diff --git a/include/pybind11/pybind11.h b/include/pybind11/pybind11.h
index 12559ddf3d..3e816085e8 100644
--- a/include/pybind11/pybind11.h
+++ b/include/pybind11/pybind11.h
@@ -3764,34 +3764,16 @@ register_local_exception(handle scope, const char *name, handle base = PyExc_Exc
 
 PYBIND11_NAMESPACE_BEGIN(detail)
 PYBIND11_NOINLINE void print(const tuple &args, const dict &kwargs) {
-    auto strings = tuple(args.size());
-    for (size_t i = 0; i < args.size(); ++i) {
-        strings[i] = str(args[i]);
-    }
-    auto sep = kwargs.contains("sep") ? kwargs["sep"] : str(" ");
-    auto line = sep.attr("join")(std::move(strings));
-
-    object file;
-    if (kwargs.contains("file")) {
-        file = kwargs["file"].cast<object>();
-    } else {
-        try {
-            file = module_::import("sys").attr("stdout");
-        } catch (const error_already_set &) {
-            /* If print() is called from code that is executed as
-               part of garbage collection during interpreter shutdown,
-               importing 'sys' can fail. Give up rather than crashing the
-               interpreter in this case. */
-            return;
-        }
-    }
-
-    auto write = file.attr("write");
-    write(std::move(line));
-    write(kwargs.contains("end") ? kwargs["end"] : str("\n"));
-
-    if (kwargs.contains("flush") && kwargs["flush"].cast<bool>()) {
-        file.attr("flush")();
+#if PY_VERSION_HEX >= 0x030D0000
+    auto builtins = reinterpret_steal<dict>(PyEval_GetFrameBuiltins());
+#else
+    auto builtins = reinterpret_borrow<dict>(PyEval_GetBuiltins());
+#endif
+    object native_print = builtins["print"];
+    auto result
+        = reinterpret_steal<object>(PyObject_Call(native_print.ptr(), args.ptr(), kwargs.ptr()));
+    if (!result) {
+        throw error_already_set();
     }
 }
 PYBIND11_NAMESPACE_END(detail)
diff --git a/tests/test_pytypes.cpp b/tests/test_pytypes.cpp
index ff77940965..19cb7442b1 100644
--- a/tests/test_pytypes.cpp
+++ b/tests/test_pytypes.cpp
@@ -643,6 +643,9 @@ TEST_SUBMODULE(pytypes, m) {
             "{a} + {b} = {c}"_s.format("a"_a = "py::print", "b"_a = "str.format", "c"_a = "this"));
     });
 
+    m.def("print_args",
+          [](const py::args &args, const py::kwargs &kwargs) { py::print(*args, **kwargs); });
+
     m.def("print_failure", []() { py::print(42, UnregisteredType()); });
 
     m.def("hash_function", [](py::object obj) { return py::hash(std::move(obj)); });
diff --git a/tests/test_pytypes.py b/tests/test_pytypes.py
index 9a80f1ea41..2908ba7e08 100644
--- a/tests/test_pytypes.py
+++ b/tests/test_pytypes.py
@@ -1,8 +1,10 @@
 from __future__ import annotations
 
+import builtins
 import contextlib
 import sys
 import types
+from io import StringIO
 
 import pytest
 
@@ -570,6 +572,206 @@ def test_print(capture):
     )
 
