diff --git a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Core and Builtins/2019-08-10-14-15-48.bpo-37812.jkh0Wp.rst b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Core and Builtins/2019-08-10-14-15-48.bpo-37812.jkh0Wp.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..8a9def3ebccf6f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Core and Builtins/2019-08-10-14-15-48.bpo-37812.jkh0Wp.rst	
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+The "small int" optimization is now unconditionally enabled.  This
+optimization was introduced in Python 1.0.1, and means that :class:`int`
+values from -5 through 256 are pre-initialized rather than constructed on
+demand.  The option was always enabled unless certain never-documented
+preprocessor macros were defined to 0 at build time; now it is always
+enabled, simplifying the logic.  Patch by Greg Price.
diff --git a/Objects/longobject.c b/Objects/longobject.c
index 3978f5c4a16730..930810e0d93131 100644
--- a/Objects/longobject.c
+++ b/Objects/longobject.c
@@ -34,7 +34,6 @@ _Py_IDENTIFIER(big);
 PyObject *_PyLong_Zero = NULL;
 PyObject *_PyLong_One = NULL;
 
-#if NSMALLNEGINTS + NSMALLPOSINTS > 0
 /* Small integers are preallocated in this array so that they
    can be shared.
    The integers that are preallocated are those in the range
@@ -77,10 +76,6 @@ maybe_small_long(PyLongObject *v)
     }
     return v;
 }
-#else
-#define CHECK_SMALL_INT(ival)
-#define maybe_small_long(val) (val)
-#endif
 
 /* If a freshly-allocated int is already shared, it must
    be a small integer, so negating it must go to PyLong_FromLong */
@@ -5808,7 +5803,6 @@ PyLong_GetInfo(void)
 int
 _PyLong_Init(void)
 {
-#if NSMALLNEGINTS + NSMALLPOSINTS > 0
     int ival, size;
     PyLongObject *v = small_ints;
 
@@ -5836,7 +5830,7 @@ _PyLong_Init(void)
         Py_SIZE(v) = size;
         v->ob_digit[0] = (digit)abs(ival);
     }
-#endif
+
     _PyLong_Zero = PyLong_FromLong(0);
     if (_PyLong_Zero == NULL)
         return 0;
@@ -5862,12 +5856,11 @@ PyLong_Fini(void)
        reinitializations will fail. */
     Py_CLEAR(_PyLong_One);
     Py_CLEAR(_PyLong_Zero);
-#if NSMALLNEGINTS + NSMALLPOSINTS > 0
+
     int i;
     PyLongObject *v = small_ints;
     for (i = 0; i < NSMALLNEGINTS + NSMALLPOSINTS; i++, v++) {
         _Py_DEC_REFTOTAL;
         _Py_ForgetReference((PyObject*)v);
     }
-#endif
 }