diff --git a/py/compile.c b/py/compile.c
index ca21d8294c..2fbc19cc39 100644
--- a/py/compile.c
+++ b/py/compile.c
@@ -3005,6 +3005,7 @@ STATIC void compile_scope(compiler_t *comp, scope_t *scope, pass_kind_t pass) {
         // There are 4 slots on the stack for the iterator, and the first one is
         // NULL to indicate that the second one points to the iterator object.
         if (scope->kind == SCOPE_GEN_EXPR) {
+            // TODO static assert that MP_OBJ_ITER_BUF_NSLOTS == 4
             EMIT(load_null);
             compile_load_id(comp, qstr_arg);
             EMIT(load_null);
diff --git a/py/emitbc.c b/py/emitbc.c
index 0076c147e1..673cd405f9 100644
--- a/py/emitbc.c
+++ b/py/emitbc.c
@@ -735,7 +735,7 @@ void mp_emit_bc_unwind_jump(emit_t *emit, mp_uint_t label, mp_uint_t except_dept
             // need to pop the iterator if we are breaking out of a for loop
             emit_write_bytecode_byte(emit, MP_BC_POP_TOP);
             // also pop the iter_buf
-            for (size_t i = 0; i < sizeof(mp_obj_iter_buf_t) / sizeof(mp_obj_t) - 1; ++i) {
+            for (size_t i = 0; i < MP_OBJ_ITER_BUF_NSLOTS - 1; ++i) {
                 emit_write_bytecode_byte(emit, MP_BC_POP_TOP);
             }
         }
@@ -778,7 +778,7 @@ void mp_emit_bc_end_finally(emit_t *emit) {
 }
 
 void mp_emit_bc_get_iter(emit_t *emit, bool use_stack) {
-    emit_bc_pre(emit, use_stack ? sizeof(mp_obj_iter_buf_t) / sizeof(mp_obj_t) - 1 : 0);
+    emit_bc_pre(emit, use_stack ? MP_OBJ_ITER_BUF_NSLOTS - 1 : 0);
     emit_write_bytecode_byte(emit, use_stack ? MP_BC_GET_ITER_STACK : MP_BC_GET_ITER);
 }
 
@@ -788,7 +788,7 @@ void mp_emit_bc_for_iter(emit_t *emit, mp_uint_t label) {
 }
 
 void mp_emit_bc_for_iter_end(emit_t *emit) {
-    emit_bc_pre(emit, -(sizeof(mp_obj_iter_buf_t) / sizeof(mp_obj_t)));
+    emit_bc_pre(emit, -MP_OBJ_ITER_BUF_NSLOTS);
 }
 
 void mp_emit_bc_pop_block(emit_t *emit) {
diff --git a/py/emitnative.c b/py/emitnative.c
index 4af68102b9..3ab001f8d0 100644
--- a/py/emitnative.c
+++ b/py/emitnative.c
@@ -1761,7 +1761,7 @@ STATIC void emit_native_get_iter(emit_t *emit, bool use_stack) {
     emit_pre_pop_reg(emit, &vtype, REG_ARG_1);
     assert(vtype == VTYPE_PYOBJ);
     if (use_stack) {
-        emit_get_stack_pointer_to_reg_for_push(emit, REG_ARG_2, sizeof(mp_obj_iter_buf_t) / sizeof(mp_obj_t));
+        emit_get_stack_pointer_to_reg_for_push(emit, REG_ARG_2, MP_OBJ_ITER_BUF_NSLOTS);
         emit_call(emit, MP_F_NATIVE_GETITER);
     } else {
         // mp_getiter will allocate the iter_buf on the heap
@@ -1773,8 +1773,8 @@ STATIC void emit_native_get_iter(emit_t *emit, bool use_stack) {
 
 STATIC void emit_native_for_iter(emit_t *emit, mp_uint_t label) {
     emit_native_pre(emit);
-    emit_get_stack_pointer_to_reg_for_pop(emit, REG_ARG_1, sizeof(mp_obj_iter_buf_t) / sizeof(mp_obj_t));
-    adjust_stack(emit, 4);
+    emit_get_stack_pointer_to_reg_for_pop(emit, REG_ARG_1, MP_OBJ_ITER_BUF_NSLOTS);
+    adjust_stack(emit, MP_OBJ_ITER_BUF_NSLOTS);
     emit_call(emit, MP_F_NATIVE_ITERNEXT);
     ASM_MOV_IMM_TO_REG(emit->as, (mp_uint_t)MP_OBJ_STOP_ITERATION, REG_TEMP1);
     ASM_JUMP_IF_REG_EQ(emit->as, REG_RET, REG_TEMP1, label);
@@ -1784,7 +1784,7 @@ STATIC void emit_native_for_iter(emit_t *emit, mp_uint_t label) {
 STATIC void emit_native_for_iter_end(emit_t *emit) {
     // adjust stack counter (we get here from for_iter ending, which popped the value for us)
     emit_native_pre(emit);
-    adjust_stack(emit, -(sizeof(mp_obj_iter_buf_t) / sizeof(mp_obj_t)));
+    adjust_stack(emit, -MP_OBJ_ITER_BUF_NSLOTS);
     emit_post(emit);
 }
 
diff --git a/py/obj.h b/py/obj.h
index 93078b81e1..fc122c4905 100644
--- a/py/obj.h
+++ b/py/obj.h
@@ -422,6 +422,10 @@ typedef struct _mp_obj_iter_buf_t {
     mp_obj_t buf[3];
 } mp_obj_iter_buf_t;
 
