diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 705e859f473..53168fbaeee 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](http://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0.
 
 - Add `indexmap` feature to add `ToPyObject`, `IntoPy` and `FromPyObject` implementations for `indexmap::IndexMap`. [#1728](https://github.com/PyO3/pyo3/pull/1728)
 - Add `pyo3_build_config::add_extension_module_link_args()` to use in build scripts to set linker arguments (for macOS). [#1755](https://github.com/PyO3/pyo3/pull/1755)
+- Add `Python::with_gil_unchecked()` unsafe variation of `Python::with_gil()` to allow obtaining a `Python` in scenarios where `Python::with_gil()` would fail.
 
 ### Changed
 
diff --git a/src/gil.rs b/src/gil.rs
index 8d1832e7ad7..d75da5db3b2 100644
--- a/src/gil.rs
+++ b/src/gil.rs
@@ -241,6 +241,15 @@ impl GILGuard {
             }
         }
 
+        Self::acquire_unchecked()
+    }
+
+    /// Acquires the `GILGuard` without performing any state checking.
+    ///
+    /// This can be called in "unsafe" contexts where the normal interpreter state
+    /// checking performed by `GILGuard::acquire` may fail. This includes calling
+    /// as part of multi-phase interpreter initialization.
+    pub(crate) fn acquire_unchecked() -> GILGuard {
         let gstate = unsafe { ffi::PyGILState_Ensure() }; // acquire GIL
 
         // If there's already a GILPool, we should not create another or this could lead to
@@ -475,6 +484,18 @@ pub(crate) fn ensure_gil() -> EnsureGIL {
     }
 }
 
+/// Ensures the GIL is held, without interpreter state checking.
+///
+/// This bypasses interpreter state checking that would normally be performed
+/// before acquiring the GIL.
+pub(crate) fn ensure_gil_unchecked() -> EnsureGIL {
+    if gil_is_acquired() {
+        EnsureGIL(None)
+    } else {
+        EnsureGIL(Some(GILGuard::acquire_unchecked()))
+    }
+}
+
 /// Struct used internally which avoids acquiring the GIL where it's not necessary.
 #[allow(clippy::upper_case_acronyms)]
 pub(crate) struct EnsureGIL(Option<GILGuard>);
diff --git a/src/python.rs b/src/python.rs
index 03fd9995773..b6757820693 100644
--- a/src/python.rs
+++ b/src/python.rs
@@ -160,6 +160,31 @@ impl Python<'_> {
     {
         f(unsafe { gil::ensure_gil().python() })
     }
+
+    /// Like [Python::with_gil] except Python interpreter state checking is skipped.
+    ///
+    /// Normally when the GIL is acquired, we check that the Python interpreter is an
+    /// appropriate state (e.g. it is fully initialized). This function skips those
+    /// checks.
+    ///
+    /// # Safety
+    ///
+    /// If [Python::with_gil] would succeed, it is safe to call this function.
+    ///
+    /// In most cases, you should use [Python::with_gil].
+    ///
+    /// A justified scenario for calling this function is during multi-phase interpreter
+    /// initialization when [Python::with_gil] would fail before `_Py_InitializeMain()`
+    /// is called because the interpreter is only partially initialized.
+    ///
+    /// Behavior in other scenarios is not documented.
+    #[inline]
+    pub unsafe fn with_gil_unchecked<F, R>(f: F) -> R
+    where
+        F: for<'p> FnOnce(Python<'p>) -> R,
+    {
+        f(gil::ensure_gil_unchecked().python())
+    }
 }
 
 impl<'p> Python<'p> {