diff --git a/mypyc/lib-rt/CPy.h b/mypyc/lib-rt/CPy.h
index 458db90efd530..f8d4acef08152 100644
--- a/mypyc/lib-rt/CPy.h
+++ b/mypyc/lib-rt/CPy.h
@@ -862,11 +862,37 @@ bool CPySet_Remove(PyObject *set, PyObject *key);
 
 // Tuple operations
 
-
-PyObject *CPySequenceTuple_GetItem(PyObject *tuple, CPyTagged index);
 PyObject *CPySequenceTuple_GetSlice(PyObject *obj, CPyTagged start, CPyTagged end);
-PyObject *CPySequenceTuple_GetItemUnsafe(PyObject *tuple, Py_ssize_t index);
-void CPySequenceTuple_SetItemUnsafe(PyObject *tuple, Py_ssize_t index, PyObject *value);
+PyObject *CPySequenceTuple_GetItem_(PyObject *tuple, CPyTagged index);
+
+static inline PyObject *CPySequenceTuple_GetItem(PyObject *tuple, CPyTagged index)
+{
+    if (likely(CPyTagged_CheckShort(index) && !CPyTagged_IsNegative(index))) {
+        Py_ssize_t n = CPyTagged_ShortAsSsize_t(index);
+        Py_ssize_t size = PyTuple_GET_SIZE(tuple);
+        if (unlikely(n >= size)) {
+            PyErr_SetString(PyExc_IndexError, "tuple index out of range");
+            return NULL;
+        }
+        PyObject *result = PyTuple_GET_ITEM(tuple, n);
+        Py_INCREF(result);
+        return result;
+    } else {
+        return CPySequenceTuple_GetItem_(tuple, index);
+    }
+}
+
+static inline PyObject *CPySequenceTuple_GetItemUnsafe(PyObject *tuple, Py_ssize_t index)
+{
+    PyObject *result = PyTuple_GET_ITEM(tuple, index);
+    Py_INCREF(result);
+    return result;
+}
+
+static inline void CPySequenceTuple_SetItemUnsafe(PyObject *tuple, Py_ssize_t index, PyObject *value)
+{
+    PyTuple_SET_ITEM(tuple, index, value);
+}
 
 
 // Exception operations
diff --git a/mypyc/lib-rt/tuple_ops.c b/mypyc/lib-rt/tuple_ops.c
index 1df73f1907e2f..3d4442e61b1b0 100644
--- a/mypyc/lib-rt/tuple_ops.c
+++ b/mypyc/lib-rt/tuple_ops.c
@@ -5,21 +5,16 @@
 #include <Python.h>
 #include "CPy.h"
 
-PyObject *CPySequenceTuple_GetItem(PyObject *tuple, CPyTagged index) {
+PyObject *CPySequenceTuple_GetItem_(PyObject *tuple, CPyTagged index) {
     if (CPyTagged_CheckShort(index)) {
         Py_ssize_t n = CPyTagged_ShortAsSsize_t(index);
         Py_ssize_t size = PyTuple_GET_SIZE(tuple);
-        if (n >= 0) {
-            if (n >= size) {
-                PyErr_SetString(PyExc_IndexError, "tuple index out of range");
-                return NULL;
-            }
-        } else {
+        if (n < 0) {
             n += size;
-            if (n < 0) {
-                PyErr_SetString(PyExc_IndexError, "tuple index out of range");
-                return NULL;
-            }
+        }
+        if (n < 0 || n >= size) {
+            PyErr_SetString(PyExc_IndexError, "tuple index out of range");
+            return NULL;
         }
         PyObject *result = PyTuple_GET_ITEM(tuple, n);
         Py_INCREF(result);
@@ -45,18 +40,3 @@ PyObject *CPySequenceTuple_GetSlice(PyObject *obj, CPyTagged start, CPyTagged en
     }
     return CPyObject_GetSlice(obj, start, end);
 }
-
-// No error checking
-PyObject *CPySequenceTuple_GetItemUnsafe(PyObject *tuple, Py_ssize_t index)
-{
-    PyObject *result = PyTuple_GET_ITEM(tuple, index);
-    Py_INCREF(result);
-    return result;
-}
-
-// PyTuple_SET_ITEM does no error checking,
-// and should only be used to fill in brand new tuples.
-void CPySequenceTuple_SetItemUnsafe(PyObject *tuple, Py_ssize_t index, PyObject *value)
-{
-    PyTuple_SET_ITEM(tuple, index, value);
-}