diff --git a/docs/advanced/pycpp/utilities.rst b/docs/advanced/pycpp/utilities.rst
index af0f9cb2b0..5604030547 100644
--- a/docs/advanced/pycpp/utilities.rst
+++ b/docs/advanced/pycpp/utilities.rst
@@ -21,6 +21,11 @@ expected in Python:
     auto args = py::make_tuple("unpacked", true);
     py::print("->", *args, "end"_a="<-"); // -> unpacked True <-
 
+As in Python, omitting ``file`` or passing ``"file"_a = py::none()`` uses the
+current ``sys.stdout``. If ``sys.stdout`` is ``None``, :func:`py::print` returns
+without writing. During normal interpreter operation, a missing ``sys.stdout``
+or an error from a custom stream is still reported normally.
+
 .. _ostream_redirect:
 
 Capturing standard output from ostream
diff --git a/include/pybind11/pybind11.h b/include/pybind11/pybind11.h
index 12559ddf3d..2ffd0414f1 100644
--- a/include/pybind11/pybind11.h
+++ b/include/pybind11/pybind11.h
@@ -3764,33 +3764,114 @@ 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]);
+    object sep;
+    object end;
+    object file;
+    object flush;
+
+    for (auto item : kwargs) {
+        PyObject *key = item.first.ptr();
+        auto key_is
+            = [key](const char *name) { return PyUnicode_CompareWithASCIIString(key, name) == 0; };
+
+        if (key_is("sep")) {
+            sep = reinterpret_borrow<object>(item.second);
+        } else if (key_is("end")) {
+            end = reinterpret_borrow<object>(item.second);
+        } else if (key_is("file")) {
+            file = reinterpret_borrow<object>(item.second);
+        } else if (key_is("flush")) {
+            flush = reinterpret_borrow<object>(item.second);
+        } else {
+            PyErr_Format(PyExc_TypeError, "'%U' is an invalid keyword argument for print()", key);
+            throw error_already_set();
+        }
     }
-    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 {
+    // As with Python's print(), an omitted file or file=None means sys.stdout.
+    if (!file || file.is_none()) {
+#ifdef Py_GIL_DISABLED
+        // CPython's built-in print() gets a strong reference to the current interpreter's
+        // sys.stdout with the private _PySys_GetRequiredAttr(), which is unavailable to
+        // extension modules. The public PySys_GetObject() returns only a borrowed reference
+        // that another thread could invalidate, so import sys and use a strong-reference
+        // dictionary lookup instead.
+        object sys;
         try {
-            file = module_::import("sys").attr("stdout");
+            sys = module_::import("sys");
         } 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. */
+            // Importing sys can fail while an interpreter is shutting down.
+            return;
+        }
+        PyObject *sys_dict = PyModule_GetDict(sys.ptr());
+        if (sys_dict == nullptr) {
+            throw error_already_set();
+        }
+        PyObject *stdout_obj = dict_getitemstringref(sys_dict, "stdout");
+        if (stdout_obj == nullptr) {
+            set_error(PyExc_RuntimeError, "lost sys.stdout");
+            throw error_already_set();
+        }
+        file = reinterpret_steal<object>(stdout_obj);
+#else
+        // With the GIL held, no other thread can replace sys.stdout between the borrowed
+        // lookup and incrementing its reference count. PySys_GetObject() also reads the
+        // current interpreter's sys dictionary directly, matching CPython's built-in print()
+        // without consulting sys.modules.
+        PyObject *stdout_obj = PySys_GetObject("stdout");
+        if (stdout_obj == nullptr) {
+            try {
+                module_::import("sys");
+            } catch (const error_already_set &) {
+                // A missing sys module indicates interpreter shutdown.
+                return;
+            }
+            set_error(PyExc_RuntimeError, "lost sys.stdout");
+            throw error_already_set();
+        }
+        file = reinterpret_borrow<object>(stdout_obj);
+#endif
+        // sys.stdout may be None when stdout is not connected, for example in
+        // a Windows GUI application. In that case, print() is a no-op.
+        if (file.is_none()) {
             return;
         }
     }
 
