diff --git a/docs/advanced/pycpp/numpy.rst b/docs/advanced/pycpp/numpy.rst
index e50d24a99..19ed10b3b 100644
--- a/docs/advanced/pycpp/numpy.rst
+++ b/docs/advanced/pycpp/numpy.rst
@@ -57,11 +57,11 @@ specification.
 
     struct buffer_info {
         void *ptr;
-        ssize_t itemsize;
+        py::ssize_t itemsize;
         std::string format;
-        ssize_t ndim;
-        std::vector<ssize_t> shape;
-        std::vector<ssize_t> strides;
+        py::ssize_t ndim;
+        std::vector<py::ssize_t> shape;
+        std::vector<py::ssize_t> strides;
     };
 
 To create a C++ function that can take a Python buffer object as an argument,
@@ -309,17 +309,17 @@ where ``N`` gives the required dimensionality of the array:
     m.def("sum_3d", [](py::array_t<double> x) {
         auto r = x.unchecked<3>(); // x must have ndim = 3; can be non-writeable
         double sum = 0;
-        for (ssize_t i = 0; i < r.shape(0); i++)
-            for (ssize_t j = 0; j < r.shape(1); j++)
-                for (ssize_t k = 0; k < r.shape(2); k++)
+        for (py::ssize_t i = 0; i < r.shape(0); i++)
+            for (py::ssize_t j = 0; j < r.shape(1); j++)
+                for (py::ssize_t k = 0; k < r.shape(2); k++)
                     sum += r(i, j, k);
         return sum;
     });
     m.def("increment_3d", [](py::array_t<double> x) {
         auto r = x.mutable_unchecked<3>(); // Will throw if ndim != 3 or flags.writeable is false
-        for (ssize_t i = 0; i < r.shape(0); i++)
-            for (ssize_t j = 0; j < r.shape(1); j++)
-                for (ssize_t k = 0; k < r.shape(2); k++)
+        for (py::ssize_t i = 0; i < r.shape(0); i++)
+            for (py::ssize_t j = 0; j < r.shape(1); j++)
+                for (py::ssize_t k = 0; k < r.shape(2); k++)
                     r(i, j, k) += 1.0;
     }, py::arg().noconvert());
 
diff --git a/tests/test_buffers.cpp b/tests/test_buffers.cpp
index 4f90700ac..46eabf396 100644
--- a/tests/test_buffers.cpp
+++ b/tests/test_buffers.cpp
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ TEST_SUBMODULE(buffers, m) {
     // test_from_python / test_to_python:
     class Matrix {
     public:
-        Matrix(ssize_t rows, ssize_t cols) : m_rows(rows), m_cols(cols) {
+        Matrix(py::ssize_t rows, py::ssize_t cols) : m_rows(rows), m_cols(cols) {
             print_created(this, std::to_string(m_rows) + "x" + std::to_string(m_cols) + " matrix");
             m_data = new float[(size_t) (rows*cols)];
             memset(m_data, 0, sizeof(float) * (size_t) (rows * cols));
@@ -59,25 +59,25 @@ TEST_SUBMODULE(buffers, m) {
             return *this;
         }
 
-        float operator()(ssize_t i, ssize_t j) const {
+        float operator()(py::ssize_t i, py::ssize_t j) const {
             return m_data[(size_t) (i*m_cols + j)];
         }
 
-        float &operator()(ssize_t i, ssize_t j) {
+        float &operator()(py::ssize_t i, py::ssize_t j) {
             return m_data[(size_t) (i*m_cols + j)];
         }
 
         float *data() { return m_data; }
 
-        ssize_t rows() const { return m_rows; }
-        ssize_t cols() const { return m_cols; }
+        py::ssize_t rows() const { return m_rows; }
+        py::ssize_t cols() const { return m_cols; }
     private:
-        ssize_t m_rows;
-        ssize_t m_cols;
+        py::ssize_t m_rows;
+        py::ssize_t m_cols;
         float *m_data;
     };
     py::class_<Matrix>(m, "Matrix", py::buffer_protocol())
-        .def(py::init<ssize_t, ssize_t>())
+        .def(py::init<py::ssize_t, py::ssize_t>())
         /// Construct from a buffer
         .def(py::init([](py::buffer const b) {
             py::buffer_info info = b.request();
@@ -93,12 +93,12 @@ TEST_SUBMODULE(buffers, m) {
        .def("cols", &Matrix::cols)
 
