diff --git a/pytests/src/datetime.rs b/pytests/src/datetime.rs
index afa45cf704b..9d8f32a93c9 100644
--- a/pytests/src/datetime.rs
+++ b/pytests/src/datetime.rs
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ fn make_time<'py>(
     minute: u8,
     second: u8,
     microsecond: u32,
-    tzinfo: Option<&Bound<'_, PyTzInfo>>,
+    tzinfo: Option<&Bound<'py, PyTzInfo>>,
 ) -> PyResult<Bound<'py, PyTime>> {
     PyTime::new_bound(py, hour, minute, second, microsecond, tzinfo)
 }
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ fn time_with_fold<'py>(
     minute: u8,
     second: u8,
     microsecond: u32,
-    tzinfo: Option<&Bound<'_, PyTzInfo>>,
+    tzinfo: Option<&Bound<'py, PyTzInfo>>,
     fold: bool,
 ) -> PyResult<Bound<'py, PyTime>> {
     PyTime::new_bound_with_fold(py, hour, minute, second, microsecond, tzinfo, fold)
@@ -85,9 +85,9 @@ fn make_delta(
 }
 
 #[pyfunction]
-fn get_delta_tuple<'py>(py: Python<'py>, delta: &Bound<'_, PyDelta>) -> Bound<'py, PyTuple> {
+fn get_delta_tuple<'py>(delta: &Bound<'py, PyDelta>) -> Bound<'py, PyTuple> {
     PyTuple::new_bound(
-        py,
+        delta.py(),
         [
             delta.get_days(),
             delta.get_seconds(),
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ fn make_datetime<'py>(
     minute: u8,
     second: u8,
     microsecond: u32,
-    tzinfo: Option<&Bound<'_, PyTzInfo>>,
+    tzinfo: Option<&Bound<'py, PyTzInfo>>,
 ) -> PyResult<Bound<'py, PyDateTime>> {
     PyDateTime::new_bound(
         py,
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ fn make_datetime<'py>(
 }
 
 #[pyfunction]
-fn get_datetime_tuple<'py>(py: Python<'py>, dt: &Bound<'_, PyDateTime>) -> Bound<'py, PyTuple> {
+fn get_datetime_tuple<'py>(py: Python<'py>, dt: &Bound<'py, PyDateTime>) -> Bound<'py, PyTuple> {
     PyTuple::new_bound(
         py,
         [
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ fn get_datetime_tuple<'py>(py: Python<'py>, dt: &Bound<'_, PyDateTime>) -> Bound
 #[pyfunction]
 fn get_datetime_tuple_fold<'py>(
     py: Python<'py>,
-    dt: &Bound<'_, PyDateTime>,
+    dt: &Bound<'py, PyDateTime>,
 ) -> Bound<'py, PyTuple> {
     PyTuple::new_bound(
         py,
@@ -162,18 +162,18 @@ fn get_datetime_tuple_fold<'py>(
 fn datetime_from_timestamp<'py>(
     py: Python<'py>,
     ts: f64,
-    tz: Option<&Bound<'_, PyTzInfo>>,
+    tz: Option<&Bound<'py, PyTzInfo>>,
 ) -> PyResult<Bound<'py, PyDateTime>> {
     PyDateTime::from_timestamp_bound(py, ts, tz)
 }
 
 #[pyfunction]
-fn get_datetime_tzinfo(dt: &PyDateTime) -> Option<Bound<'_, PyTzInfo>> {
+fn get_datetime_tzinfo<'py>(dt: &Bound<'py, PyDateTime>) -> Option<Bound<'py, PyTzInfo>> {
     dt.get_tzinfo_bound()
 }
 
 #[pyfunction]
-fn get_time_tzinfo(dt: &PyTime) -> Option<Bound<'_, PyTzInfo>> {
+fn get_time_tzinfo<'py>(dt: &Bound<'py, PyTime>) -> Option<Bound<'py, PyTzInfo>> {
     dt.get_tzinfo_bound()
 }
 