 
+def test_print_file_none_and_stdout(monkeypatch, capture):
+    with capture:
+        m.print_args("explicit file=None", file=None)
+    assert capture == "explicit file=None\n"
+
+    class BadStr:
+        def __str__(self):
+            raise AssertionError("__str__ should not be called")
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(sys, "stdout", None)
+    m.print_args(BadStr())
+    m.print_args(BadStr(), file=None)
+
+    class FalseyStream(StringIO):
+        def __bool__(self):
+            return False
+
+    output = FalseyStream()
+    m.print_args("explicit stream", file=output)
+    assert output.getvalue() == "explicit stream\n"
+
+
+def print_exception(print_function, *args, **kwargs):
+    with pytest.raises(Exception) as exc_info:
+        print_function(*args, **kwargs)
+    return type(exc_info.value), exc_info.value.args
+
+
+def test_print_missing_stdout(monkeypatch):
+    monkeypatch.delattr(sys, "stdout")
+    native_exception = print_exception(builtins.print, "no stream")
+    assert native_exception[0] is RuntimeError
+    assert print_exception(m.print_args, "no stream") == native_exception
+
+
+def test_print_uses_interpreter_stdout_if_sys_module_is_unavailable(monkeypatch):
+    output = StringIO()
+    with monkeypatch.context() as context:
+        context.setattr(sys, "stdout", output)
+        context.setitem(sys.modules, "sys", None)
+        m.print_args("interpreter stdout")
+    assert output.getvalue() == "interpreter stdout\n"
+
+
+def test_print_none_separator_and_end():
+    output = StringIO()
+    m.print_args("one", "two", sep=None, end=None, file=output)
+    assert output.getvalue() == "one two\n"
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("keyword", ["sep", "end"])
+def test_print_rejects_non_string_separator_and_end(keyword):
+    value = object()
+    native_output = StringIO()
+    native_exception = print_exception(
+        builtins.print, "text", file=native_output, **{keyword: value}
+    )
+    assert native_exception[0] is TypeError
+
+    pybind_output = StringIO()
+    assert (
+        print_exception(m.print_args, "text", file=pybind_output, **{keyword: value})
+        == native_exception
+    )
+    assert native_output.getvalue() == pybind_output.getvalue() == ""
+
+
+def test_print_rejects_unknown_keyword():
+    native_exception = print_exception(builtins.print, "text", unknown=True)
+    assert native_exception[0] is TypeError
+    assert print_exception(m.print_args, "text", unknown=True) == native_exception
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("keyword", ["file\0suffix", "\ud800"])
+def test_print_rejects_unusual_unknown_keyword(keyword):
+    native_exception = print_exception(builtins.print, "text", **{keyword: True})
+    assert native_exception[0] is TypeError
+    # Rendering pathological Unicode keyword names is runtime-specific. Delegation
+    # should preserve the active runtime's exception exactly.
+    assert print_exception(m.print_args, "text", **{keyword: True}) == native_exception
+
+
+def test_print_delegates_to_current_builtin(monkeypatch):
+    calls = []
+
+    def replacement(*args, **kwargs):
+        calls.append((args, kwargs))
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(builtins, "print", replacement)
+    m.print_args("one", "two", sep="|", end="!", flush=[])
+    assert calls == [(("one", "two"), {"sep": "|", "end": "!", "flush": []})]
+
+
+def test_print_flush_uses_python_truthiness():
+    class Stream(StringIO):
+        def __init__(self):
+            super().__init__()
+            self.flush_count = 0
+
+        def flush(self):
+            self.flush_count += 1
+
+    output = Stream()
+    m.print_args("not flushed", file=output, flush=[])
+    m.print_args("flushed", file=output, flush=[1])
+    assert output.getvalue() == "not flushed\nflushed\n"
+    assert output.flush_count == 1
+
+
+def test_print_flush_truthiness_error_matches_native():
+    class MarkerError(Exception):
+        pass
+
+    class BadFlush:
+        def __bool__(self):
+            raise MarkerError
+
+    def output_after_error(print_function):
+        output = StringIO()
+        with pytest.raises(MarkerError):
+            print_function("text", file=output, flush=BadFlush())
+        return output.getvalue()
+
+    assert output_after_error(m.print_args) == output_after_error(builtins.print)
+
+
+def test_print_propagates_stream_errors():
+    class MarkerError(Exception):
+        pass
+
+    class BadWrite:
+        def write(self, value):
+            raise MarkerError(value)
+
+    with pytest.raises(MarkerError, match="text"):
+        m.print_args("text", file=BadWrite())
+
+    class BadFlush(StringIO):
+        def flush(self):
+            raise MarkerError("flush")
+
+    output = BadFlush()
+    with pytest.raises(MarkerError, match="flush"):
+        m.print_args("text", file=output, flush=True)
+    assert output.getvalue() == "text\n"
+
+
+class PrintMarkerError(Exception):
+    pass
+
+
+def print_trace(print_function, failure):
+    events = []
+
+    class Value:
+        def __init__(self, text):
+            self.text = text
+
+        def __str__(self):
+            events.append(("str", self.text))
+            if failure == f"str:{self.text}":
+                raise PrintMarkerError
+            return self.text
+
+    class Stream:
+        def __init__(self):
+            self.write_count = 0
+
+        def write(self, value):
+            self.write_count += 1
+            events.append(("write", value))
+            if failure == f"write:{self.write_count}":
+                raise PrintMarkerError
+
+        def flush(self):
+            events.append(("flush",))
+            if failure == "flush":
+                raise PrintMarkerError
+
+    try:
+        result = print_function(
+            Value("one"),
+            Value("two"),
+            sep="|",
+            end="!",
+            file=Stream(),
+            flush=True,
+        )
+    except Exception as exc:
+        outcome = type(exc)
+    else:
+        outcome = ("return", result)
+    return events, outcome
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("failure", [None, "str:two", "write:2", "flush"])
+def test_print_stream_protocol_matches_native(failure):
+    assert print_trace(m.print_args, failure) == print_trace(builtins.print, failure)
+
+
 def test_hash():
     class Hashable:
         def __init__(self, value):
diff --git a/tests/test_with_catch/test_interpreter.cpp b/tests/test_with_catch/test_interpreter.cpp
index e39f51c274..ca6932a9b0 100644
--- a/tests/test_with_catch/test_interpreter.cpp
+++ b/tests/test_with_catch/test_interpreter.cpp
@@ -352,6 +352,34 @@ TEST_CASE("Restart the interpreter") {
     REQUIRE(py_widget.attr("the_message").cast<std::string>() == "Hello after restart");
 }
 
