diff --git a/examples/sequential/src/id.rs b/examples/sequential/src/id.rs
index d80e84b4..fa72bb09 100644
--- a/examples/sequential/src/id.rs
+++ b/examples/sequential/src/id.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 use core::sync::atomic::{AtomicU64, Ordering};
 use core::{mem, ptr};
+use std::ffi::CString;
 use std::os::raw::{c_char, c_int, c_uint, c_ulonglong, c_void};
 
 use pyo3_ffi::*;
@@ -27,10 +28,10 @@ unsafe extern "C" fn id_new(
     kwds: *mut PyObject,
 ) -> *mut PyObject {
     if PyTuple_Size(args) != 0 || !kwds.is_null() {
-        PyErr_SetString(
-            PyExc_TypeError,
-            "Id() takes no arguments\0".as_ptr().cast::<c_char>(),
-        );
+        // We use pyo3-ffi's `c_str!` macro to create null-terminated literals because
+        // Rust's string literals are not null-terminated
+        // On Rust 1.77 or newer you can use `c"text"` instead.
+        PyErr_SetString(PyExc_TypeError, c_str!("Id() takes no arguments").as_ptr());
         return ptr::null_mut();
     }
 
@@ -81,8 +82,12 @@ unsafe extern "C" fn id_richcompare(
         pyo3_ffi::Py_GT => slf > other,
         pyo3_ffi::Py_GE => slf >= other,
         unrecognized => {
-            let msg = format!("unrecognized richcompare opcode {}\0", unrecognized);
-            PyErr_SetString(PyExc_SystemError, msg.as_ptr().cast::<c_char>());
+            let msg = CString::new(&*format!(
+                "unrecognized richcompare opcode {}",
+                unrecognized
+            ))
+            .unwrap();
+            PyErr_SetString(PyExc_SystemError, msg.as_ptr());
             return ptr::null_mut();
         }
     };
@@ -101,7 +106,7 @@ static mut SLOTS: &[PyType_Slot] = &[
     },
     PyType_Slot {
         slot: Py_tp_doc,
-        pfunc: "An id that is increased every time an instance is created\0".as_ptr()
+        pfunc: c_str!("An id that is increased every time an instance is created").as_ptr()
             as *mut c_void,
     },
     PyType_Slot {
@@ -123,7 +128,7 @@ static mut SLOTS: &[PyType_Slot] = &[
 ];
 
 pub static mut ID_SPEC: PyType_Spec = PyType_Spec {
-    name: "sequential.Id\0".as_ptr().cast::<c_char>(),
+    name: c_str!("sequential.Id").as_ptr(),
     basicsize: mem::size_of::<PyId>() as c_int,
     itemsize: 0,
     flags: (Py_TPFLAGS_DEFAULT | Py_TPFLAGS_IMMUTABLETYPE) as c_uint,
diff --git a/examples/sequential/src/module.rs b/examples/sequential/src/module.rs
index 5552baf3..5e71f07a 100644
--- a/examples/sequential/src/module.rs
+++ b/examples/sequential/src/module.rs
@@ -1,13 +1,11 @@
 use core::{mem, ptr};
 use pyo3_ffi::*;
-use std::os::raw::{c_char, c_int, c_void};
+use std::os::raw::{c_int, c_void};
 
 pub static mut MODULE_DEF: PyModuleDef = PyModuleDef {
     m_base: PyModuleDef_HEAD_INIT,
-    m_name: "sequential\0".as_ptr().cast::<c_char>(),
-    m_doc: "A library for generating sequential ids, written in Rust.\0"
-        .as_ptr()
-        .cast::<c_char>(),
+    m_name: c_str!("sequential").as_ptr(),
+    m_doc: c_str!("A library for generating sequential ids, written in Rust.").as_ptr(),
     m_size: mem::size_of::<sequential_state>() as Py_ssize_t,
     m_methods: std::ptr::null_mut(),
     m_slots: unsafe { SEQUENTIAL_SLOTS as *const [PyModuleDef_Slot] as *mut PyModuleDef_Slot },
@@ -42,13 +40,13 @@ unsafe extern "C" fn sequential_exec(module: *mut PyObject) -> c_int {
     if id_type.is_null() {
         PyErr_SetString(
             PyExc_SystemError,
-            "cannot locate type object\0".as_ptr().cast::<c_char>(),
+            c_str!("cannot locate type object").as_ptr(),
         );
         return -1;
     }
     (*state).id_type = id_type.cast::<PyTypeObject>();
 
-    PyModule_AddObjectRef(module, "Id\0".as_ptr().cast::<c_char>(), id_type)
+    PyModule_AddObjectRef(module, c_str!("Id").as_ptr(), id_type)
 }
 
 unsafe extern "C" fn sequential_traverse(
diff --git a/examples/sequential/tests/test.rs b/examples/sequential/tests/test.rs
index 6076edd4..f2a08433 100644
--- a/examples/sequential/tests/test.rs
+++ b/examples/sequential/tests/test.rs
@@ -5,11 +5,13 @@ use std::thread;
 use pyo3_ffi::*;
 use sequential::PyInit_sequential;
 
-static COMMAND: &'static str = "
+static COMMAND: &'static str = c_str!(
+    "
 from sequential import Id
 
 s = sum(int(Id()) for _ in range(12))
-\0";
+"
+);
 
 // Newtype to be able to pass it to another thread.
 struct State(*mut PyThreadState);
@@ -19,10 +21,7 @@ unsafe impl Send for State {}
 #[test]
 fn lets_go_fast() -> Result<(), String> {
     unsafe {
-        let ret = PyImport_AppendInittab(
-            "sequential\0".as_ptr().cast::<c_char>(),
-            Some(PyInit_sequential),
-        );
+        let ret = PyImport_AppendInittab(c_str!("sequential").as_ptr(), Some(PyInit_sequential));
         if ret == -1 {
             return Err("could not add module to inittab".into());
         }
@@ -122,11 +121,8 @@ unsafe fn fetch() -> String {
 
 fn run_code() -> Result<u64, String> {
     unsafe {
-        let code_obj = Py_CompileString(
-            COMMAND.as_ptr().cast::<c_char>(),
-            "program\0".as_ptr().cast::<c_char>(),
-            Py_file_input,
-        );
+        let code_obj =
+            Py_CompileString(COMMAND.as_ptr(), c_str!("program").as_ptr(), Py_file_input);
         if code_obj.is_null() {
             return Err(fetch());
         }
@@ -138,7 +134,7 @@ fn run_code() -> Result<u64, String> {
         } else {
             Py_DECREF(res_ptr);
         }
-        let sum = PyDict_GetItemString(globals, "s\0".as_ptr().cast::<c_char>()); /* borrowed reference */
+        let sum = PyDict_GetItemString(globals, c_str!("s").as_ptr()); /* borrowed reference */
         if sum.is_null() {
             Py_DECREF(globals);
             return Err("globals did not have `s`".into());
diff --git a/examples/string-sum/src/lib.rs b/examples/string-sum/src/lib.rs
index 91072418..ce71ab38 100644
--- a/examples/string-sum/src/lib.rs
+++ b/examples/string-sum/src/lib.rs
@@ -5,10 +5,8 @@ use pyo3_ffi::*;
 
 static mut MODULE_DEF: PyModuleDef = PyModuleDef {
     m_base: PyModuleDef_HEAD_INIT,
-    m_name: "string_sum\0".as_ptr().cast::<c_char>(),
-    m_doc: "A Python module written in Rust.\0"
-        .as_ptr()
-        .cast::<c_char>(),
+    m_name: c_str!("string_sum").as_ptr(),
+    m_doc: c_str!("A Python module written in Rust.").as_ptr(),
     m_size: 0,
     m_methods: unsafe { METHODS as *const [PyMethodDef] as *mut PyMethodDef },
     m_slots: std::ptr::null_mut(),
@@ -19,14 +17,12 @@ static mut MODULE_DEF: PyModuleDef = PyModuleDef {
 
 static mut METHODS: &[PyMethodDef] = &[
     PyMethodDef {
-        ml_name: "sum_as_string\0".as_ptr().cast::<c_char>(),
+        ml_name: c_str!("sum_as_string").as_ptr(),
         ml_meth: PyMethodDefPointer {
             _PyCFunctionFast: sum_as_string,
         },
         ml_flags: METH_FASTCALL,
-        ml_doc: "returns the sum of two integers as a string\0"
-            .as_ptr()
-            .cast::<c_char>(),
+        ml_doc: c_str!("returns the sum of two integers as a string").as_ptr(),
     },
     // A zeroed PyMethodDef to mark the end of the array.
     PyMethodDef::zeroed(),
@@ -93,9 +89,7 @@ pub unsafe extern "C" fn sum_as_string(
     if nargs != 2 {
         PyErr_SetString(
             PyExc_TypeError,
-            "sum_as_string expected 2 positional arguments\0"
-                .as_ptr()
-                .cast::<c_char>(),
+            c_str!("sum_as_string expected 2 positional arguments").as_ptr(),
         );
         return std::ptr::null_mut();
     }
@@ -119,7 +113,7 @@ pub unsafe extern "C" fn sum_as_string(
         None => {
             PyErr_SetString(
                 PyExc_OverflowError,
-                "arguments too large to add\0".as_ptr().cast::<c_char>(),
+                c_str!("arguments too large to add").as_ptr(),
             );
             std::ptr::null_mut()
         }
diff --git a/guide/src/class.md b/guide/src/class.md
index ab0c82fc..94f3f333 100644
--- a/guide/src/class.md
+++ b/guide/src/class.md
@@ -330,8 +330,8 @@ or [`PyRefMut`] instead of `&mut self`.
 Then you can access a parent class by `self_.as_super()` as `&PyRef<Self::BaseClass>`,
 or by `self_.into_super()` as `PyRef<Self::BaseClass>` (and similar for the `PyRefMut`
 case). For convenience, `self_.as_ref()` can also be used to get `&Self::BaseClass`
-directly; however, this approach does not let you access base clases higher in the 
-inheritance hierarchy, for which you would need to chain multiple `as_super` or 
+directly; however, this approach does not let you access base clases higher in the
+inheritance hierarchy, for which you would need to chain multiple `as_super` or
 `into_super` calls.
 
 ```rust
@@ -400,7 +400,7 @@ impl SubSubClass {
           let val2 = self_.as_super().val2;
           (val1, val2, self_.val3)
       }
-  
+
     fn double_values(mut self_: PyRefMut<'_, Self>) {
         self_.as_super().as_super().val1 *= 2;
         self_.as_super().val2 *= 2;
@@ -1187,7 +1187,7 @@ Python::with_gil(|py| {
 })
 ```
 
-Ordering of enum variants is optionally added using `#[pyo3(ord)]`.  
+Ordering of enum variants is optionally added using `#[pyo3(ord)]`.
