--- a/Python/pystate.c	Fri Apr 10 20:06:21 1998 +0000
+++ b/Python/pystate.c	Fri Apr 10 20:18:25 1998 +0000
@@ -126,6 +126,8 @@
 		tstate->ticker = 0;
 		tstate->tracing = 0;
 
+		tstate->dict = NULL;
+
 		tstate->curexc_type = NULL;
 		tstate->curexc_value = NULL;
 		tstate->curexc_traceback = NULL;
@@ -155,6 +157,8 @@
 
 	ZAP(tstate->frame);
 
+	ZAP(tstate->dict);
+
 	ZAP(tstate->curexc_type);
 	ZAP(tstate->curexc_value);
 	ZAP(tstate->curexc_traceback);
@@ -213,3 +217,20 @@
 
 	return old;
 }
+
+/* An extension mechanism to store arbitrary additional per-thread state.
+   PyThreadState_GetDict() returns a dictionary that can be used to hold such
+   state; the caller should pick a unique key and store its state there.  If
+   PyThreadState_GetDict() returns NULL, an exception has been raised (most
+   likely MemoryError) and the caller should pass on the exception. */
+
+PyObject *
+PyThreadState_GetDict()
+{
+	if (current_tstate == NULL)
+		Py_FatalError("PyThreadState_GetDict: no current thread");
+
+	if (current_tstate->dict == NULL)
+		current_tstate->dict = PyDict_New();
+	return current_tstate->dict;
+}