-    auto write = file.attr("write");
-    write(std::move(line));
-    write(kwargs.contains("end") ? kwargs["end"] : str("\n"));
+    // As with Python's print(), an omitted keyword or None selects the default.
+    auto as_string_or_default = [](object &o, const char *name, const char *default_value) {
+        if (!o || o.is_none()) {
+            o = str(default_value);
+        } else if (!PyUnicode_Check(o.ptr())) {
+            PyErr_Format(PyExc_TypeError,
+                         "%s must be None or a string, not %.200s",
+                         name,
+                         Py_TYPE(o.ptr())->tp_name);
+            throw error_already_set();
+        }
+    };
+    as_string_or_default(sep, "sep", " ");
+    as_string_or_default(end, "end", "\n");
+
+    auto write = [&file](handle text) {
+        if (PyFile_WriteObject(text.ptr(), file.ptr(), Py_PRINT_RAW) != 0) {
+            throw error_already_set();
+        }
+    };
+
+    bool first = true;
+    for (handle arg : args) {
+        if (!first) {
+            write(sep);
+        }
+        first = false;
+        write(arg);
+    }
+    write(end);
 
-    if (kwargs.contains("flush") && kwargs["flush"].cast<bool>()) {
+    // Native interpreters differ in when they convert flush to bool. Evaluating it only
+    // after successful output preserves py::print's historical behavior.
+    if (flush && bool_(flush)) {
         file.attr("flush")();
     }
 }
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..7f5951e3db 100644
--- a/tests/test_pytypes.py
+++ b/tests/test_pytypes.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 import contextlib
 import sys
 import types
+from io import StringIO
 