 *Note: Implementation of the `PartialOrd` trait is required when passing the `ord` argument.  If not implemented, a compile time error is raised.*
 
 ```rust
@@ -1443,7 +1443,7 @@ impl pyo3::impl_::pyclass::PyClassImpl for MyClass {
         static DOC: pyo3::sync::GILOnceCell<::std::borrow::Cow<'static, ::std::ffi::CStr>> = pyo3::sync::GILOnceCell::new();
         DOC.get_or_try_init(py, || {
             let collector = PyClassImplCollector::<Self>::new();
-            build_pyclass_doc(<MyClass as pyo3::PyTypeInfo>::NAME, "\0", collector.new_text_signature())
+            build_pyclass_doc(<MyClass as pyo3::PyTypeInfo>::NAME, pyo3::ffi::c_str!(""), collector.new_text_signature())
         }).map(::std::ops::Deref::deref)
     }
 }
diff --git a/newsfragments/4255.added.md b/newsfragments/4255.added.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c70c5da2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/newsfragments/4255.added.md
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Add `pyo3_ffi::c_str` macro to create `&'static CStr` on Rust versions which don't have 1.77's `c""` literals.
diff --git a/newsfragments/4255.changed.md b/newsfragments/4255.changed.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..185bd5cc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/newsfragments/4255.changed.md
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+`PyCFunction::new`, `PyCFunction::new_with_keywords` and `PyCFunction::new_closure` now take `&'static CStr` name and doc arguments (previously was `&'static str`).
diff --git a/pyo3-ffi/README.md b/pyo3-ffi/README.md
index 283a7072..200c78ce 100644
--- a/pyo3-ffi/README.md
+++ b/pyo3-ffi/README.md
@@ -51,10 +51,8 @@ use pyo3_ffi::*;
 
 static mut MODULE_DEF: PyModuleDef = PyModuleDef {
     m_base: PyModuleDef_HEAD_INIT,
-    m_name: "string_sum\0".as_ptr().cast::<c_char>(),
-    m_doc: "A Python module written in Rust.\0"
-        .as_ptr()
-        .cast::<c_char>(),
+    m_name: c_str!("string_sum").as_ptr(),
+    m_doc: c_str!("A Python module written in Rust.").as_ptr(),
     m_size: 0,
     m_methods: unsafe { METHODS.as_mut_ptr().cast() },
     m_slots: std::ptr::null_mut(),
@@ -65,14 +63,12 @@ static mut MODULE_DEF: PyModuleDef = PyModuleDef {
 
 static mut METHODS: [PyMethodDef; 2] = [
     PyMethodDef {
-        ml_name: "sum_as_string\0".as_ptr().cast::<c_char>(),
+        ml_name: c_str!("sum_as_string").as_ptr(),
         ml_meth: PyMethodDefPointer {
             _PyCFunctionFast: sum_as_string,
         },
         ml_flags: METH_FASTCALL,
-        ml_doc: "returns the sum of two integers as a string\0"
-            .as_ptr()
-            .cast::<c_char>(),
+        ml_doc: c_str!("returns the sum of two integers as a string").as_ptr(),
     },
     // A zeroed PyMethodDef to mark the end of the array.
     PyMethodDef::zeroed()
@@ -93,9 +89,7 @@ pub unsafe extern "C" fn sum_as_string(
     if nargs != 2 {
         PyErr_SetString(
             PyExc_TypeError,
-            "sum_as_string() expected 2 positional arguments\0"
-                .as_ptr()
-                .cast::<c_char>(),
+            c_str!("sum_as_string() expected 2 positional arguments").as_ptr(),
         );
         return std::ptr::null_mut();
     }
@@ -104,9 +98,7 @@ pub unsafe extern "C" fn sum_as_string(
     if PyLong_Check(arg1) == 0 {
         PyErr_SetString(
             PyExc_TypeError,
-            "sum_as_string() expected an int for positional argument 1\0"
-                .as_ptr()
-                .cast::<c_char>(),
+            c_str!("sum_as_string() expected an int for positional argument 1").as_ptr(),
         );
         return std::ptr::null_mut();
     }
@@ -120,9 +112,7 @@ pub unsafe extern "C" fn sum_as_string(
     if PyLong_Check(arg2) == 0 {
         PyErr_SetString(
             PyExc_TypeError,
-            "sum_as_string() expected an int for positional argument 2\0"
-                .as_ptr()
-                .cast::<c_char>(),
+            c_str!("sum_as_string() expected an int for positional argument 2").as_ptr(),
         );
         return std::ptr::null_mut();
     }
@@ -140,7 +130,7 @@ pub unsafe extern "C" fn sum_as_string(
         None => {
             PyErr_SetString(
                 PyExc_OverflowError,
-                "arguments too large to add\0".as_ptr().cast::<c_char>(),
+                c_str!("arguments too large to add").as_ptr(),
             );
             std::ptr::null_mut()
         }
diff --git a/pyo3-ffi/src/abstract_.rs b/pyo3-ffi/src/abstract_.rs
index 1e002046..175f9af7 100644
--- a/pyo3-ffi/src/abstract_.rs
+++ b/pyo3-ffi/src/abstract_.rs
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ extern "C" {
 #[cfg(not(any(Py_3_8, PyPy)))]
 #[inline]
 pub unsafe fn PyIter_Check(o: *mut PyObject) -> c_int {
-    crate::PyObject_HasAttrString(crate::Py_TYPE(o).cast(), "__next__\0".as_ptr().cast())
+    crate::PyObject_HasAttrString(crate::Py_TYPE(o).cast(), c_str!("__next__").as_ptr())
 }
 
 extern "C" {
diff --git a/pyo3-ffi/src/datetime.rs b/pyo3-ffi/src/datetime.rs
index b985085f..5da2956c 100644
--- a/pyo3-ffi/src/datetime.rs
+++ b/pyo3-ffi/src/datetime.rs
@@ -357,8 +357,8 @@ pub unsafe fn PyDateTime_DELTA_GET_MICROSECONDS(o: *mut PyObject) -> c_int {
 // but copying them seems suboptimal
 #[inline]
 #[cfg(GraalPy)]
-pub unsafe fn _get_attr(obj: *mut PyObject, field: &str) -> c_int {
-    let result = PyObject_GetAttrString(obj, field.as_ptr().cast());
+pub unsafe fn _get_attr(obj: *mut PyObject, field: &std::ffi::CStr) -> c_int {
+    let result = PyObject_GetAttrString(obj, field.as_ptr());
     Py_DecRef(result); // the original macros are borrowing
     if PyLong_Check(result) == 1 {
         PyLong_AsLong(result) as c_int
@@ -370,55 +370,55 @@ pub unsafe fn _get_attr(obj: *mut PyObject, field: &str) -> c_int {
 #[inline]
 #[cfg(GraalPy)]
 pub unsafe fn PyDateTime_GET_YEAR(o: *mut PyObject) -> c_int {
-    _get_attr(o, "year\0")
+    _get_attr(o, c_str!("year"))
 }
 
 #[inline]
 #[cfg(GraalPy)]
 pub unsafe fn PyDateTime_GET_MONTH(o: *mut PyObject) -> c_int {
-    _get_attr(o, "month\0")
+    _get_attr(o, c_str!("month"))
 }
 
 #[inline]
 #[cfg(GraalPy)]
 pub unsafe fn PyDateTime_GET_DAY(o: *mut PyObject) -> c_int {
-    _get_attr(o, "day\0")
+    _get_attr(o, c_str!("day"))
 }
 
 #[inline]
 #[cfg(GraalPy)]
 pub unsafe fn PyDateTime_DATE_GET_HOUR(o: *mut PyObject) -> c_int {
-    _get_attr(o, "hour\0")
+    _get_attr(o, c_str!("hour"))
 }
 
 #[inline]
 #[cfg(GraalPy)]
 pub unsafe fn PyDateTime_DATE_GET_MINUTE(o: *mut PyObject) -> c_int {
-    _get_attr(o, "minute\0")
+    _get_attr(o, c_str!("minute"))
 }
 
 #[inline]
 #[cfg(GraalPy)]
 pub unsafe fn PyDateTime_DATE_GET_SECOND(o: *mut PyObject) -> c_int {
-    _get_attr(o, "second\0")
+    _get_attr(o, c_str!("second"))
 }
 
 #[inline]
 #[cfg(GraalPy)]
 pub unsafe fn PyDateTime_DATE_GET_MICROSECOND(o: *mut PyObject) -> c_int {
-    _get_attr(o, "microsecond\0")
+    _get_attr(o, c_str!("microsecond"))
 }
 
 #[inline]
 #[cfg(GraalPy)]
 pub unsafe fn PyDateTime_DATE_GET_FOLD(o: *mut PyObject) -> c_int {
-    _get_attr(o, "fold\0")
+    _get_attr(o, c_str!("fold"))
 }
 
 #[inline]
 #[cfg(GraalPy)]
 pub unsafe fn PyDateTime_DATE_GET_TZINFO(o: *mut PyObject) -> *mut PyObject {
-    let res = PyObject_GetAttrString(o, "tzinfo\0".as_ptr().cast());
+    let res = PyObject_GetAttrString(o, c_str!("tzinfo").as_ptr().cast());
     Py_DecRef(res); // the original macros are borrowing
     res
 }
@@ -426,37 +426,37 @@ pub unsafe fn PyDateTime_DATE_GET_TZINFO(o: *mut PyObject) -> *mut PyObject {
 #[inline]
 #[cfg(GraalPy)]
 pub unsafe fn PyDateTime_TIME_GET_HOUR(o: *mut PyObject) -> c_int {
-    _get_attr(o, "hour\0")
+    _get_attr(o, c_str!("hour"))
 }
 
 #[inline]
 #[cfg(GraalPy)]
 pub unsafe fn PyDateTime_TIME_GET_MINUTE(o: *mut PyObject) -> c_int {
-    _get_attr(o, "minute\0")
+    _get_attr(o, c_str!("minute"))
 }
 
 #[inline]
 #[cfg(GraalPy)]
 pub unsafe fn PyDateTime_TIME_GET_SECOND(o: *mut PyObject) -> c_int {
-    _get_attr(o, "second\0")
+    _get_attr(o, c_str!("second"))
 }
 
 #[inline]
 #[cfg(GraalPy)]
 pub unsafe fn PyDateTime_TIME_GET_MICROSECOND(o: *mut PyObject) -> c_int {
-    _get_attr(o, "microsecond\0")
+    _get_attr(o, c_str!("microsecond"))
 }
 
 #[inline]
 #[cfg(GraalPy)]
 pub unsafe fn PyDateTime_TIME_GET_FOLD(o: *mut PyObject) -> c_int {
-    _get_attr(o, "fold\0")
+    _get_attr(o, c_str!("fold"))
 }
 
 #[inline]
 #[cfg(GraalPy)]
 pub unsafe fn PyDateTime_TIME_GET_TZINFO(o: *mut PyObject) -> *mut PyObject {
-    let res = PyObject_GetAttrString(o, "tzinfo\0".as_ptr().cast());
+    let res = PyObject_GetAttrString(o, c_str!("tzinfo").as_ptr().cast());
     Py_DecRef(res); // the original macros are borrowing
     res
 }
@@ -464,19 +464,19 @@ pub unsafe fn PyDateTime_TIME_GET_TZINFO(o: *mut PyObject) -> *mut PyObject {
 #[inline]
 #[cfg(GraalPy)]
 pub unsafe fn PyDateTime_DELTA_GET_DAYS(o: *mut PyObject) -> c_int {
-    _get_attr(o, "days\0")
+    _get_attr(o, c_str!("days"))
 }
 
 #[inline]
 #[cfg(GraalPy)]
 pub unsafe fn PyDateTime_DELTA_GET_SECONDS(o: *mut PyObject) -> c_int {
-    _get_attr(o, "seconds\0")
+    _get_attr(o, c_str!("seconds"))
 }
 
 #[inline]
 #[cfg(GraalPy)]
 pub unsafe fn PyDateTime_DELTA_GET_MICROSECONDS(o: *mut PyObject) -> c_int {
-    _get_attr(o, "microseconds\0")
+    _get_attr(o, c_str!("microseconds"))
 }
 
 #[cfg(PyPy)]
diff --git a/pyo3-ffi/src/lib.rs b/pyo3-ffi/src/lib.rs
index 877d42dc..c3f5225e 100644
--- a/pyo3-ffi/src/lib.rs
+++ b/pyo3-ffi/src/lib.rs
@@ -88,10 +88,8 @@
 //!
