diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 45f8675889..2be71f404f 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ jobs:
             python-version: '3.12'
             cmake-args: -DPYBIND11_TEST_SMART_HOLDER=ON -DPYBIND11_SIMPLE_GIL_MANAGEMENT=ON
           - runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-            python-version: '3.13t'
+            python-version: '3.14t'
             cmake-args: -DCMAKE_CXX_STANDARD=20 -DPYBIND11_DISABLE_HANDLE_TYPE_NAME_DEFAULT_IMPLEMENTATION=ON
           - runs-on: ubuntu-latest
             python-version: '3.14'
@@ -102,12 +102,12 @@ jobs:
           - runs-on: macos-15-intel
             python-version: '3.11'
             cmake-args: -DPYBIND11_TEST_SMART_HOLDER=ON
+          - runs-on: macos-15-intel
+            python-version: '3.13'
+            cmake-args: -DCMAKE_CXX_STANDARD=11
           - runs-on: macos-latest
             python-version: '3.12'
             cmake-args: -DCMAKE_CXX_STANDARD=17 -DPYBIND11_DISABLE_HANDLE_TYPE_NAME_DEFAULT_IMPLEMENTATION=ON
-          - runs-on: macos-15-intel
-            python-version: '3.13t'
-            cmake-args: -DCMAKE_CXX_STANDARD=11
           - runs-on: macos-latest
             python-version: '3.14t'
             cmake-args: -DCMAKE_CXX_STANDARD=20
@@ -138,9 +138,6 @@ jobs:
           - runs-on: windows-2022
             python-version: '3.13'
             cmake-args: -DCMAKE_MSVC_RUNTIME_LIBRARY=MultiThreadedDebugDLL
-          - runs-on: windows-latest
-            python-version: '3.13t'
-            cmake-args: -DCMAKE_CXX_STANDARD=17
           - runs-on: windows-latest
             python-version: '3.14'
             cmake-args: -DCMAKE_CXX_STANDARD=20
@@ -240,7 +237,7 @@ jobs:
 
 
   manylinux:
-    name: Manylinux on 🐍 3.13t • GIL
+    name: Manylinux on 🐍 3.14t
     if: github.event.pull_request.draft == false
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     timeout-minutes: 40
@@ -257,7 +254,7 @@ jobs:
         run: uv tool install ninja
 
       - name: Configure via preset
-        run: cmake --preset venv -DPYBIND11_CREATE_WITH_UV=python3.13t
+        run: cmake --preset venv -DPYBIND11_CREATE_WITH_UV=python3.14t
 
       - name: Build C++11
         run: cmake --build --preset venv
diff --git a/include/pybind11/detail/internals.h b/include/pybind11/detail/internals.h
index 9b3e69f4db..37cea1a311 100644
--- a/include/pybind11/detail/internals.h
+++ b/include/pybind11/detail/internals.h
@@ -230,6 +230,7 @@ using instance_map = std::unordered_multimap<const void *, instance *>;
 #ifdef Py_GIL_DISABLED
 // Wrapper around PyMutex to provide BasicLockable semantics
 class pymutex {
+    friend class pycritical_section;
     PyMutex mutex;
 
 public:
@@ -238,6 +239,23 @@ class pymutex {
     void unlock() { PyMutex_Unlock(&mutex); }
 };
 
+class pycritical_section {
+    pymutex &mutex;
+    PyCriticalSection cs;
+
+public:
+    explicit pycritical_section(pymutex &m) : mutex(m) {
+        PyCriticalSection_BeginMutex(&cs, &mutex.mutex);
+    }
+    ~pycritical_section() { PyCriticalSection_End(&cs); }
+
+    // Non-copyable and non-movable to prevent double-unlock
+    pycritical_section(const pycritical_section &) = delete;
+    pycritical_section &operator=(const pycritical_section &) = delete;
+    pycritical_section(pycritical_section &&) = delete;
+    pycritical_section &operator=(pycritical_section &&) = delete;
+};
+
 // Instance map shards are used to reduce mutex contention in free-threaded Python.
 struct instance_map_shard {
     instance_map registered_instances;
@@ -856,7 +874,7 @@ inline local_internals &get_local_internals() {
 }
 
 #ifdef Py_GIL_DISABLED
-#    define PYBIND11_LOCK_INTERNALS(internals) std::unique_lock<pymutex> lock((internals).mutex)
+#    define PYBIND11_LOCK_INTERNALS(internals) pycritical_section lock((internals).mutex)
 #else
 #    define PYBIND11_LOCK_INTERNALS(internals)
 #endif
@@ -885,7 +903,7 @@ inline auto with_exception_translators(const F &cb)
                    get_local_internals().registered_exception_translators)) {
     auto &internals = get_internals();
 #ifdef Py_GIL_DISABLED
-    std::unique_lock<pymutex> lock((internals).exception_translator_mutex);
+    pycritical_section lock((internals).exception_translator_mutex);
 #endif
     auto &local_internals = get_local_internals();
     return cb(internals.registered_exception_translators,
diff --git a/include/pybind11/pybind11.h b/include/pybind11/pybind11.h
index 02d2e72c2c..f88fc20272 100644
--- a/include/pybind11/pybind11.h
+++ b/include/pybind11/pybind11.h
@@ -3173,6 +3173,7 @@ iterator make_iterator_impl(Iterator first, Sentinel last, Extra &&...extra) {
     using state = detail::iterator_state<Access, Policy, Iterator, Sentinel, ValueType, Extra...>;
     // TODO: state captures only the types of Extra, not the values
 
+    PYBIND11_LOCK_INTERNALS(get_internals());
     if (!detail::get_type_info(typeid(state), false)) {
         class_<state>(handle(), "iterator", pybind11::module_local())
             .def(