 import pytest
 
@@ -570,6 +571,188 @@ 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 test_print_missing_stdout(monkeypatch):
+    monkeypatch.delattr(sys, "stdout")
+    with pytest.raises(RuntimeError, match="^lost sys.stdout$"):
+        m.print_args("no stream")
+
+
+@pytest.mark.skipif(
+    "env.PY_GIL_DISABLED",
+    reason="PySys_GetObject does not provide a thread-safe strong-reference API",
+)
+def test_print_uses_interpreter_stdout_if_sys_module_is_unavailable(monkeypatch):
+    output = StringIO()
+    with monkeypatch.context() as context:
+        context.setattr(sys, "stdout", output)
+        context.setitem(sys.modules, "sys", None)
+        m.print_args("interpreter stdout")
+    assert output.getvalue() == "interpreter stdout\n"
+
+
+def test_print_none_separator_and_end():
+    output = StringIO()
+    m.print_args("one", "two", sep=None, end=None, file=output)
+    assert output.getvalue() == "one two\n"
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("keyword", ["sep", "end"])
+def test_print_rejects_non_string_separator_and_end(keyword):
+    output = StringIO()
+    with pytest.raises(TypeError, match=f"^{keyword} must be None or a string"):
+        m.print_args("text", file=output, **{keyword: object()})
+    assert output.getvalue() == ""
+
+
+def test_print_rejects_unknown_keyword():
+    with pytest.raises(
+        TypeError, match="^'unknown' is an invalid keyword argument for print\\(\\)$"
+    ):
+        m.print_args("text", unknown=True)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("keyword", ["file\0suffix", "\ud800"])
+def test_print_rejects_unusual_unknown_keyword(keyword):
+    with pytest.raises(TypeError) as exc_info:
+        m.print_args("text", **{keyword: True})
+    (message,) = exc_info.value.args
+    # On Windows, PyPy's PyErr_Format() does not preserve an unpaired surrogate
+    # passed through %U. The ordinary-key test above checks the complete message;
+    # here the TypeError and intact suffix are the portable safety properties.
+    assert message.endswith(" is an invalid keyword argument for print()")
+
+
+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
+
+
+class PrintMarkerError(Exception):
+    pass
+
+
+def test_print_flush_truthiness_error_after_output():
+    class BadFlush:
+        def __bool__(self):
+            raise PrintMarkerError
+
+    output = StringIO()
+    with pytest.raises(PrintMarkerError):
+        m.print_args("text", file=output, flush=BadFlush())
+    assert output.getvalue() == "text\n"
+
+
+def test_print_propagates_stream_errors():
+    class BadWrite:
+        def write(self, value):
+            raise PrintMarkerError(value)
+
+    with pytest.raises(PrintMarkerError, match="text"):
+        m.print_args("text", file=BadWrite())
+
+    class BadFlush(StringIO):
+        def flush(self):
+            raise PrintMarkerError("flush")
+
+    output = BadFlush()
+    with pytest.raises(PrintMarkerError, match="flush"):
+        m.print_args("text", file=output, flush=True)
+    assert output.getvalue() == "text\n"
+
+
+def pybind_print_trace(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 = m.print_args(
+            Value("one"),
+            Value("two"),
+            sep="|",
+            end="!",
+            file=Stream(),
+            flush=True,
+        )
+    except Exception as exc:
+        outcome = type(exc)
+    else:
+        outcome = ("return", result)
+    return events, outcome
+
+
+def test_print_stream_protocol():
+    complete_events = [
+        ("str", "one"),
+        ("write", "one"),
+        ("write", "|"),
+        ("str", "two"),
+        ("write", "two"),
+        ("write", "!"),
+        ("flush",),
+    ]
+    assert pybind_print_trace(None) == (complete_events, ("return", None))
+    assert pybind_print_trace("str:two") == (complete_events[:4], PrintMarkerError)
+    assert pybind_print_trace("write:2") == (complete_events[:3], PrintMarkerError)
+    assert pybind_print_trace("flush") == (complete_events, PrintMarkerError)
+
+
 def test_hash():
     class Hashable:
         def __init__(self, value):
diff --git a/tests/test_with_catch/print_shutdown_probe.h b/tests/test_with_catch/print_shutdown_probe.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..09c20d0c6c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_with_catch/print_shutdown_probe.h
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+// Shared harness for the py::print-during-shutdown regression tests in
+// test_interpreter.cpp and test_subinterpreter.cpp.
+
+#pragma once
+
+#include <pybind11/pybind11.h>
+
+struct print_shutdown_state {
+    bool callback_ran = false;
+    bool stdout_was_none = false;
+    bool print_threw = false;
+};
+
+// Attach a capsule to sys whose destructor calls py::print during interpreter
+// shutdown, recording what happened in `state`.
+inline void install_print_shutdown_probe(print_shutdown_state &state) {
+    namespace py = pybind11;
+    py::module_::import("sys").attr("pybind11_print_on_shutdown")
+        = py::capsule(&state, [](void *payload) noexcept {
+              auto *state = static_cast<print_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;
+              }
+          });
+}
diff --git a/tests/test_with_catch/test_interpreter.cpp b/tests/test_with_catch/test_interpreter.cpp
index e39f51c274..1cc89b028a 100644
--- a/tests/test_with_catch/test_interpreter.cpp
+++ b/tests/test_with_catch/test_interpreter.cpp
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 PYBIND11_WARNING_DISABLE_MSVC(4996)
 
 #include "catch_skip.h"
+#include "print_shutdown_probe.h"
 
 #include <catch.hpp>
 #include <cstdlib>
@@ -352,6 +353,18 @@ 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") {
+    print_shutdown_state state;
+    install_print_shutdown_probe(state);
+
+    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..de72123c87 100644
--- a/tests/test_with_catch/test_subinterpreter.cpp
+++ b/tests/test_with_catch/test_subinterpreter.cpp
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 PYBIND11_WARNING_DISABLE_MSVC(4996)
 
 #    include "catch_skip.h"
+#    include "print_shutdown_probe.h"
 
 #    include <catch.hpp>
 #    include <cstdlib>
@@ -117,6 +118,18 @@ TEST_CASE("Single Subinterpreter") {
     unsafe_reset_internals_for_single_interpreter();
 }
 
+TEST_CASE("py::print is safe during subinterpreter shutdown") {
+    print_shutdown_state state;
+    {
+        py::scoped_subinterpreter subinterpreter;
+        install_print_shutdown_probe(state);
+    }
+
+    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()));