 //! static mut MODULE_DEF: PyModuleDef = PyModuleDef {
 //!     m_base: PyModuleDef_HEAD_INIT,
-//!     m_name: "string_sum\0".as_ptr().cast::<c_char>(),
-//!     m_doc: "A Python module written in Rust.\0"
-//!         .as_ptr()
-//!         .cast::<c_char>(),
+//!     m_name: c_str!("string_sum").as_ptr(),
+//!     m_doc: c_str!("A Python module written in Rust.").as_ptr(),
 //!     m_size: 0,
 //!     m_methods: unsafe { METHODS.as_mut_ptr().cast() },
 //!     m_slots: std::ptr::null_mut(),
@@ -102,14 +100,12 @@
 //!
 //! static mut METHODS: [PyMethodDef; 2] = [
 //!     PyMethodDef {
-//!         ml_name: "sum_as_string\0".as_ptr().cast::<c_char>(),
+//!         ml_name: c_str!("sum_as_string").as_ptr(),
 //!         ml_meth: PyMethodDefPointer {
 //!             _PyCFunctionFast: sum_as_string,
 //!         },
 //!         ml_flags: METH_FASTCALL,
-//!         ml_doc: "returns the sum of two integers as a string\0"
-//!             .as_ptr()
-//!             .cast::<c_char>(),
+//!         ml_doc: c_str!("returns the sum of two integers as a string").as_ptr(),
 //!     },
 //!     // A zeroed PyMethodDef to mark the end of the array.
 //!     PyMethodDef::zeroed()
@@ -130,9 +126,7 @@
 //!     if nargs != 2 {
 //!         PyErr_SetString(
 //!             PyExc_TypeError,
-//!             "sum_as_string() expected 2 positional arguments\0"
-//!                 .as_ptr()
-//!                 .cast::<c_char>(),
+//!             c_str!("sum_as_string() expected 2 positional arguments").as_ptr(),
 //!         );
 //!         return std::ptr::null_mut();
 //!     }
@@ -141,9 +135,7 @@
 //!     if PyLong_Check(arg1) == 0 {
 //!         PyErr_SetString(
 //!             PyExc_TypeError,
-//!             "sum_as_string() expected an int for positional argument 1\0"
-//!                 .as_ptr()
-//!                 .cast::<c_char>(),
+//!             c_str!("sum_as_string() expected an int for positional argument 1").as_ptr(),
 //!         );
 //!         return std::ptr::null_mut();
 //!     }
@@ -157,9 +149,7 @@
 //!     if PyLong_Check(arg2) == 0 {
 //!         PyErr_SetString(
 //!             PyExc_TypeError,
-//!             "sum_as_string() expected an int for positional argument 2\0"
-//!                 .as_ptr()
-//!                 .cast::<c_char>(),
+//!             c_str!("sum_as_string() expected an int for positional argument 2").as_ptr(),
 //!         );
 //!         return std::ptr::null_mut();
 //!     }
@@ -177,7 +167,7 @@
 //!         None => {
 //!             PyErr_SetString(
 //!                 PyExc_OverflowError,
-//!                 "arguments too large to add\0".as_ptr().cast::<c_char>(),
+//!                 c_str!("arguments too large to add").as_ptr(),
 //!             );
 //!             std::ptr::null_mut()
 //!         }
@@ -256,6 +246,53 @@ macro_rules! opaque_struct {
     };
 }
 
+/// This is a helper macro to create a `&'static CStr`.
+///
+/// It can be used on all Rust versions supported by PyO3, unlike c"" literals which
+/// were stabilised in Rust 1.77.
+///
+/// Due to the nature of PyO3 making heavy use of C FFI interop with Python, it is
+/// common for PyO3 to use CStr.
+///
+/// Examples:
+///
+/// ```rust
+/// use std::ffi::CStr;
+///
+/// const HELLO: &CStr = pyo3_ffi::c_str!("hello");
+/// static WORLD: &CStr = pyo3_ffi::c_str!("world");
+/// ```
+#[macro_export]
+macro_rules! c_str {
+    ($s:expr) => {{
+        const _: () = {
+            assert!(
+                $crate::str_contains_no_nul($s),
+                "string contains null bytes"
+            );
+        };
+        // SAFETY: the string is checked to not contain null bytes
+        #[allow(unsafe_op_in_unsafe_fn, unused_unsafe)] // MSRV 1.63 needs these allows
+        unsafe {
+            ::std::ffi::CStr::from_bytes_with_nul_unchecked(concat!($s, "\0").as_bytes())
+        }
+    }};
+}
+
+#[doc(hidden)]
+pub const fn str_contains_no_nul(s: &str) -> bool {
+    let bytes = s.as_bytes();
+    let len = s.len();
+    let mut i = 0;
+    while i < len {
+        if bytes[i] == 0 {
+            return false;
+        }
+        i += 1;
+    }
+    true
+}
+
 pub use self::abstract_::*;
 pub use self::bltinmodule::*;
 pub use self::boolobject::*;
diff --git a/pyo3-ffi/src/pyerrors.rs b/pyo3-ffi/src/pyerrors.rs
index 9da00ea3..6c9313c4 100644
--- a/pyo3-ffi/src/pyerrors.rs
+++ b/pyo3-ffi/src/pyerrors.rs
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ pub unsafe fn PyUnicodeDecodeError_Create(
 ) -> *mut PyObject {
     crate::_PyObject_CallFunction_SizeT(
         PyExc_UnicodeDecodeError,
-        b"sy#nns\0".as_ptr().cast::<c_char>(),
+        c_str!("sy#nns").as_ptr(),
         encoding,
         object,
         length,
diff --git a/pyo3-macros-backend/src/konst.rs b/pyo3-macros-backend/src/konst.rs
index 9a41a2b7..e7d8d554 100644
--- a/pyo3-macros-backend/src/konst.rs
+++ b/pyo3-macros-backend/src/konst.rs
@@ -29,9 +29,10 @@ impl ConstSpec<'_> {
     }
 
     /// Null-terminated Python name
-    pub fn null_terminated_python_name(&self) -> TokenStream {
-        let name = format!("{}\0", self.python_name());
-        quote!({#name})
+    pub fn null_terminated_python_name(&self, ctx: &Ctx) -> TokenStream {
+        let Ctx { pyo3_path } = ctx;
+        let name = self.python_name().to_string();
+        quote!(#pyo3_path::ffi::c_str!(#name))
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/pyo3-macros-backend/src/method.rs b/pyo3-macros-backend/src/method.rs
index c0e38bf8..74542637 100644
--- a/pyo3-macros-backend/src/method.rs
+++ b/pyo3-macros-backend/src/method.rs
@@ -472,8 +472,12 @@ impl<'a> FnSpec<'a> {
         })
     }
 
-    pub fn null_terminated_python_name(&self) -> syn::LitStr {
-        syn::LitStr::new(&format!("{}\0", self.python_name), self.python_name.span())
+    pub fn null_terminated_python_name(&self, ctx: &Ctx) -> TokenStream {
+        let Ctx { pyo3_path } = ctx;
+        let span = self.python_name.span();
+        let pyo3_path = pyo3_path.to_tokens_spanned(span);
+        let name = self.python_name.to_string();
+        quote_spanned!(self.python_name.span() => #pyo3_path::ffi::c_str!(#name))
     }
 
     fn parse_fn_type(
@@ -830,7 +834,7 @@ impl<'a> FnSpec<'a> {
     /// calling convention.
     pub fn get_methoddef(&self, wrapper: impl ToTokens, doc: &PythonDoc, ctx: &Ctx) -> TokenStream {
         let Ctx { pyo3_path } = ctx;
-        let python_name = self.null_terminated_python_name();
+        let python_name = self.null_terminated_python_name(ctx);
         match self.convention {
             CallingConvention::Noargs => quote! {
                 #pyo3_path::impl_::pymethods::PyMethodDef::noargs(
@@ -903,11 +907,11 @@ impl<'a> FnSpec<'a> {
     }
 
     /// Forwards to [utils::get_doc] with the text signature of this spec.
-    pub fn get_doc(&self, attrs: &[syn::Attribute]) -> PythonDoc {
+    pub fn get_doc(&self, attrs: &[syn::Attribute], ctx: &Ctx) -> PythonDoc {
         let text_signature = self
             .text_signature_call_signature()
             .map(|sig| format!("{}{}", self.python_name, sig));
-        utils::get_doc(attrs, text_signature)
+        utils::get_doc(attrs, text_signature, ctx)
     }
 
     /// Creates the parenthesised arguments list for `__text_signature__` snippet based on this spec's signature
diff --git a/pyo3-macros-backend/src/module.rs b/pyo3-macros-backend/src/module.rs
index c1e46276..0383046e 100644
--- a/pyo3-macros-backend/src/module.rs
+++ b/pyo3-macros-backend/src/module.rs
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ pub fn pymodule_module_impl(mut module: syn::ItemMod) -> Result<TokenStream> {
     let options = PyModuleOptions::from_attrs(attrs)?;
     let ctx = &Ctx::new(&options.krate);
     let Ctx { pyo3_path } = ctx;
-    let doc = get_doc(attrs, None);
+    let doc = get_doc(attrs, None, ctx);
     let name = options.name.unwrap_or_else(|| ident.unraw());
     let full_name = if let Some(module) = &options.module {
         format!("{}.{}", module.value.value(), name)
@@ -332,7 +332,7 @@ pub fn pymodule_function_impl(mut function: syn::ItemFn) -> Result<TokenStream>
     let ident = &function.sig.ident;
     let name = options.name.unwrap_or_else(|| ident.unraw());
     let vis = &function.vis;
-    let doc = get_doc(&function.attrs, None);
+    let doc = get_doc(&function.attrs, None, ctx);
 
     let initialization = module_initialization(&name, ctx);
 
@@ -402,10 +402,11 @@ pub fn pymodule_function_impl(mut function: syn::ItemFn) -> Result<TokenStream>
 fn module_initialization(name: &syn::Ident, ctx: &Ctx) -> TokenStream {
     let Ctx { pyo3_path } = ctx;
     let pyinit_symbol = format!("PyInit_{}", name);
+    let name = name.to_string();
 
     quote! {
         #[doc(hidden)]
-        pub const __PYO3_NAME: &'static str = concat!(stringify!(#name), "\0");
+        pub const __PYO3_NAME: &'static ::std::ffi::CStr = #pyo3_path::ffi::c_str!(#name);
 
         pub(super) struct MakeDef;
         #[doc(hidden)]
diff --git a/pyo3-macros-backend/src/pyclass.rs b/pyo3-macros-backend/src/pyclass.rs
index 9484b3db..3e40977e 100644
--- a/pyo3-macros-backend/src/pyclass.rs
+++ b/pyo3-macros-backend/src/pyclass.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 use std::borrow::Cow;
 
 use proc_macro2::{Ident, Span, TokenStream};
-use quote::{format_ident, quote, quote_spanned};
+use quote::{format_ident, quote, quote_spanned, ToTokens};
 use syn::ext::IdentExt;
 use syn::parse::{Parse, ParseStream};
 use syn::punctuated::Punctuated;
@@ -21,9 +21,10 @@ use crate::pymethod::{
     impl_py_getter_def, impl_py_setter_def, MethodAndMethodDef, MethodAndSlotDef, PropertyType,
     SlotDef, __GETITEM__, __HASH__, __INT__, __LEN__, __REPR__, __RICHCMP__,
 };
+use crate::pyversions;
 use crate::utils::{self, apply_renaming_rule, PythonDoc};
 use crate::utils::{is_abi3, Ctx};
-use crate::{pyversions, PyFunctionOptions};
+use crate::PyFunctionOptions;
 
 /// If the class is derived from a Rust `struct` or `enum`.
