diff --git a/Modules/_ssl.c b/Modules/_ssl.c
index 312b2eabe3d..e67ab42050b 100644
--- a/Modules/_ssl.c
+++ b/Modules/_ssl.c
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@
 #define OPENSSL_NO_DEPRECATED 1
 
 #define PY_SSIZE_T_CLEAN
-#define NEEDS_PY_IDENTIFIER
 
 #include "Python.h"
 
@@ -447,10 +446,6 @@ fill_and_set_sslerror(_sslmodulestate *state,
     PyObject *err_value = NULL, *reason_obj = NULL, *lib_obj = NULL;
     PyObject *verify_obj = NULL, *verify_code_obj = NULL;
     PyObject *init_value, *msg, *key;
-    _Py_IDENTIFIER(reason);
-    _Py_IDENTIFIER(library);
-    _Py_IDENTIFIER(verify_message);
-    _Py_IDENTIFIER(verify_code);
 
     if (errcode != 0) {
         int lib, reason;
@@ -544,20 +539,20 @@ fill_and_set_sslerror(_sslmodulestate *state,
 
     if (reason_obj == NULL)
         reason_obj = Py_None;
-    if (_PyObject_SetAttrId(err_value, &PyId_reason, reason_obj))
+    if (PyObject_SetAttr(err_value, state->str_reason, reason_obj))
         goto fail;
 
     if (lib_obj == NULL)
         lib_obj = Py_None;
-    if (_PyObject_SetAttrId(err_value, &PyId_library, lib_obj))
+    if (PyObject_SetAttr(err_value, state->str_library, lib_obj))
         goto fail;
 
     if ((sslsock != NULL) && (type == state->PySSLCertVerificationErrorObject)) {
         /* Only set verify code / message for SSLCertVerificationError */
-        if (_PyObject_SetAttrId(err_value, &PyId_verify_code,
+        if (PyObject_SetAttr(err_value, state->str_verify_code,
                                 verify_code_obj))
             goto fail;
-        if (_PyObject_SetAttrId(err_value, &PyId_verify_message, verify_obj))
+        if (PyObject_SetAttr(err_value, state->str_verify_message, verify_obj))
             goto fail;
     }
 
@@ -6158,6 +6153,29 @@ sslmodule_init_types(PyObject *module)
     return 0;
 }
 
+static int
+sslmodule_init_strings(PyObject *module)
+{
+    _sslmodulestate *state = get_ssl_state(module);
+    state->str_library = PyUnicode_InternFromString("library");
+    if (state->str_library == NULL) {
+        return -1;
+    }
+    state->str_reason = PyUnicode_InternFromString("reason");
+    if (state->str_reason == NULL) {
+        return -1;
+    }
+    state->str_verify_message = PyUnicode_InternFromString("verify_message");
+    if (state->str_verify_message == NULL) {
+        return -1;
+    }
+    state->str_verify_code = PyUnicode_InternFromString("verify_code");
+    if (state->str_verify_code == NULL) {
+        return -1;
+    }
+    return 0;
+}
+
 static PyModuleDef_Slot sslmodule_slots[] = {
     {Py_mod_exec, sslmodule_init_types},
     {Py_mod_exec, sslmodule_init_exceptions},
@@ -6165,6 +6183,7 @@ static PyModuleDef_Slot sslmodule_slots[] = {
     {Py_mod_exec, sslmodule_init_errorcodes},
     {Py_mod_exec, sslmodule_init_constants},
     {Py_mod_exec, sslmodule_init_versioninfo},
+    {Py_mod_exec, sslmodule_init_strings},
     {0, NULL}
 };
 
@@ -6214,7 +6233,10 @@ sslmodule_clear(PyObject *m)
     Py_CLEAR(state->err_names_to_codes);
     Py_CLEAR(state->lib_codes_to_names);
     Py_CLEAR(state->Sock_Type);
-
+    Py_CLEAR(state->str_library);
+    Py_CLEAR(state->str_reason);
+    Py_CLEAR(state->str_verify_code);
+    Py_CLEAR(state->str_verify_message);
     return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/Modules/_ssl.h b/Modules/_ssl.h
index 5593a455de4..d68ccdec5e8 100644
--- a/Modules/_ssl.h
+++ b/Modules/_ssl.h
@@ -29,6 +29,11 @@ typedef struct {
     PyObject *lib_codes_to_names;
     /* socket type from module CAPI */
     PyTypeObject *Sock_Type;
+    /* Interned strings */
+    PyObject *str_library;
+    PyObject *str_reason;
+    PyObject *str_verify_code;
+    PyObject *str_verify_message;
 } _sslmodulestate;
 
 static struct PyModuleDef _sslmodule_def;