         /// Bare bones interface
-       .def("__getitem__", [](const Matrix &m, std::pair<ssize_t, ssize_t> i) {
+       .def("__getitem__", [](const Matrix &m, std::pair<py::ssize_t, py::ssize_t> i) {
             if (i.first >= m.rows() || i.second >= m.cols())
                 throw py::index_error();
             return m(i.first, i.second);
         })
-       .def("__setitem__", [](Matrix &m, std::pair<ssize_t, ssize_t> i, float v) {
+       .def("__setitem__", [](Matrix &m, std::pair<py::ssize_t, py::ssize_t> i, float v) {
             if (i.first >= m.rows() || i.second >= m.cols())
                 throw py::index_error();
             m(i.first, i.second) = v;
@@ -118,11 +118,11 @@ TEST_SUBMODULE(buffers, m) {
     // test_inherited_protocol
     class SquareMatrix : public Matrix {
     public:
-        SquareMatrix(ssize_t n) : Matrix(n, n) { }
+        SquareMatrix(py::ssize_t n) : Matrix(n, n) { }
     };
     // Derived classes inherit the buffer protocol and the buffer access function
     py::class_<SquareMatrix, Matrix>(m, "SquareMatrix")
-        .def(py::init<ssize_t>());
+        .def(py::init<py::ssize_t>());
 
 
     // test_pointer_to_member_fn
diff --git a/tests/test_kwargs_and_defaults.cpp b/tests/test_kwargs_and_defaults.cpp
index 7bda708c9..627a79690 100644
--- a/tests/test_kwargs_and_defaults.cpp
+++ b/tests/test_kwargs_and_defaults.cpp
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ TEST_SUBMODULE(kwargs_and_defaults, m) {
         py::tuple t(a.size());
         for (size_t i = 0; i < a.size(); i++)
             // Use raw Python API here to avoid an extra, intermediate incref on the tuple item:
-            t[i] = (int) Py_REFCNT(PyTuple_GET_ITEM(a.ptr(), static_cast<ssize_t>(i)));
+            t[i] = (int) Py_REFCNT(PyTuple_GET_ITEM(a.ptr(), static_cast<py::ssize_t>(i)));
         return t;
     });
     m.def("mixed_args_refcount", [](py::object o, py::args a) {
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ TEST_SUBMODULE(kwargs_and_defaults, m) {
         t[0] = o.ref_count();
         for (size_t i = 0; i < a.size(); i++)
             // Use raw Python API here to avoid an extra, intermediate incref on the tuple item:
-            t[i + 1] = (int) Py_REFCNT(PyTuple_GET_ITEM(a.ptr(), static_cast<ssize_t>(i)));
+            t[i + 1] = (int) Py_REFCNT(PyTuple_GET_ITEM(a.ptr(), static_cast<py::ssize_t>(i)));
         return t;
     });
 
diff --git a/tests/test_numpy_array.cpp b/tests/test_numpy_array.cpp
index 753fa9fc8..a84de77f8 100644
--- a/tests/test_numpy_array.cpp
+++ b/tests/test_numpy_array.cpp
@@ -89,23 +89,23 @@ template<typename... Ix> arr data_t(const arr_t& a, Ix... index) {
 
 template<typename... Ix> arr& mutate_data(arr& a, Ix... index) {
     auto ptr = (uint8_t *) a.mutable_data(index...);
-    for (ssize_t i = 0; i < a.nbytes() - a.offset_at(index...); i++)
+    for (py::ssize_t i = 0; i < a.nbytes() - a.offset_at(index...); i++)
         ptr[i] = (uint8_t) (ptr[i] * 2);
     return a;
 }
 
 template<typename... Ix> arr_t& mutate_data_t(arr_t& a, Ix... index) {
     auto ptr = a.mutable_data(index...);
-    for (ssize_t i = 0; i < a.size() - a.index_at(index...); i++)
+    for (py::ssize_t i = 0; i < a.size() - a.index_at(index...); i++)
         ptr[i]++;
     return a;
 }
 
-template<typename... Ix> ssize_t index_at(const arr& a, Ix... idx) { return a.index_at(idx...); }
-template<typename... Ix> ssize_t index_at_t(const arr_t& a, Ix... idx) { return a.index_at(idx...); }
-template<typename... Ix> ssize_t offset_at(const arr& a, Ix... idx) { return a.offset_at(idx...); }
-template<typename... Ix> ssize_t offset_at_t(const arr_t& a, Ix... idx) { return a.offset_at(idx...); }
-template<typename... Ix> ssize_t at_t(const arr_t& a, Ix... idx) { return a.at(idx...); }
+template<typename... Ix> py::ssize_t index_at(const arr& a, Ix... idx) { return a.index_at(idx...); }
+template<typename... Ix> py::ssize_t index_at_t(const arr_t& a, Ix... idx) { return a.index_at(idx...); }
+template<typename... Ix> py::ssize_t offset_at(const arr& a, Ix... idx) { return a.offset_at(idx...); }
+template<typename... Ix> py::ssize_t offset_at_t(const arr_t& a, Ix... idx) { return a.offset_at(idx...); }
+template<typename... Ix> py::ssize_t at_t(const arr_t& a, Ix... idx) { return a.at(idx...); }
 template<typename... Ix> arr_t& mutate_at_t(arr_t& a, Ix... idx) { a.mutable_at(idx...)++; return a; }
 