 #[derive(Copy, Clone, Debug, PartialEq, Eq)]
@@ -225,9 +226,9 @@ pub fn build_py_class(
     methods_type: PyClassMethodsType,
 ) -> syn::Result<TokenStream> {
     args.options.take_pyo3_options(&mut class.attrs)?;
-    let doc = utils::get_doc(&class.attrs, None);
 
     let ctx = &Ctx::new(&args.options.krate);
+    let doc = utils::get_doc(&class.attrs, None, ctx);
 
     if let Some(lt) = class.generics.lifetimes().next() {
         bail_spanned!(
@@ -465,7 +466,7 @@ pub fn build_py_enum(
         bail_spanned!(enum_.brace_token.span.join() => "#[pyclass] can't be used on enums without any variants");
     }
 
-    let doc = utils::get_doc(&enum_.attrs, None);
+    let doc = utils::get_doc(&enum_.attrs, None, ctx);
     let enum_ = PyClassEnum::new(enum_)?;
     impl_enum(enum_, &args, doc, method_type, ctx)
 }
@@ -1403,7 +1404,7 @@ pub fn gen_complex_enum_variant_attr(
     let member = &spec.rust_ident;
     let wrapper_ident = format_ident!("__pymethod_variant_cls_{}__", member);
     let deprecations = &spec.attributes.deprecations;
-    let python_name = &spec.null_terminated_python_name();
+    let python_name = spec.null_terminated_python_name(ctx);
 
     let variant_cls = format_ident!("{}_{}", cls, member);
     let associated_method = quote! {
@@ -1580,7 +1581,7 @@ fn complex_enum_variant_field_getter<'a>(
     let property_type = crate::pymethod::PropertyType::Function {
         self_type: &self_type,
         spec: &spec,
-        doc: crate::get_doc(&[], None),
+        doc: crate::get_doc(&[], None, ctx),
     };
 
     let getter = crate::pymethod::impl_py_getter_def(variant_cls_type, property_type, ctx)?;
@@ -2014,7 +2015,10 @@ impl<'a> PyClassImplsBuilder<'a> {
     fn impl_pyclassimpl(&self, ctx: &Ctx) -> Result<TokenStream> {
         let Ctx { pyo3_path } = ctx;
         let cls = self.cls;
-        let doc = self.doc.as_ref().map_or(quote! {"\0"}, |doc| quote! {#doc});
+        let doc = self.doc.as_ref().map_or(
+            quote! {#pyo3_path::ffi::c_str!("")},
+            PythonDoc::to_token_stream,
+        );
         let is_basetype = self.attr.options.subclass.is_some();
         let base = match &self.attr.options.extends {
             Some(extends_attr) => extends_attr.value.clone(),
diff --git a/pyo3-macros-backend/src/pyfunction.rs b/pyo3-macros-backend/src/pyfunction.rs
index a5f090a0..147193d1 100644
--- a/pyo3-macros-backend/src/pyfunction.rs
+++ b/pyo3-macros-backend/src/pyfunction.rs
@@ -260,7 +260,7 @@ pub fn impl_wrap_pyfunction(
 
     let wrapper_ident = format_ident!("__pyfunction_{}", spec.name);
     let wrapper = spec.get_wrapper_function(&wrapper_ident, None, ctx)?;
-    let methoddef = spec.get_methoddef(wrapper_ident, &spec.get_doc(&func.attrs), ctx);
+    let methoddef = spec.get_methoddef(wrapper_ident, &spec.get_doc(&func.attrs, ctx), ctx);
 
     let wrapped_pyfunction = quote! {
 
diff --git a/pyo3-macros-backend/src/pyimpl.rs b/pyo3-macros-backend/src/pyimpl.rs
index 27188254..a1242d49 100644
--- a/pyo3-macros-backend/src/pyimpl.rs
+++ b/pyo3-macros-backend/src/pyimpl.rs
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ pub fn gen_py_const(cls: &syn::Type, spec: &ConstSpec<'_>, ctx: &Ctx) -> MethodA
     let member = &spec.rust_ident;
     let wrapper_ident = format_ident!("__pymethod_{}__", member);
     let deprecations = &spec.attributes.deprecations;
-    let python_name = &spec.null_terminated_python_name();
+    let python_name = spec.null_terminated_python_name(ctx);
     let Ctx { pyo3_path } = ctx;
 
     let associated_method = quote! {
diff --git a/pyo3-macros-backend/src/pymethod.rs b/pyo3-macros-backend/src/pymethod.rs
index 013b1501..735b55a1 100644
--- a/pyo3-macros-backend/src/pymethod.rs
+++ b/pyo3-macros-backend/src/pymethod.rs
@@ -227,21 +227,21 @@ pub fn gen_py_method(
         (_, FnType::Fn(_)) => GeneratedPyMethod::Method(impl_py_method_def(
             cls,
             spec,
-            &spec.get_doc(meth_attrs),
+            &spec.get_doc(meth_attrs, ctx),
             None,
             ctx,
         )?),
         (_, FnType::FnClass(_)) => GeneratedPyMethod::Method(impl_py_method_def(
             cls,
             spec,
-            &spec.get_doc(meth_attrs),
+            &spec.get_doc(meth_attrs, ctx),
             Some(quote!(#pyo3_path::ffi::METH_CLASS)),
             ctx,
         )?),
         (_, FnType::FnStatic) => GeneratedPyMethod::Method(impl_py_method_def(
             cls,
             spec,
-            &spec.get_doc(meth_attrs),
+            &spec.get_doc(meth_attrs, ctx),
             Some(quote!(#pyo3_path::ffi::METH_STATIC)),
             ctx,
         )?),
@@ -255,7 +255,7 @@ pub fn gen_py_method(
             PropertyType::Function {
                 self_type,
                 spec,
-                doc: spec.get_doc(meth_attrs),
+                doc: spec.get_doc(meth_attrs, ctx),
             },
             ctx,
         )?),
@@ -264,7 +264,7 @@ pub fn gen_py_method(
             PropertyType::Function {
                 self_type,
                 spec,
-                doc: spec.get_doc(meth_attrs),
+                doc: spec.get_doc(meth_attrs, ctx),
             },
             ctx,
         )?),
@@ -499,7 +499,7 @@ fn impl_py_class_attribute(
     };
 
     let wrapper_ident = format_ident!("__pymethod_{}__", name);
-    let python_name = spec.null_terminated_python_name();
+    let python_name = spec.null_terminated_python_name(ctx);
     let body = quotes::ok_wrap(fncall, ctx);
 
     let associated_method = quote! {
@@ -560,8 +560,8 @@ pub fn impl_py_setter_def(
     ctx: &Ctx,
 ) -> Result<MethodAndMethodDef> {
     let Ctx { pyo3_path } = ctx;
-    let python_name = property_type.null_terminated_python_name()?;
-    let doc = property_type.doc();
+    let python_name = property_type.null_terminated_python_name(ctx)?;
+    let doc = property_type.doc(ctx);
     let mut holders = Holders::new();
     let setter_impl = match property_type {
         PropertyType::Descriptor {
@@ -746,8 +746,8 @@ pub fn impl_py_getter_def(
     ctx: &Ctx,
 ) -> Result<MethodAndMethodDef> {
     let Ctx { pyo3_path } = ctx;
-    let python_name = property_type.null_terminated_python_name()?;
-    let doc = property_type.doc();
+    let python_name = property_type.null_terminated_python_name(ctx)?;
+    let doc = property_type.doc(ctx);
 
     let mut holders = Holders::new();
     let body = match property_type {
@@ -870,7 +870,8 @@ pub enum PropertyType<'a> {
 }
 
 impl PropertyType<'_> {
-    fn null_terminated_python_name(&self) -> Result<syn::LitStr> {
+    fn null_terminated_python_name(&self, ctx: &Ctx) -> Result<TokenStream> {
+        let Ctx { pyo3_path } = ctx;
         match self {
             PropertyType::Descriptor {
                 field,
@@ -885,23 +886,22 @@ impl PropertyType<'_> {
                         if let Some(rule) = renaming_rule {
                             name = utils::apply_renaming_rule(*rule, &name);
                         }
-                        name.push('\0');
                         name
                     }
                     (None, None) => {
                         bail_spanned!(field.span() => "`get` and `set` with tuple struct fields require `name`");
                     }
                 };
-                Ok(syn::LitStr::new(&name, field.span()))
+                Ok(quote_spanned!(field.span() => #pyo3_path::ffi::c_str!(#name)))
             }
-            PropertyType::Function { spec, .. } => Ok(spec.null_terminated_python_name()),
+            PropertyType::Function { spec, .. } => Ok(spec.null_terminated_python_name(ctx)),
         }
     }
 
-    fn doc(&self) -> Cow<'_, PythonDoc> {
+    fn doc(&self, ctx: &Ctx) -> Cow<'_, PythonDoc> {
         match self {
             PropertyType::Descriptor { field, .. } => {
-                Cow::Owned(utils::get_doc(&field.attrs, None))
+                Cow::Owned(utils::get_doc(&field.attrs, None, ctx))
             }
             PropertyType::Function { doc, .. } => Cow::Borrowed(doc),
         }
diff --git a/pyo3-macros-backend/src/utils.rs b/pyo3-macros-backend/src/utils.rs
index a4c2c5e8..1586379a 100644
--- a/pyo3-macros-backend/src/utils.rs
+++ b/pyo3-macros-backend/src/utils.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 use proc_macro2::{Span, TokenStream};
-use quote::ToTokens;
+use quote::{quote, ToTokens};
 use syn::{punctuated::Punctuated, Token};
 
 use crate::attributes::{CrateAttribute, RenamingRule};
@@ -81,7 +81,12 @@ pub struct PythonDoc(TokenStream);
 /// If this doc is for a callable, the provided `text_signature` can be passed to prepend
 /// this to the documentation suitable for Python to extract this into the `__text_signature__`
 /// attribute.