+TEST_CASE("py::print is safe during interpreter shutdown") {
+    struct shutdown_state {
+        bool callback_ran = false;
+        bool stdout_was_none = false;
+        bool print_threw = false;
+    } state;
+    {
+        auto sys = py::module_::import("sys");
+        sys.attr("pybind11_print_on_shutdown") = py::capsule(&state, [](void *payload) noexcept {
+            auto *state = static_cast<shutdown_state *>(payload);
+            state->callback_ran = true;
+            state->stdout_was_none = PySys_GetObject("stdout") == Py_None;
+            try {
+                py::print("print during interpreter shutdown");
+            } catch (...) {
+                state->print_threw = true;
+            }
+        });
+    }
+
+    py::finalize_interpreter();
+    py::initialize_interpreter();
+
+    REQUIRE(state.callback_ran);
+    REQUIRE(state.stdout_was_none);
+    REQUIRE_FALSE(state.print_threw);
+}
+
 TEST_CASE("Enum module survives restart") { // Added in PR #6015
     // Regression test for gh-5976: py::enum_ uses def_property_static, which
     // calls process_attributes::init after initialize_generic's strdup loop,
diff --git a/tests/test_with_catch/test_subinterpreter.cpp b/tests/test_with_catch/test_subinterpreter.cpp
index 3af100f2a9..fc8bbe3fb6 100644
--- a/tests/test_with_catch/test_subinterpreter.cpp
+++ b/tests/test_with_catch/test_subinterpreter.cpp
@@ -117,6 +117,32 @@ TEST_CASE("Single Subinterpreter") {
     unsafe_reset_internals_for_single_interpreter();
 }
 
+TEST_CASE("py::print is safe during subinterpreter shutdown") {
+    struct shutdown_state {
+        bool callback_ran = false;
+        bool stdout_was_none = false;
+        bool print_threw = false;
+    } state;
+    {
+        py::scoped_subinterpreter subinterpreter;
+        py::module_::import("sys").attr("pybind11_print_on_shutdown")
+            = py::capsule(&state, [](void *payload) noexcept {
+                  auto *state = static_cast<shutdown_state *>(payload);
+                  state->callback_ran = true;
+                  state->stdout_was_none = PySys_GetObject("stdout") == Py_None;
+                  try {
+                      py::print("print during subinterpreter shutdown");
+                  } catch (...) {
+                      state->print_threw = true;
+                  }
+              });
+    }
+
+    REQUIRE(state.callback_ran);
+    REQUIRE(state.stdout_was_none);
+    REQUIRE_FALSE(state.print_threw);
+}
+
 #    if PY_VERSION_HEX >= 0x030D0000
 TEST_CASE("Move Subinterpreter") {
     std::unique_ptr<py::subinterpreter> sub(new py::subinterpreter(py::subinterpreter::create()));