 #define def_index_fn(name, type) \
@@ -159,9 +159,9 @@ TEST_SUBMODULE(numpy_array, sm) {
     // test_array_attributes
     sm.def("ndim", [](const arr& a) { return a.ndim(); });
     sm.def("shape", [](const arr& a) { return arr(a.ndim(), a.shape()); });
-    sm.def("shape", [](const arr& a, ssize_t dim) { return a.shape(dim); });
+    sm.def("shape", [](const arr& a, py::ssize_t dim) { return a.shape(dim); });
     sm.def("strides", [](const arr& a) { return arr(a.ndim(), a.strides()); });
-    sm.def("strides", [](const arr& a, ssize_t dim) { return a.strides(dim); });
+    sm.def("strides", [](const arr& a, py::ssize_t dim) { return a.strides(dim); });
     sm.def("writeable", [](const arr& a) { return a.writeable(); });
     sm.def("size", [](const arr& a) { return a.size(); });
     sm.def("itemsize", [](const arr& a) { return a.itemsize(); });
@@ -281,33 +281,33 @@ TEST_SUBMODULE(numpy_array, sm) {
     // test_array_unchecked_fixed_dims
     sm.def("proxy_add2", [](py::array_t<double> a, double v) {
         auto r = a.mutable_unchecked<2>();
-        for (ssize_t i = 0; i < r.shape(0); i++)
-            for (ssize_t j = 0; j < r.shape(1); j++)
+        for (py::ssize_t i = 0; i < r.shape(0); i++)
+            for (py::ssize_t j = 0; j < r.shape(1); j++)
                 r(i, j) += v;
     }, py::arg().noconvert(), py::arg());
 
     sm.def("proxy_init3", [](double start) {
         py::array_t<double, py::array::c_style> a({ 3, 3, 3 });
         auto r = a.mutable_unchecked<3>();
-        for (ssize_t i = 0; i < r.shape(0); i++)
-        for (ssize_t j = 0; j < r.shape(1); j++)
-        for (ssize_t k = 0; k < r.shape(2); k++)
+        for (py::ssize_t i = 0; i < r.shape(0); i++)
+        for (py::ssize_t j = 0; j < r.shape(1); j++)
+        for (py::ssize_t k = 0; k < r.shape(2); k++)
             r(i, j, k) = start++;
         return a;
     });
     sm.def("proxy_init3F", [](double start) {
         py::array_t<double, py::array::f_style> a({ 3, 3, 3 });
         auto r = a.mutable_unchecked<3>();
-        for (ssize_t k = 0; k < r.shape(2); k++)
-        for (ssize_t j = 0; j < r.shape(1); j++)
-        for (ssize_t i = 0; i < r.shape(0); i++)
+        for (py::ssize_t k = 0; k < r.shape(2); k++)
+        for (py::ssize_t j = 0; j < r.shape(1); j++)
+        for (py::ssize_t i = 0; i < r.shape(0); i++)
             r(i, j, k) = start++;
         return a;
     });
     sm.def("proxy_squared_L2_norm", [](py::array_t<double> a) {
         auto r = a.unchecked<1>();
         double sumsq = 0;
-        for (ssize_t i = 0; i < r.shape(0); i++)
+        for (py::ssize_t i = 0; i < r.shape(0); i++)
             sumsq += r[i] * r(i); // Either notation works for a 1D array
         return sumsq;
     });
@@ -335,17 +335,17 @@ TEST_SUBMODULE(numpy_array, sm) {
     sm.def("proxy_add2_dyn", [](py::array_t<double> a, double v) {
         auto r = a.mutable_unchecked();
         if (r.ndim() != 2) throw std::domain_error("error: ndim != 2");
-        for (ssize_t i = 0; i < r.shape(0); i++)
-            for (ssize_t j = 0; j < r.shape(1); j++)
+        for (py::ssize_t i = 0; i < r.shape(0); i++)
+            for (py::ssize_t j = 0; j < r.shape(1); j++)
                 r(i, j) += v;
     }, py::arg().noconvert(), py::arg());
     sm.def("proxy_init3_dyn", [](double start) {
         py::array_t<double, py::array::c_style> a({ 3, 3, 3 });
         auto r = a.mutable_unchecked();
         if (r.ndim() != 3) throw std::domain_error("error: ndim != 3");
-        for (ssize_t i = 0; i < r.shape(0); i++)
-        for (ssize_t j = 0; j < r.shape(1); j++)
-        for (ssize_t k = 0; k < r.shape(2); k++)
+        for (py::ssize_t i = 0; i < r.shape(0); i++)
+        for (py::ssize_t j = 0; j < r.shape(1); j++)
+        for (py::ssize_t k = 0; k < r.shape(2); k++)
             r(i, j, k) = start++;
         return a;
     });
@@ -374,7 +374,7 @@ TEST_SUBMODULE(numpy_array, sm) {
     // test_array_resize
     // reshape array to 2D without changing size
     sm.def("array_reshape2", [](py::array_t<double> a) {
-        const auto dim_sz = (ssize_t)std::sqrt(a.size());
+        const auto dim_sz = (py::ssize_t)std::sqrt(a.size());
         if (dim_sz * dim_sz != a.size())
             throw std::domain_error("array_reshape2: input array total size is not a squared integer");
         a.resize({dim_sz, dim_sz});
diff --git a/tests/test_numpy_dtypes.cpp b/tests/test_numpy_dtypes.cpp
index c4ab02b13..b2e5e6075 100644
--- a/tests/test_numpy_dtypes.cpp
+++ b/tests/test_numpy_dtypes.cpp
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ py::list print_recarray(py::array_t<S, 0> arr) {
     const auto req = arr.request();
     const auto ptr = static_cast<S*>(req.ptr);
     auto l = py::list();
-    for (ssize_t i = 0; i < req.size; i++) {
+    for (py::ssize_t i = 0; i < req.size; i++) {
         std::stringstream ss;
         ss << ptr[i];
         l.append(py::str(ss.str()));
@@ -180,8 +180,8 @@ py::array_t<int32_t, 0> test_array_ctors(int i) {
     using arr_t = py::array_t<int32_t, 0>;
 