-pub fn get_doc(attrs: &[syn::Attribute], mut text_signature: Option<String>) -> PythonDoc {
+pub fn get_doc(
+    attrs: &[syn::Attribute],
+    mut text_signature: Option<String>,
+    ctx: &Ctx,
+) -> PythonDoc {
+    let Ctx { pyo3_path } = ctx;
     // insert special divider between `__text_signature__` and doc
     // (assume text_signature is itself well-formed)
     if let Some(text_signature) = &mut text_signature {
@@ -120,7 +125,7 @@ pub fn get_doc(attrs: &[syn::Attribute], mut text_signature: Option<String>) ->
         }
     }
 
-    if !parts.is_empty() {
+    let tokens = if !parts.is_empty() {
         // Doc contained macro pieces - return as `concat!` expression
         if !current_part.is_empty() {
             parts.push(current_part.to_token_stream());
@@ -133,15 +138,14 @@ pub fn get_doc(attrs: &[syn::Attribute], mut text_signature: Option<String>) ->
         syn::token::Bracket(Span::call_site()).surround(&mut tokens, |tokens| {
             parts.to_tokens(tokens);
             syn::token::Comma(Span::call_site()).to_tokens(tokens);
-            syn::LitStr::new("\0", Span::call_site()).to_tokens(tokens);
         });
 
-        PythonDoc(tokens)
+        tokens
     } else {
         // Just a string doc - return directly with nul terminator
-        current_part.push('\0');
-        PythonDoc(current_part.to_token_stream())
-    }
+        current_part.to_token_stream()
+    };
+    PythonDoc(quote!(#pyo3_path::ffi::c_str!(#tokens)))
 }
 
 impl quote::ToTokens for PythonDoc {
diff --git a/src/buffer.rs b/src/buffer.rs
index 558fb5e9..85e0e4ce 100644
--- a/src/buffer.rs
+++ b/src/buffer.rs
@@ -352,7 +352,7 @@ impl<T: Element> PyBuffer<T> {
     #[inline]
     pub fn format(&self) -> &CStr {
         if self.0.format.is_null() {
-            CStr::from_bytes_with_nul(b"B\0").unwrap()
+            ffi::c_str!("B")
         } else {
             unsafe { CStr::from_ptr(self.0.format) }
         }
@@ -723,125 +723,124 @@ mod tests {
     fn test_element_type_from_format() {
         use super::ElementType;
         use super::ElementType::*;
-        use std::ffi::CStr;
         use std::mem::size_of;
         use std::os::raw;
 
-        for (cstr, expected) in &[
+        for (cstr, expected) in [
             // @ prefix goes to native_element_type_from_type_char
             (
-                "@b\0",
+                ffi::c_str!("@b"),
                 SignedInteger {
                     bytes: size_of::<raw::c_schar>(),
                 },
             ),
             (
-                "@c\0",
+                ffi::c_str!("@c"),
                 UnsignedInteger {
                     bytes: size_of::<raw::c_char>(),
                 },
             ),
             (
-                "@b\0",
+                ffi::c_str!("@b"),
                 SignedInteger {
                     bytes: size_of::<raw::c_schar>(),
                 },
             ),
             (
-                "@B\0",
+                ffi::c_str!("@B"),
                 UnsignedInteger {
                     bytes: size_of::<raw::c_uchar>(),
                 },
             ),
-            ("@?\0", Bool),
+            (ffi::c_str!("@?"), Bool),
             (
-                "@h\0",
+                ffi::c_str!("@h"),
                 SignedInteger {
                     bytes: size_of::<raw::c_short>(),
                 },
             ),
             (
-                "@H\0",
+                ffi::c_str!("@H"),
                 UnsignedInteger {
                     bytes: size_of::<raw::c_ushort>(),
                 },
             ),
             (
-                "@i\0",
+                ffi::c_str!("@i"),
                 SignedInteger {
                     bytes: size_of::<raw::c_int>(),
                 },
             ),
             (
-                "@I\0",
+                ffi::c_str!("@I"),
                 UnsignedInteger {
                     bytes: size_of::<raw::c_uint>(),
                 },
             ),
             (
-                "@l\0",
+                ffi::c_str!("@l"),
                 SignedInteger {
                     bytes: size_of::<raw::c_long>(),
                 },
             ),
             (
-                "@L\0",
+                ffi::c_str!("@L"),
                 UnsignedInteger {
                     bytes: size_of::<raw::c_ulong>(),
                 },
             ),
             (
-                "@q\0",
+                ffi::c_str!("@q"),
                 SignedInteger {
                     bytes: size_of::<raw::c_longlong>(),
                 },
             ),
             (
-                "@Q\0",
+                ffi::c_str!("@Q"),
                 UnsignedInteger {
                     bytes: size_of::<raw::c_ulonglong>(),
                 },
             ),
             (
-                "@n\0",
+                ffi::c_str!("@n"),
                 SignedInteger {
                     bytes: size_of::<libc::ssize_t>(),
                 },
             ),
             (
-                "@N\0",
+                ffi::c_str!("@N"),
                 UnsignedInteger {
                     bytes: size_of::<libc::size_t>(),
                 },
             ),
-            ("@e\0", Float { bytes: 2 }),
-            ("@f\0", Float { bytes: 4 }),
-            ("@d\0", Float { bytes: 8 }),
-            ("@z\0", Unknown),
+            (ffi::c_str!("@e"), Float { bytes: 2 }),
+            (ffi::c_str!("@f"), Float { bytes: 4 }),
+            (ffi::c_str!("@d"), Float { bytes: 8 }),
+            (ffi::c_str!("@z"), Unknown),
             // = prefix goes to standard_element_type_from_type_char
-            ("=b\0", SignedInteger { bytes: 1 }),
-            ("=c\0", UnsignedInteger { bytes: 1 }),
-            ("=B\0", UnsignedInteger { bytes: 1 }),
-            ("=?\0", Bool),
-            ("=h\0", SignedInteger { bytes: 2 }),
-            ("=H\0", UnsignedInteger { bytes: 2 }),
-            ("=l\0", SignedInteger { bytes: 4 }),
-            ("=l\0", SignedInteger { bytes: 4 }),
-            ("=I\0", UnsignedInteger { bytes: 4 }),
-            ("=L\0", UnsignedInteger { bytes: 4 }),
-            ("=q\0", SignedInteger { bytes: 8 }),
-            ("=Q\0", UnsignedInteger { bytes: 8 }),
-            ("=e\0", Float { bytes: 2 }),
-            ("=f\0", Float { bytes: 4 }),
-            ("=d\0", Float { bytes: 8 }),
-            ("=z\0", Unknown),
-            ("=0\0", Unknown),
+            (ffi::c_str!("=b"), SignedInteger { bytes: 1 }),
+            (ffi::c_str!("=c"), UnsignedInteger { bytes: 1 }),
+            (ffi::c_str!("=B"), UnsignedInteger { bytes: 1 }),
+            (ffi::c_str!("=?"), Bool),
+            (ffi::c_str!("=h"), SignedInteger { bytes: 2 }),
+            (ffi::c_str!("=H"), UnsignedInteger { bytes: 2 }),
+            (ffi::c_str!("=l"), SignedInteger { bytes: 4 }),
+            (ffi::c_str!("=l"), SignedInteger { bytes: 4 }),
+            (ffi::c_str!("=I"), UnsignedInteger { bytes: 4 }),
+            (ffi::c_str!("=L"), UnsignedInteger { bytes: 4 }),
+            (ffi::c_str!("=q"), SignedInteger { bytes: 8 }),
+            (ffi::c_str!("=Q"), UnsignedInteger { bytes: 8 }),
+            (ffi::c_str!("=e"), Float { bytes: 2 }),
+            (ffi::c_str!("=f"), Float { bytes: 4 }),
+            (ffi::c_str!("=d"), Float { bytes: 8 }),
+            (ffi::c_str!("=z"), Unknown),
+            (ffi::c_str!("=0"), Unknown),
             // unknown prefix -> Unknown
-            (":b\0", Unknown),
+            (ffi::c_str!(":b"), Unknown),
         ] {
             assert_eq!(
-                ElementType::from_format(CStr::from_bytes_with_nul(cstr.as_bytes()).unwrap()),
-                *expected,
+                ElementType::from_format(cstr),
+                expected,
                 "element from format &Cstr: {:?}",
                 cstr,
             );
diff --git a/src/conversions/num_rational.rs b/src/conversions/num_rational.rs
index 2129234d..e3a0c7e6 100644
--- a/src/conversions/num_rational.rs
+++ b/src/conversions/num_rational.rs
@@ -64,28 +64,15 @@ macro_rules! rational_conversion {
         impl<'py> FromPyObject<'py> for Ratio<$int> {
             fn extract_bound(obj: &Bound<'py, PyAny>) -> PyResult<Self> {
                 let py = obj.py();
-                let py_numerator_obj = unsafe {
-                    Bound::from_owned_ptr_or_err(
-                        py,
-                        ffi::PyObject_GetAttrString(obj.as_ptr(), "numerator\0".as_ptr().cast()),
-                    )
-                };
-                let py_denominator_obj = unsafe {
-                    Bound::from_owned_ptr_or_err(
-                        py,
-                        ffi::PyObject_GetAttrString(obj.as_ptr(), "denominator\0".as_ptr().cast()),
-                    )
-                };
+                let py_numerator_obj = obj.getattr(crate::intern!(py, "numerator"))?;
+                let py_denominator_obj = obj.getattr(crate::intern!(py, "denominator"))?;
                 let numerator_owned = unsafe {
-                    Bound::from_owned_ptr_or_err(
-                        py,
-                        ffi::PyNumber_Long(py_numerator_obj?.as_ptr()),
-                    )?
+                    Bound::from_owned_ptr_or_err(py, ffi::PyNumber_Long(py_numerator_obj.as_ptr()))?
                 };
                 let denominator_owned = unsafe {
                     Bound::from_owned_ptr_or_err(
                         py,
-                        ffi::PyNumber_Long(py_denominator_obj?.as_ptr()),
+                        ffi::PyNumber_Long(py_denominator_obj.as_ptr()),
                     )?
                 };
                 let rs_numerator: $int = numerator_owned.extract()?;
diff --git a/src/err/err_state.rs b/src/err/err_state.rs
index 14345b27..dc07294a 100644
--- a/src/err/err_state.rs
+++ b/src/err/err_state.rs
@@ -240,9 +240,7 @@ fn raise_lazy(py: Python<'_>, lazy: Box<PyErrStateLazyFn>) {
         if ffi::PyExceptionClass_Check(ptype.as_ptr()) == 0 {
             ffi::PyErr_SetString(
                 PyTypeError::type_object_raw(py).cast(),
-                "exceptions must derive from BaseException\0"
-                    .as_ptr()
-                    .cast(),
+                ffi::c_str!("exceptions must derive from BaseException").as_ptr(),
             )
         } else {
             ffi::PyErr_SetObject(ptype.as_ptr(), pvalue.as_ptr())
diff --git a/src/exceptions.rs b/src/exceptions.rs
index 82bf3b66..496d614f 100644
--- a/src/exceptions.rs
+++ b/src/exceptions.rs
@@ -736,10 +736,10 @@ impl PyUnicodeDecodeError {
         let pos = err.valid_up_to();
         PyUnicodeDecodeError::new_bound(
             py,
-            CStr::from_bytes_with_nul(b"utf-8\0").unwrap(),
+            ffi::c_str!("utf-8"),
             input,
             pos..(pos + 1),
-            CStr::from_bytes_with_nul(b"invalid utf-8\0").unwrap(),
+            ffi::c_str!("invalid utf-8"),
         )
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/impl_/pyclass.rs b/src/impl_/pyclass.rs
index 84c00acd..acfce37e 100644
--- a/src/impl_/pyclass.rs
+++ b/src/impl_/pyclass.rs
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ use crate::{
     ffi,
     impl_::freelist::FreeList,
     impl_::pycell::{GetBorrowChecker, PyClassMutability, PyClassObjectLayout},
-    internal_tricks::extract_c_string,
     pyclass_init::PyObjectInit,
     types::any::PyAnyMethods,
     types::PyBool,
@@ -214,7 +213,7 @@ pub trait PyClassImpl: Sized + 'static {
 /// specialization in to the `#[pyclass]` macro from the `#[pymethods]` macro.
