MPSLOT("__setitem__", mp_ass_subscript, slot_mp_ass_subscript,
+           wrap_objobjargproc,
+           "x.__setitem__(i, y) <==> x[i]=y"),
+    MPSLOT("__delitem__", mp_ass_subscript, slot_mp_ass_subscript,
+           wrap_delitem,
+           "x.__delitem__(y) <==> del x[y]"),
+
+    SQSLOT("__len__", sq_length, slot_sq_length, wrap_lenfunc,
+           "x.__len__() <==> len(x)"),
+    /* Heap types defining __add__/__mul__ have sq_concat/sq_repeat == NULL.
+       The logic in abstract.c always falls back to nb_add/nb_multiply in
+       this case.  Defining both the nb_* and the sq_* slots to call the
+       user-defined methods has unexpected side-effects, as shown by
+       test_descr.notimplemented() */
+    SQSLOT("__add__", sq_concat, NULL, wrap_binaryfunc,
+      "x.__add__(y) <==> x+y"),
+    SQSLOT("__mul__", sq_repeat, NULL, wrap_indexargfunc,
+      "x.__mul__(n) <==> x*n"),
+    SQSLOT("__rmul__", sq_repeat, NULL, wrap_indexargfunc,
+      "x.__rmul__(n) <==> n*x"),
+    SQSLOT("__getitem__", sq_item, slot_sq_item, wrap_sq_item,
+           "x.__getitem__(y) <==> x[y]"),
+    SQSLOT("__setitem__", sq_ass_item, slot_sq_ass_item, wrap_sq_setitem,
+           "x.__setitem__(i, y) <==> x[i]=y"),
+    SQSLOT("__delitem__", sq_ass_item, slot_sq_ass_item, wrap_sq_delitem,
+           "x.__delitem__(y) <==> del x[y]"),
+    SQSLOT("__contains__", sq_contains, slot_sq_contains, wrap_objobjproc,
+           "x.__contains__(y) <==> y in x"),
+    SQSLOT("__iadd__", sq_inplace_concat, NULL,
+      wrap_binaryfunc, "x.__iadd__(y) <==> x+=y"),
+    SQSLOT("__imul__", sq_inplace_repeat, NULL,
+      wrap_indexargfunc, "x.__imul__(y) <==> x*=y"),
+
     {NULL}
 };
 
@@ -6057,21 +6059,6 @@
     return 0;
 }
 
-/* Comparison function for qsort() to compare slotdefs by their offset, and
-   for equal offset by their address (to force a stable sort). */
-static int
-slotdef_cmp(const void *aa, const void *bb)
-{
-    const slotdef *a = (const slotdef *)aa, *b = (const slotdef *)bb;
-    int c = a->offset - b->offset;
-    if (c != 0)
-        return c;
-    else
-        /* Cannot use a-b, as this gives off_t,
-           which may lose precision when converted to int. */
-        return (a > b) ? 1 : (a < b) ? -1 : 0;
-}
-
 /* Initialize the slotdefs table by adding interned string objects for the
    names and sorting the entries. */
 static void
@@ -6083,12 +6070,12 @@
     if (initialized)
         return;
     for (p = slotdefs; p->name; p++) {
+        /* Slots must be ordered by their offset in the PyHeapTypeObject. */
+        assert(!p[1].name || p->offset <= p[1].offset);
         p->name_strobj = PyUnicode_InternFromString(p->name);
         if (!p->name_strobj)
             Py_FatalError("Out of memory interning slotdef names");
     }
-    qsort((void *)slotdefs, (size_t)(p-slotdefs), sizeof(slotdef),
-          slotdef_cmp);
     initialized = 1;
 }