+// The number of slots that an mp_obj_iter_buf_t needs on the Python value stack.
+// It's rounded up in case mp_obj_base_t is smaller than mp_obj_t (eg for OBJ_REPR_D).
+#define MP_OBJ_ITER_BUF_NSLOTS ((sizeof(mp_obj_iter_buf_t) + sizeof(mp_obj_t) - 1) / sizeof(mp_obj_t))
+
 typedef void (*mp_print_fun_t)(const mp_print_t *print, mp_obj_t o, mp_print_kind_t kind);
 typedef mp_obj_t (*mp_make_new_fun_t)(const mp_obj_type_t *type, size_t n_args, size_t n_kw, const mp_obj_t *args);
 typedef mp_obj_t (*mp_call_fun_t)(mp_obj_t fun, size_t n_args, size_t n_kw, const mp_obj_t *args);
diff --git a/py/vm.c b/py/vm.c
index ed8b9ec4da..96029664a5 100644
--- a/py/vm.c
+++ b/py/vm.c
@@ -684,7 +684,7 @@ unwind_jump:;
                     if (unum != 0) {
                         // pop iter and iter_buf
                         sp--;
-                        sp -= sizeof(mp_obj_iter_buf_t) / sizeof(mp_obj_t);
+                        sp -= MP_OBJ_ITER_BUF_NSLOTS;
                     }
                     DISPATCH_WITH_PEND_EXC_CHECK();
                 }
@@ -729,19 +729,20 @@ unwind_jump:;
                     SET_TOP(mp_getiter(TOP(), NULL));
                     DISPATCH();
 
-                // An iterator for a for-loop takes 4 slots on the stack.  They are either
-                // used to store the iterator object itself, or the first slot is NULL and
+                // An iterator for a for-loop takes MP_OBJ_ITER_BUF_NSLOTS slots on
+                // the Python value stack.  These slots are either used to store the
+                // iterator object itself, or the first slot is MP_OBJ_NULL and
                 // the second slot holds a reference to the iterator object.
                 ENTRY(MP_BC_GET_ITER_STACK): {
                     MARK_EXC_IP_SELECTIVE();
                     mp_obj_t obj = TOP();
                     mp_obj_iter_buf_t *iter_buf = (mp_obj_iter_buf_t*)sp;
-                    sp += sizeof(mp_obj_iter_buf_t) / sizeof(mp_obj_t) - 1;
+                    sp += MP_OBJ_ITER_BUF_NSLOTS - 1;
                     obj = mp_getiter(obj, iter_buf);
                     if (obj != MP_OBJ_FROM_PTR(iter_buf)) {
                         // Iterator didn't use the stack so indicate that with MP_OBJ_NULL.
-                        sp[-3] = MP_OBJ_NULL;
-                        sp[-2] = obj;
+                        sp[-MP_OBJ_ITER_BUF_NSLOTS + 1] = MP_OBJ_NULL;
+                        sp[-MP_OBJ_ITER_BUF_NSLOTS + 2] = obj;
                     }
                     DISPATCH();
                 }
@@ -751,14 +752,14 @@ unwind_jump:;
                     DECODE_ULABEL; // the jump offset if iteration finishes; for labels are always forward
                     code_state->sp = sp;
                     mp_obj_t obj;
-                    if (sp[-3] == MP_OBJ_NULL) {
-                        obj = sp[-2];
+                    if (sp[-MP_OBJ_ITER_BUF_NSLOTS + 1] == MP_OBJ_NULL) {
+                        obj = sp[-MP_OBJ_ITER_BUF_NSLOTS + 2];
                     } else {
-                        obj = MP_OBJ_FROM_PTR(&sp[-3]);
+                        obj = MP_OBJ_FROM_PTR(&sp[-MP_OBJ_ITER_BUF_NSLOTS + 1]);
                     }
                     mp_obj_t value = mp_iternext_allow_raise(obj);
                     if (value == MP_OBJ_STOP_ITERATION) {
-                        sp -= 4; // pop the exhausted iterator
+                        sp -= MP_OBJ_ITER_BUF_NSLOTS; // pop the exhausted iterator
                         ip += ulab; // jump to after for-block
                     } else {
                         PUSH(value); // push the next iteration value
@@ -1334,7 +1335,7 @@ exception_handler:
                         const byte *ip = code_state->ip + 1;
                         DECODE_ULABEL; // the jump offset if iteration finishes; for labels are always forward
                         code_state->ip = ip + ulab; // jump to after for-block
-                        code_state->sp -= 4; // pop the exhausted iterator
+                        code_state->sp -= MP_OBJ_ITER_BUF_NSLOTS; // pop the exhausted iterator
                         goto outer_dispatch_loop; // continue with dispatch loop
                     } else if (*code_state->ip == MP_BC_YIELD_FROM) {
                         // StopIteration inside yield from call means return a value of