 pub fn build_pyclass_doc(
     class_name: &'static str,
-    doc: &'static str,
+    doc: &'static CStr,
     text_signature: Option<&'static str>,
 ) -> PyResult<Cow<'static, CStr>> {
     if let Some(text_signature) = text_signature {
@@ -222,12 +221,12 @@ pub fn build_pyclass_doc(
             "{}{}\n--\n\n{}",
             class_name,
             text_signature,
-            doc.trim_end_matches('\0')
+            doc.to_str().unwrap(),
         ))
         .map_err(|_| PyValueError::new_err("class doc cannot contain nul bytes"))?;
         Ok(Cow::Owned(doc))
     } else {
-        extract_c_string(doc, "class doc cannot contain nul bytes")
+        Ok(Cow::Borrowed(doc))
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/impl_/pyclass/lazy_type_object.rs b/src/impl_/pyclass/lazy_type_object.rs
index f83fa4c5..7afaec8a 100644
--- a/src/impl_/pyclass/lazy_type_object.rs
+++ b/src/impl_/pyclass/lazy_type_object.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 use std::{
-    borrow::Cow,
     cell::RefCell,
     ffi::CStr,
     marker::PhantomData,
@@ -151,10 +150,8 @@ impl LazyTypeObjectInner {
         for class_items in items_iter {
             for def in class_items.methods {
                 if let PyMethodDefType::ClassAttribute(attr) = def {
-                    let key = attr.attribute_c_string().unwrap();
-
                     match (attr.meth)(py) {
-                        Ok(val) => items.push((key, val)),
+                        Ok(val) => items.push((attr.name, val)),
                         Err(err) => {
                             return Err(wrap_in_runtime_error(
                                 py,
@@ -162,7 +159,7 @@ impl LazyTypeObjectInner {
                                 format!(
                                     "An error occurred while initializing `{}.{}`",
                                     name,
-                                    attr.name.trim_end_matches('\0')
+                                    attr.name.to_str().unwrap()
                                 ),
                             ))
                         }
@@ -198,7 +195,7 @@ impl LazyTypeObjectInner {
 fn initialize_tp_dict(
     py: Python<'_>,
     type_object: *mut ffi::PyObject,
-    items: Vec<(Cow<'static, CStr>, PyObject)>,
+    items: Vec<(&'static CStr, PyObject)>,
 ) -> PyResult<()> {
     // We hold the GIL: the dictionary update can be considered atomic from
     // the POV of other threads.
diff --git a/src/impl_/pymethods.rs b/src/impl_/pymethods.rs
index 44b2af25..2b63d1e4 100644
--- a/src/impl_/pymethods.rs
+++ b/src/impl_/pymethods.rs
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ use crate::callback::IntoPyCallbackOutput;
 use crate::exceptions::PyStopAsyncIteration;
 use crate::gil::LockGIL;
 use crate::impl_::panic::PanicTrap;
-use crate::internal_tricks::extract_c_string;
 use crate::pycell::{PyBorrowError, PyBorrowMutError};
 use crate::pyclass::boolean_struct::False;
 use crate::types::any::PyAnyMethods;
@@ -12,7 +11,6 @@ use crate::{
     ffi, Borrowed, Bound, DowncastError, Py, PyAny, PyClass, PyClassInitializer, PyErr, PyObject,
     PyRef, PyRefMut, PyResult, PyTraverseError, PyTypeCheck, PyVisit, Python,
 };
-use std::borrow::Cow;
 use std::ffi::CStr;
 use std::fmt;
 use std::os::raw::{c_int, c_void};
@@ -84,36 +82,30 @@ pub type PyClassAttributeFactory = for<'p> fn(Python<'p>) -> PyResult<PyObject>;
 
 #[derive(Clone, Debug)]
 pub struct PyMethodDef {
-    pub(crate) ml_name: &'static str,
+    pub(crate) ml_name: &'static CStr,
     pub(crate) ml_meth: PyMethodType,
     pub(crate) ml_flags: c_int,
-    pub(crate) ml_doc: &'static str,
+    pub(crate) ml_doc: &'static CStr,
 }
 
 #[derive(Copy, Clone)]
 pub struct PyClassAttributeDef {
-    pub(crate) name: &'static str,
+    pub(crate) name: &'static CStr,
     pub(crate) meth: PyClassAttributeFactory,
 }
 
-impl PyClassAttributeDef {
-    pub(crate) fn attribute_c_string(&self) -> PyResult<Cow<'static, CStr>> {
-        extract_c_string(self.name, "class attribute name cannot contain nul bytes")
-    }
-}
-
 #[derive(Clone)]
 pub struct PyGetterDef {
-    pub(crate) name: &'static str,
+    pub(crate) name: &'static CStr,
     pub(crate) meth: Getter,
-    pub(crate) doc: &'static str,
+    pub(crate) doc: &'static CStr,
 }
 
 #[derive(Clone)]
 pub struct PySetterDef {
-    pub(crate) name: &'static str,
+    pub(crate) name: &'static CStr,
     pub(crate) meth: Setter,
-    pub(crate) doc: &'static str,
+    pub(crate) doc: &'static CStr,
 }
 
 unsafe impl Sync for PyMethodDef {}
@@ -125,44 +117,44 @@ unsafe impl Sync for PySetterDef {}
 impl PyMethodDef {
     /// Define a function with no `*args` and `**kwargs`.
     pub const fn noargs(
-        name: &'static str,
+        ml_name: &'static CStr,
         cfunction: ffi::PyCFunction,
-        doc: &'static str,
+        ml_doc: &'static CStr,
     ) -> Self {
         Self {
-            ml_name: name,
+            ml_name,
             ml_meth: PyMethodType::PyCFunction(cfunction),
             ml_flags: ffi::METH_NOARGS,
-            ml_doc: doc,
+            ml_doc,
         }
     }
 
     /// Define a function that can take `*args` and `**kwargs`.
     pub const fn cfunction_with_keywords(
-        name: &'static str,
+        ml_name: &'static CStr,
         cfunction: ffi::PyCFunctionWithKeywords,
-        doc: &'static str,
+        ml_doc: &'static CStr,
     ) -> Self {
         Self {
-            ml_name: name,
+            ml_name,
             ml_meth: PyMethodType::PyCFunctionWithKeywords(cfunction),
             ml_flags: ffi::METH_VARARGS | ffi::METH_KEYWORDS,
-            ml_doc: doc,
+            ml_doc,
         }
     }
 
     /// Define a function that can take `*args` and `**kwargs`.
     #[cfg(not(Py_LIMITED_API))]
     pub const fn fastcall_cfunction_with_keywords(
-        name: &'static str,
+        ml_name: &'static CStr,
         cfunction: ffi::_PyCFunctionFastWithKeywords,
-        doc: &'static str,
+        ml_doc: &'static CStr,
     ) -> Self {
         Self {
-            ml_name: name,
+            ml_name,
             ml_meth: PyMethodType::PyCFunctionFastWithKeywords(cfunction),
             ml_flags: ffi::METH_FASTCALL | ffi::METH_KEYWORDS,
-            ml_doc: doc,
+            ml_doc,
         }
     }
 
@@ -172,7 +164,7 @@ impl PyMethodDef {
     }
 
     /// Convert `PyMethodDef` to Python method definition struct `ffi::PyMethodDef`
-    pub(crate) fn as_method_def(&self) -> PyResult<(ffi::PyMethodDef, PyMethodDefDestructor)> {
+    pub(crate) fn as_method_def(&self) -> ffi::PyMethodDef {
         let meth = match self.ml_meth {
             PyMethodType::PyCFunction(meth) => ffi::PyMethodDefPointer { PyCFunction: meth },
             PyMethodType::PyCFunctionWithKeywords(meth) => ffi::PyMethodDefPointer {
@@ -184,22 +176,18 @@ impl PyMethodDef {
             },
         };
 
-        let name = get_name(self.ml_name)?;
-        let doc = get_doc(self.ml_doc)?;
-        let def = ffi::PyMethodDef {
-            ml_name: name.as_ptr(),
+        ffi::PyMethodDef {
+            ml_name: self.ml_name.as_ptr(),
             ml_meth: meth,
             ml_flags: self.ml_flags,
-            ml_doc: doc.as_ptr(),
-        };
-        let destructor = PyMethodDefDestructor { name, doc };
-        Ok((def, destructor))
+            ml_doc: self.ml_doc.as_ptr(),
+        }
     }
 }
 
 impl PyClassAttributeDef {
     /// Define a class attribute.
-    pub const fn new(name: &'static str, meth: PyClassAttributeFactory) -> Self {
+    pub const fn new(name: &'static CStr, meth: PyClassAttributeFactory) -> Self {
         Self { name, meth }
     }
 }
@@ -222,7 +210,7 @@ pub(crate) type Setter =
 
 impl PyGetterDef {
     /// Define a getter.
-    pub const fn new(name: &'static str, getter: Getter, doc: &'static str) -> Self {
+    pub const fn new(name: &'static CStr, getter: Getter, doc: &'static CStr) -> Self {
         Self {
             name,
             meth: getter,
@@ -233,7 +221,7 @@ impl PyGetterDef {
 
 impl PySetterDef {
     /// Define a setter.
-    pub const fn new(name: &'static str, setter: Setter, doc: &'static str) -> Self {
+    pub const fn new(name: &'static CStr, setter: Setter, doc: &'static CStr) -> Self {
         Self {
             name,
             meth: setter,
@@ -284,22 +272,6 @@ where
     retval
 }
 
-pub(crate) struct PyMethodDefDestructor {
-    // These members are just to avoid leaking CStrings when possible
-    #[allow(dead_code)]
-    name: Cow<'static, CStr>,
-    #[allow(dead_code)]
-    doc: Cow<'static, CStr>,
-}
-
-pub(crate) fn get_name(name: &'static str) -> PyResult<Cow<'static, CStr>> {
-    extract_c_string(name, "function name cannot contain NUL byte.")
-}
-
-pub(crate) fn get_doc(doc: &'static str) -> PyResult<Cow<'static, CStr>> {
-    extract_c_string(doc, "function doc cannot contain NUL byte.")
-}
-
 // Autoref-based specialization for handling `__next__` returning `Option`
 
 pub struct IterBaseTag;
diff --git a/src/impl_/pymodule.rs b/src/impl_/pymodule.rs
index 0c3d8951..b05652bc 100644
--- a/src/impl_/pymodule.rs
+++ b/src/impl_/pymodule.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 //! Implementation details of `#[pymodule]` which need to be accessible from proc-macro generated code.
 
-use std::{cell::UnsafeCell, marker::PhantomData};
+use std::{cell::UnsafeCell, ffi::CStr, marker::PhantomData};
 
 #[cfg(all(
     not(any(PyPy, GraalPy)),
@@ -49,12 +49,9 @@ unsafe impl Sync for ModuleDef {}
 
 impl ModuleDef {
     /// Make new module definition with given module name.
-    ///
-    /// # Safety
-    /// `name` and `doc` must be null-terminated strings.
     pub const unsafe fn new(
-        name: &'static str,
-        doc: &'static str,
+        name: &'static CStr,
+        doc: &'static CStr,
         initializer: ModuleInitializer,
     ) -> Self {
         const INIT: ffi::PyModuleDef = ffi::PyModuleDef {
@@ -70,8 +67,8 @@ impl ModuleDef {
         };
 
         let ffi_def = UnsafeCell::new(ffi::PyModuleDef {
-            m_name: name.as_ptr().cast(),
-            m_doc: doc.as_ptr().cast(),
+            m_name: name.as_ptr(),
+            m_doc: doc.as_ptr(),
             ..INIT
         });
 
@@ -215,10 +212,12 @@ impl PyAddToModule for ModuleDef {
 mod tests {
     use std::{
         borrow::Cow,
+        ffi::CStr,
         sync::atomic::{AtomicBool, Ordering},
     };
 
     use crate::{
+        ffi,
         types::{any::PyAnyMethods, module::PyModuleMethods, PyModule},
         Bound, PyResult, Python,
     };
@@ -229,8 +228,8 @@ mod tests {
     fn module_init() {
         static MODULE_DEF: ModuleDef = unsafe {
             ModuleDef::new(
-                "test_module\0",
-                "some doc\0",
+                ffi::c_str!("test_module"),
+                ffi::c_str!("some doc"),
                 ModuleInitializer(|m| {
                     m.add("SOME_CONSTANT", 42)?;
                     Ok(())
@@ -270,8 +269,8 @@ mod tests {
     fn module_def_new() {
         // To get coverage for ModuleDef::new() need to create a non-static ModuleDef, however init
         // etc require static ModuleDef, so this test needs to be separated out.