     std::vector<int32_t> data { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 };
-    std::vector<ssize_t> shape { 3, 2 };
-    std::vector<ssize_t> strides { 8, 4 };
+    std::vector<py::ssize_t> shape { 3, 2 };
+    std::vector<py::ssize_t> strides { 8, 4 };
 
     auto ptr = data.data();
     auto vptr = (void *) ptr;
@@ -398,7 +398,7 @@ TEST_SUBMODULE(numpy_dtypes, m) {
         if (non_empty) {
             auto req = arr.request();
             auto ptr = static_cast<StringStruct*>(req.ptr);
-            for (ssize_t i = 0; i < req.size * req.itemsize; i++)
+            for (py::ssize_t i = 0; i < req.size * req.itemsize; i++)
                 static_cast<char*>(req.ptr)[i] = 0;
             ptr[1].a[0] = 'a'; ptr[1].b[0] = 'a';
             ptr[2].a[0] = 'a'; ptr[2].b[0] = 'a';
diff --git a/tests/test_numpy_vectorize.cpp b/tests/test_numpy_vectorize.cpp
index aa8a881f2..274b7558a 100644
--- a/tests/test_numpy_vectorize.cpp
+++ b/tests/test_numpy_vectorize.cpp
@@ -83,8 +83,8 @@ TEST_SUBMODULE(numpy_vectorize, m) {
                 py::array_t<float, py::array::forcecast> arg2,
                 py::array_t<double, py::array::forcecast> arg3
                 ) {
-        ssize_t ndim;
-        std::vector<ssize_t> shape;
+        py::ssize_t ndim;
+        std::vector<py::ssize_t> shape;
         std::array<py::buffer_info, 3> buffers {{ arg1.request(), arg2.request(), arg3.request() }};
         return py::detail::broadcast(buffers, ndim, shape);
     });
diff --git a/tests/test_pytypes.cpp b/tests/test_pytypes.cpp
index ceaac3658..113cf5cbb 100644
--- a/tests/test_pytypes.cpp
+++ b/tests/test_pytypes.cpp
@@ -404,7 +404,7 @@ TEST_SUBMODULE(pytypes, m) {
     m.def("test_memoryview_from_memory", []() {
         const char* buf = "\xff\xe1\xab\x37";
         return py::memoryview::from_memory(
-            buf, static_cast<ssize_t>(strlen(buf)));
+            buf, static_cast<py::ssize_t>(strlen(buf)));
     });
 #endif
 
diff --git a/tests/test_sequences_and_iterators.cpp b/tests/test_sequences_and_iterators.cpp
index 545dc45d0..d318052a4 100644
--- a/tests/test_sequences_and_iterators.cpp
+++ b/tests/test_sequences_and_iterators.cpp
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ TEST_SUBMODULE(sequences_and_iterators, m) {
     py::class_<Sliceable>(m,"Sliceable")
         .def(py::init<int>())
         .def("__getitem__",[](const Sliceable &s, py::slice slice) {
-          ssize_t start, stop, step, slicelength;
+          py::ssize_t start, stop, step, slicelength;
           if (!slice.compute(s.size, &start, &stop, &step, &slicelength))
               throw py::error_already_set();
           int istart = static_cast<int>(start);