diff --git a/Lib/test/test_peepholer.py b/Lib/test/test_peepholer.py
index 28748009f731bc..34bc3e19c9cb85 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_peepholer.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_peepholer.py
@@ -2525,8 +2525,8 @@ def test_unoptimized_if_unconsumed(self):
         ]
         expected = [
             ("LOAD_FAST", 0, 1),
-            ("LOAD_FAST_BORROW", 1, 2),
-            ("POP_TOP", None, 3),
+            ("NOP", None, 2),
+            ("NOP", None, 3),
         ]
         self.check(insts, expected)
 
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Core_and_Builtins/2026-07-25-18-05-19.gh-issue-152600._TEXv2.rst b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Core_and_Builtins/2026-07-25-18-05-19.gh-issue-152600._TEXv2.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..c8a7fd0cdadfba
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Core_and_Builtins/2026-07-25-18-05-19.gh-issue-152600._TEXv2.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+Now, :opcode:`LOAD_FAST`; :opcode:`POP_TOP`, and :opcode:`LOAD_FAST_BORROW`;
+:opcode:`POP_TOP` pairs become :opcode:`NOPs <NOP>`.
diff --git a/Python/flowgraph.c b/Python/flowgraph.c
index f135f243c74e2f..72ba500464ede1 100644
--- a/Python/flowgraph.c
+++ b/Python/flowgraph.c
@@ -1157,6 +1157,9 @@ remove_redundant_nops_and_pairs(basicblock *entryblock)
                    else if (prev_opcode == COPY && prev_oparg == 1) {
                        is_redundant_pair = true;
                    }
+                   else if (prev_opcode == LOAD_FAST) {
+                       is_redundant_pair = true;
+                   }
                 }
                 if (is_redundant_pair) {
                     INSTR_SET_OP0(prev_instr, NOP);
@@ -2635,9 +2638,14 @@ remove_redundant_nops_and_jumps(cfg_builder *g)
    Code trasnformations that reduce code size initially fill the gaps with
    NOPs.  Later those NOPs are removed.
 */
+
+static int
+add_checks_for_loads_of_uninitialized_variables(basicblock *entryblock,
+                                                int nlocals, int nparams);
+
 static int
 optimize_cfg(cfg_builder *g, PyObject *consts, PyObject *const_cache,
-             _Py_hashtable_t *consts_index, int firstlineno)
+             _Py_hashtable_t *consts_index, int firstlineno, int nlocals, int nparams)
 {
     assert(PyDict_CheckExact(const_cache));
     RETURN_IF_ERROR(check_cfg(g));
@@ -2648,6 +2656,9 @@ optimize_cfg(cfg_builder *g, PyObject *consts, PyObject *const_cache,
     for (basicblock *b = g->g_entryblock; b != NULL; b = b->b_next) {
         RETURN_IF_ERROR(optimize_basic_block(const_cache, b, consts, consts_index));
     }
+    RETURN_IF_ERROR(
+        add_checks_for_loads_of_uninitialized_variables(
+            g->g_entryblock, nlocals, nparams));
     RETURN_IF_ERROR(remove_redundant_nops_and_pairs(g->g_entryblock));
     RETURN_IF_ERROR(remove_unreachable(g->g_entryblock));
     RETURN_IF_ERROR(remove_redundant_nops_and_jumps(g));
@@ -3790,16 +3801,13 @@ _PyCfg_OptimizeCodeUnit(cfg_builder *g, PyObject *consts, PyObject *const_cache,
         }
     }
 
-    int ret = optimize_cfg(g, consts, const_cache, consts_index, firstlineno);
+    int ret = optimize_cfg(g, consts, const_cache, consts_index, firstlineno, nlocals, nparams);
 
     _Py_hashtable_destroy(consts_index);
 
     RETURN_IF_ERROR(ret);
 
     RETURN_IF_ERROR(remove_unused_consts(g->g_entryblock, consts));
-    RETURN_IF_ERROR(
-        add_checks_for_loads_of_uninitialized_variables(
-            g->g_entryblock, nlocals, nparams));
     RETURN_IF_ERROR(insert_superinstructions(g));
 
     RETURN_IF_ERROR(push_cold_blocks_to_end(g));