-        static NAME: &str = "test_module\0";
-        static DOC: &str = "some doc\0";
+        static NAME: &CStr = ffi::c_str!("test_module");
+        static DOC: &CStr = ffi::c_str!("some doc");
 
         static INIT_CALLED: AtomicBool = AtomicBool::new(false);
 
diff --git a/src/internal_tricks.rs b/src/internal_tricks.rs
index a8873dda..0ee424f9 100644
--- a/src/internal_tricks.rs
+++ b/src/internal_tricks.rs
@@ -1,13 +1,4 @@
-use std::{
-    borrow::Cow,
-    ffi::{CStr, CString},
-};
-
-use crate::{
-    exceptions::PyValueError,
-    ffi::{Py_ssize_t, PY_SSIZE_T_MAX},
-    PyResult,
-};
+use crate::ffi::{Py_ssize_t, PY_SSIZE_T_MAX};
 pub struct PrivateMarker;
 
 macro_rules! private_decl {
@@ -193,31 +184,6 @@ pub(crate) fn slice_index_order_fail(index: usize, end: usize) -> ! {
     panic!("slice index starts at {} but ends at {}", index, end);
 }
 
-pub(crate) fn extract_c_string(
-    src: &'static str,
-    err_msg: &'static str,
-) -> PyResult<Cow<'static, CStr>> {
-    let bytes = src.as_bytes();
-    let cow = match bytes {
-        [] => {
-            // Empty string, we can trivially refer to a static "\0" string
-            Cow::Borrowed(unsafe { CStr::from_bytes_with_nul_unchecked(b"\0") })
-        }
-        [.., 0] => {
-            // Last byte is a nul; try to create as a CStr
-            let c_str =
-                CStr::from_bytes_with_nul(bytes).map_err(|_| PyValueError::new_err(err_msg))?;
-            Cow::Borrowed(c_str)
-        }
-        _ => {
-            // Allocate a new CString for this
-            let c_string = CString::new(bytes).map_err(|_| PyValueError::new_err(err_msg))?;
-            Cow::Owned(c_string)
-        }
-    };
-    Ok(cow)
-}
-
 // TODO: use ptr::from_ref on MSRV 1.76
 #[inline]
 pub(crate) const fn ptr_from_ref<T>(t: &T) -> *const T {
diff --git a/src/macros.rs b/src/macros.rs
index 9316b871..ab91d577 100644
--- a/src/macros.rs
+++ b/src/macros.rs
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ macro_rules! append_to_inittab {
                 );
             }
             $crate::ffi::PyImport_AppendInittab(
-                $module::__PYO3_NAME.as_ptr().cast(),
+                $module::__PYO3_NAME.as_ptr(),
                 ::std::option::Option::Some($module::__pyo3_init),
             );
         }
diff --git a/src/marker.rs b/src/marker.rs
index 62d8a89b..dae4fcab 100644
--- a/src/marker.rs
+++ b/src/marker.rs
@@ -652,7 +652,7 @@ impl<'py> Python<'py> {
     ) -> PyResult<Bound<'py, PyAny>> {
         let code = CString::new(code)?;
         unsafe {
-            let mptr = ffi::PyImport_AddModule("__main__\0".as_ptr().cast());
+            let mptr = ffi::PyImport_AddModule(ffi::c_str!("__main__").as_ptr());
             if mptr.is_null() {
                 return Err(PyErr::fetch(self));
             }
@@ -685,7 +685,8 @@ impl<'py> Python<'py> {
                 }
             }
 
-            let code_obj = ffi::Py_CompileString(code.as_ptr(), "<string>\0".as_ptr() as _, start);
+            let code_obj =
+                ffi::Py_CompileString(code.as_ptr(), ffi::c_str!("<string>").as_ptr(), start);
             if code_obj.is_null() {
                 return Err(PyErr::fetch(self));
             }
diff --git a/src/pyclass/create_type_object.rs b/src/pyclass/create_type_object.rs
index 01b35776..fd1d2b34 100644
--- a/src/pyclass/create_type_object.rs
+++ b/src/pyclass/create_type_object.rs
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ use crate::{
             assign_sequence_item_from_mapping, get_sequence_item_from_mapping, tp_dealloc,
             tp_dealloc_with_gc, PyClassItemsIter,
         },
-        pymethods::{get_doc, get_name, Getter, Setter},
+        pymethods::{Getter, Setter},
         trampoline::trampoline,
     },
     internal_tricks::ptr_from_ref,
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@ use crate::{
     Py, PyClass, PyGetterDef, PyMethodDefType, PyResult, PySetterDef, PyTypeInfo, Python,
 };
 use std::{
-    borrow::Cow,
     collections::HashMap,
     ffi::{CStr, CString},
     os::raw::{c_char, c_int, c_ulong, c_void},
@@ -103,7 +102,7 @@ type PyTypeBuilderCleanup = Box<dyn Fn(&PyTypeBuilder, *mut ffi::PyTypeObject)>;
 struct PyTypeBuilder {
     slots: Vec<ffi::PyType_Slot>,
     method_defs: Vec<ffi::PyMethodDef>,
-    getset_builders: HashMap<&'static str, GetSetDefBuilder>,
+    getset_builders: HashMap<&'static CStr, GetSetDefBuilder>,
     /// Used to patch the type objects for the things there's no
     /// PyType_FromSpec API for... there's no reason this should work,
     /// except for that it does and we have tests.
@@ -173,32 +172,25 @@ impl PyTypeBuilder {
 
     fn pymethod_def(&mut self, def: &PyMethodDefType) {
         match def {
-            PyMethodDefType::Getter(getter) => {
-                self.getset_builders
-                    .entry(getter.name)
-                    .or_default()
-                    .add_getter(getter);
-            }
-            PyMethodDefType::Setter(setter) => {
-                self.getset_builders
-                    .entry(setter.name)
-                    .or_default()
-                    .add_setter(setter);
-            }
+            PyMethodDefType::Getter(getter) => self
+                .getset_builders
+                .entry(getter.name)
+                .or_default()
+                .add_getter(getter),
+            PyMethodDefType::Setter(setter) => self
+                .getset_builders
+                .entry(setter.name)
+                .or_default()
+                .add_setter(setter),
             PyMethodDefType::Method(def)
             | PyMethodDefType::Class(def)
-            | PyMethodDefType::Static(def) => {
-                let (def, destructor) = def.as_method_def().unwrap();
-                // FIXME: stop leaking destructor
-                std::mem::forget(destructor);
-                self.method_defs.push(def);
-            }
+            | PyMethodDefType::Static(def) => self.method_defs.push(def.as_method_def()),
             // These class attributes are added after the type gets created by LazyStaticType
             PyMethodDefType::ClassAttribute(_) => {}
         }
     }
 
-    fn finalize_methods_and_properties(&mut self) -> PyResult<Vec<GetSetDefDestructor>> {
+    fn finalize_methods_and_properties(&mut self) -> Vec<GetSetDefDestructor> {
         let method_defs: Vec<pyo3_ffi::PyMethodDef> = std::mem::take(&mut self.method_defs);
         // Safety: Py_tp_methods expects a raw vec of PyMethodDef
         unsafe { self.push_raw_vec_slot(ffi::Py_tp_methods, method_defs) };
@@ -210,11 +202,11 @@ impl PyTypeBuilder {
             .getset_builders
             .iter()
             .map(|(name, builder)| {
-                let (def, destructor) = builder.as_get_set_def(name)?;
+                let (def, destructor) = builder.as_get_set_def(name);
                 getset_destructors.push(destructor);
-                Ok(def)
+                def
             })
-            .collect::<PyResult<_>>()?;
+            .collect();
 
         // PyPy automatically adds __dict__ getter / setter.
         #[cfg(not(PyPy))]
@@ -261,7 +253,7 @@ impl PyTypeBuilder {
             }
 
             property_defs.push(ffi::PyGetSetDef {
-                name: "__dict__\0".as_ptr().cast(),
+                name: ffi::c_str!("__dict__").as_ptr(),
                 get: Some(get_dict),
                 set: Some(ffi::PyObject_GenericSetDict),
                 doc: ptr::null(),
@@ -300,7 +292,7 @@ impl PyTypeBuilder {
             }
         }
 
-        Ok(getset_destructors)
+        getset_destructors
     }
 
     fn set_is_basetype(mut self, is_basetype: bool) -> Self {
@@ -358,7 +350,7 @@ impl PyTypeBuilder {
         #[cfg(Py_3_9)]
         {
             #[inline(always)]
-            fn offset_def(name: &'static str, offset: ffi::Py_ssize_t) -> ffi::PyMemberDef {
+            fn offset_def(name: &'static CStr, offset: ffi::Py_ssize_t) -> ffi::PyMemberDef {
                 ffi::PyMemberDef {
                     name: name.as_ptr().cast(),
                     type_code: ffi::Py_T_PYSSIZET,
@@ -372,12 +364,15 @@ impl PyTypeBuilder {
 
             // __dict__ support
             if let Some(dict_offset) = dict_offset {
-                members.push(offset_def("__dictoffset__\0", dict_offset));
+                members.push(offset_def(ffi::c_str!("__dictoffset__"), dict_offset));
             }
 
             // weakref support
             if let Some(weaklist_offset) = weaklist_offset {
-                members.push(offset_def("__weaklistoffset__\0", weaklist_offset));
+                members.push(offset_def(
+                    ffi::c_str!("__weaklistoffset__"),
+                    weaklist_offset,
+                ));
             }
 
             // Safety: Py_tp_members expects a raw vec of PyMemberDef
@@ -417,7 +412,7 @@ impl PyTypeBuilder {
         // on some platforms (like windows)
         #![allow(clippy::useless_conversion)]
 
-        let getset_destructors = self.finalize_methods_and_properties()?;
+        let getset_destructors = self.finalize_methods_and_properties();
 
         unsafe { self.push_slot(ffi::Py_tp_base, self.tp_base) }
 
@@ -531,7 +526,7 @@ unsafe extern "C" fn no_constructor_defined(
 
 #[derive(Default)]
 struct GetSetDefBuilder {
-    doc: Option<&'static str>,
+    doc: Option<&'static CStr>,
     getter: Option<Getter>,
     setter: Option<Setter>,
 }
@@ -555,13 +550,7 @@ impl GetSetDefBuilder {
         self.setter = Some(setter.meth)
     }
 
-    fn as_get_set_def(
-        &self,
-        name: &'static str,
-    ) -> PyResult<(ffi::PyGetSetDef, GetSetDefDestructor)> {
-        let name = get_name(name)?;
-        let doc = self.doc.map(get_doc).transpose()?;
-
+    fn as_get_set_def(&self, name: &'static CStr) -> (ffi::PyGetSetDef, GetSetDefDestructor) {
         let getset_type = match (self.getter, self.setter) {
             (Some(getter), None) => GetSetDefType::Getter(getter),
             (None, Some(setter)) => GetSetDefType::Setter(setter),
@@ -573,20 +562,16 @@ impl GetSetDefBuilder {
             }
         };
 
-        let getset_def = getset_type.create_py_get_set_def(&name, doc.as_deref());
+        let getset_def = getset_type.create_py_get_set_def(name, self.doc);
         let destructor = GetSetDefDestructor {
-            name,
-            doc,
             closure: getset_type,
         };
-        Ok((getset_def, destructor))
+        (getset_def, destructor)
     }
 }
 
 #[allow(dead_code)] // a stack of fields which are purely to cache until dropped
 struct GetSetDefDestructor {
-    name: Cow<'static, CStr>,
-    doc: Option<Cow<'static, CStr>>,
     closure: GetSetDefType,
 }
 
diff --git a/src/types/function.rs b/src/types/function.rs
index a127b4e0..c2eec04d 100644
--- a/src/types/function.rs
+++ b/src/types/function.rs
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ use crate::types::module::PyModuleMethods;
 use crate::PyNativeType;
 use crate::{
     ffi,
-    impl_::pymethods::{self, PyMethodDef, PyMethodDefDestructor},
+    impl_::pymethods::{self, PyMethodDef},
     types::{PyCapsule, PyDict, PyModule, PyString, PyTuple},
 };
 use crate::{Bound, IntoPy, Py, PyAny, PyResult, Python};
@@ -30,8 +30,8 @@ impl PyCFunction {
     )]
     pub fn new_with_keywords<'a>(
         fun: ffi::PyCFunctionWithKeywords,
-        name: &'static str,
-        doc: &'static str,
+        name: &'static CStr,
+        doc: &'static CStr,
         py_or_module: PyFunctionArguments<'a>,
     ) -> PyResult<&'a Self> {
         let (py, module) = py_or_module.into_py_and_maybe_module();
@@ -44,11 +44,14 @@ impl PyCFunction {
     }
 
     /// Create a new built-in function with keywords (*args and/or **kwargs).
+    ///
+    /// To create `name` and `doc` static strings on Rust versions older than 1.77 (which added c"" literals),
+    /// use the [`c_str!`](crate::ffi::c_str) macro.
     pub fn new_with_keywords_bound<'py>(
         py: Python<'py>,
         fun: ffi::PyCFunctionWithKeywords,
-        name: &'static str,
-        doc: &'static str,
+        name: &'static CStr,
+        doc: &'static CStr,
         module: Option<&Bound<'py, PyModule>>,
     ) -> PyResult<Bound<'py, Self>> {
         Self::internal_new(
@@ -66,8 +69,8 @@ impl PyCFunction {
     )]
     pub fn new<'a>(
         fun: ffi::PyCFunction,
-        name: &'static str,
-        doc: &'static str,
+        name: &'static CStr,
+        doc: &'static CStr,
         py_or_module: PyFunctionArguments<'a>,
     ) -> PyResult<&'a Self> {
         let (py, module) = py_or_module.into_py_and_maybe_module();
@@ -80,11 +83,14 @@ impl PyCFunction {
     }
 
     /// Create a new built-in function which takes no arguments.
+    ///
+    /// To create `name` and `doc` static strings on Rust versions older than 1.77 (which added c"" literals),
+    /// use the [`c_str!`](crate::ffi::c_str) macro.
     pub fn new_bound<'py>(
         py: Python<'py>,
         fun: ffi::PyCFunction,
-        name: &'static str,
-        doc: &'static str,
+        name: &'static CStr,
+        doc: &'static CStr,
         module: Option<&Bound<'py, PyModule>>,
     ) -> PyResult<Bound<'py, Self>> {
         Self::internal_new(py, &PyMethodDef::noargs(name, fun, doc), module)
@@ -98,8 +104,8 @@ impl PyCFunction {
     )]
     pub fn new_closure<'a, F, R>(
         py: Python<'a>,
-        name: Option<&'static str>,
-        doc: Option<&'static str>,
+        name: Option<&'static CStr>,
+        doc: Option<&'static CStr>,
         closure: F,
     ) -> PyResult<&'a PyCFunction>
     where
@@ -131,29 +137,27 @@ impl PyCFunction {
     /// ```
     pub fn new_closure_bound<'py, F, R>(
         py: Python<'py>,
-        name: Option<&'static str>,
-        doc: Option<&'static str>,
+        name: Option<&'static CStr>,
+        doc: Option<&'static CStr>,
         closure: F,
     ) -> PyResult<Bound<'py, Self>>
     where
         F: Fn(&Bound<'_, PyTuple>, Option<&Bound<'_, PyDict>>) -> R + Send + 'static,
         R: crate::callback::IntoPyCallbackOutput<*mut ffi::PyObject>,
     {
-        let method_def = pymethods::PyMethodDef::cfunction_with_keywords(
-            name.unwrap_or("pyo3-closure\0"),
-            run_closure::<F, R>,
-            doc.unwrap_or("\0"),
-        );
-        let (def, def_destructor) = method_def.as_method_def()?;
+        let name = name.unwrap_or(ffi::c_str!("pyo3-closure"));
+        let doc = doc.unwrap_or(ffi::c_str!(""));
+        let method_def =
+            pymethods::PyMethodDef::cfunction_with_keywords(name, run_closure::<F, R>, doc);
+        let def = method_def.as_method_def();
 
         let capsule = PyCapsule::new_bound(
             py,
             ClosureDestructor::<F> {
                 closure,
                 def: UnsafeCell::new(def),
-                def_destructor,
             },
-            Some(closure_capsule_name().to_owned()),
+            Some(CLOSURE_CAPSULE_NAME.to_owned()),
         )?;
 
         // Safety: just created the capsule with type ClosureDestructor<F> above
@@ -178,11 +182,10 @@ impl PyCFunction {
         } else {
             (std::ptr::null_mut(), None)
         };
-        let (def, destructor) = method_def.as_method_def()?;
+        let def = method_def.as_method_def();
 
-        // FIXME: stop leaking the def and destructor
+        // FIXME: stop leaking the def
         let def = Box::into_raw(Box::new(def));
-        std::mem::forget(destructor);
 
         let module_name_ptr = module_name
             .as_ref()
@@ -196,10 +199,7 @@ impl PyCFunction {
     }
 }
 
-fn closure_capsule_name() -> &'static CStr {
-    // TODO replace this with const CStr once MSRV new enough
-    CStr::from_bytes_with_nul(b"pyo3-closure\0").unwrap()
-}
+static CLOSURE_CAPSULE_NAME: &CStr = ffi::c_str!("pyo3-closure");
 
 unsafe extern "C" fn run_closure<F, R>(
     capsule_ptr: *mut ffi::PyObject,
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ where
         kwargs,
         |py, capsule_ptr, args, kwargs| {
             let boxed_fn: &ClosureDestructor<F> =
-                &*(ffi::PyCapsule_GetPointer(capsule_ptr, closure_capsule_name().as_ptr())
+                &*(ffi::PyCapsule_GetPointer(capsule_ptr, CLOSURE_CAPSULE_NAME.as_ptr())
                     as *mut ClosureDestructor<F>);
             let args = Bound::ref_from_ptr(py, &args).downcast_unchecked::<PyTuple>();
             let kwargs = Bound::ref_from_ptr_or_opt(py, &kwargs)
@@ -235,9 +235,6 @@ struct ClosureDestructor<F> {
     // Wrapped in UnsafeCell because Python C-API wants a *mut pointer
     // to this member.
     def: UnsafeCell<ffi::PyMethodDef>,
-    // Used to destroy the cstrings in `def`, if necessary.
-    #[allow(dead_code)]
-    def_destructor: PyMethodDefDestructor,
 }
 
 // Safety: F is send and none of the fields are ever mutated
diff --git a/src/types/string.rs b/src/types/string.rs
index 8556e41d..828e0024 100644
--- a/src/types/string.rs
+++ b/src/types/string.rs
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ impl<'a> PyStringData<'a> {
 
                     Err(PyUnicodeDecodeError::new_bound(
                         py,
-                        CStr::from_bytes_with_nul(b"utf-16\0").unwrap(),
+                        ffi::c_str!("utf-16"),
                         self.as_bytes(),
                         0..self.as_bytes().len(),
                         CStr::from_bytes_with_nul(&message).unwrap(),
@@ -90,10 +90,10 @@ impl<'a> PyStringData<'a> {
                 Some(s) => Ok(Cow::Owned(s)),
                 None => Err(PyUnicodeDecodeError::new_bound(
                     py,
-                    CStr::from_bytes_with_nul(b"utf-32\0").unwrap(),
+                    ffi::c_str!("utf-32"),
                     self.as_bytes(),
                     0..self.as_bytes().len(),
-                    CStr::from_bytes_with_nul(b"error converting utf-32\0").unwrap(),
+                    ffi::c_str!("error converting utf-32"),
                 )?
                 .into()),
             },
@@ -414,8 +414,8 @@ impl<'a> Borrowed<'a, '_, PyString> {
         let bytes = unsafe {
             ffi::PyUnicode_AsEncodedString(
                 ptr,
-                b"utf-8\0".as_ptr().cast(),
-                b"surrogatepass\0".as_ptr().cast(),
+                ffi::c_str!("utf-8").as_ptr(),
+                ffi::c_str!("surrogatepass").as_ptr(),
             )
             .assume_owned(py)
             .downcast_into_unchecked::<PyBytes>()
diff --git a/tests/test_buffer.rs b/tests/test_buffer.rs
index 0b3da881..9e2a6a4d 100644
--- a/tests/test_buffer.rs
+++ b/tests/test_buffer.rs
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@
 
 use pyo3::{buffer::PyBuffer, exceptions::PyBufferError, ffi, prelude::*};
 use std::{
-    ffi::CStr,
     os::raw::{c_int, c_void},
     ptr,
 };
@@ -48,7 +47,7 @@ impl TestBufferErrors {
         (*view).readonly = 1;
         (*view).itemsize = std::mem::size_of::<u32>() as isize;
 
-        let msg = CStr::from_bytes_with_nul(b"I\0").unwrap();
+        let msg = ffi::c_str!("I");
         (*view).format = msg.as_ptr() as *mut _;
 
         (*view).ndim = 1;
@@ -72,7 +71,7 @@ impl TestBufferErrors {
                     (*view).itemsize += 1;
                 }
                 IncorrectFormat => {
-                    (*view).format = CStr::from_bytes_with_nul(b"B\0").unwrap().as_ptr() as _;
+                    (*view).format = ffi::c_str!("B").as_ptr() as _;
                 }
                 IncorrectAlignment => (*view).buf = (*view).buf.add(1),
             }
diff --git a/tests/test_pyfunction.rs b/tests/test_pyfunction.rs
index 9028f71a..f3a04a53 100644
--- a/tests/test_pyfunction.rs
+++ b/tests/test_pyfunction.rs
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ use std::collections::HashMap;
 
 #[cfg(not(Py_LIMITED_API))]
 use pyo3::buffer::PyBuffer;
+use pyo3::ffi::c_str;
 use pyo3::prelude::*;
 #[cfg(not(Py_LIMITED_API))]
 use pyo3::types::PyDateTime;
@@ -344,8 +345,8 @@ fn test_pycfunction_new() {
         let py_fn = PyCFunction::new_bound(
             py,
             c_fn,
-            "py_fn",
-            "py_fn for test (this is the docstring)",
+            c_str!("py_fn"),
+            c_str!("py_fn for test (this is the docstring)"),
             None,
         )
         .unwrap();
@@ -402,8 +403,8 @@ fn test_pycfunction_new_with_keywords() {
         let py_fn = PyCFunction::new_with_keywords_bound(
             py,
             c_fn,
-            "py_fn",
-            "py_fn for test (this is the docstring)",
+            c_str!("py_fn"),
+            c_str!("py_fn for test (this is the docstring)"),
             None,
         )
         .unwrap();
@@ -443,8 +444,13 @@ fn test_closure() {
                 Ok(res)
             })
         };
-        let closure_py =
-            PyCFunction::new_closure_bound(py, Some("test_fn"), Some("test_fn doc"), f).unwrap();
+        let closure_py = PyCFunction::new_closure_bound(
+            py,
+            Some(c_str!("test_fn")),
+            Some(c_str!("test_fn doc")),
+            f,
+        )
+        .unwrap();
 
         py_assert!(py, closure_py, "closure_py(42) == [43]");
         py_assert!(py, closure_py, "closure_py.__name__ == 'test_fn'");