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ impl TzClass {
     fn utcoffset<'py>(
         &self,
         py: Python<'py>,
-        _dt: &Bound<'_, PyDateTime>,
+        _dt: &Bound<'py, PyDateTime>,
     ) -> PyResult<Bound<'py, PyDelta>> {
         PyDelta::new_bound(py, 0, 3600, 0, true)
     }
@@ -199,7 +199,7 @@ impl TzClass {
         String::from("+01:00")
     }
 
-    fn dst(&self, _dt: &Bound<'_, PyDateTime>) -> Option<&PyDelta> {
+    fn dst<'py>(&self, _dt: &Bound<'py, PyDateTime>) -> Option<Bound<'py, PyDelta>> {
         None
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/ffi/tests.rs b/src/ffi/tests.rs
index f225e4f3647..610edb1c92c 100644
--- a/src/ffi/tests.rs
+++ b/src/ffi/tests.rs
@@ -77,11 +77,11 @@ fn test_utc_timezone() {
 #[cfg(feature = "macros")]
 #[cfg_attr(target_arch = "wasm32", ignore)] // DateTime import fails on wasm for mysterious reasons
 fn test_timezone_from_offset() {
-    use crate::types::PyDelta;
+    use crate::{ffi_ptr_ext::FfiPtrExt, types::PyDelta};
 
     Python::with_gil(|py| {
         let delta = PyDelta::new_bound(py, 0, 100, 0, false).unwrap();
-        let tz: &PyAny = unsafe { py.from_borrowed_ptr(PyTimeZone_FromOffset(delta.as_ptr())) };
+        let tz = unsafe { PyTimeZone_FromOffset(delta.as_ptr()).assume_owned(py) };
         crate::py_run!(
             py,
             tz,
@@ -95,16 +95,13 @@ fn test_timezone_from_offset() {
 #[cfg(feature = "macros")]
 #[cfg_attr(target_arch = "wasm32", ignore)] // DateTime import fails on wasm for mysterious reasons
 fn test_timezone_from_offset_and_name() {
-    use crate::types::PyDelta;
+    use crate::{ffi_ptr_ext::FfiPtrExt, types::PyDelta};
 
     Python::with_gil(|py| {
         let delta = PyDelta::new_bound(py, 0, 100, 0, false).unwrap();
         let tzname = PyString::new_bound(py, "testtz");
-        let tz: &PyAny = unsafe {
-            py.from_borrowed_ptr(PyTimeZone_FromOffsetAndName(
-                delta.as_ptr(),
-                tzname.as_ptr(),
-            ))
+        let tz = unsafe {
+            PyTimeZone_FromOffsetAndName(delta.as_ptr(), tzname.as_ptr()).assume_owned(py)
         };
         crate::py_run!(
             py,
diff --git a/src/types/datetime.rs b/src/types/datetime.rs
index 9c1c007a6c9..d46a2b77c33 100644
--- a/src/types/datetime.rs
+++ b/src/types/datetime.rs
@@ -218,8 +218,9 @@ impl PyDate {
     pub fn new_bound(py: Python<'_>, year: i32, month: u8, day: u8) -> PyResult<Bound<'_, PyDate>> {
         let api = ensure_datetime_api(py)?;
         unsafe {
-            let ptr = (api.Date_FromDate)(year, c_int::from(month), c_int::from(day), api.DateType);
-            ptr.assume_owned_or_err(py).downcast_into_unchecked()
+            (api.Date_FromDate)(year, c_int::from(month), c_int::from(day), api.DateType)
+                .assume_owned_or_err(py)
+                .downcast_into_unchecked()
         }
     }
 
@@ -245,8 +246,9 @@ impl PyDate {
         let _api = ensure_datetime_api(py)?;
 
         unsafe {
-            let ptr = PyDate_FromTimestamp(time_tuple.as_ptr());
-            ptr.assume_owned_or_err(py).downcast_into_unchecked()
+            PyDate_FromTimestamp(time_tuple.as_ptr())
+                .assume_owned_or_err(py)
+                .downcast_into_unchecked()
         }
     }
 }
@@ -300,8 +302,8 @@ impl PyDateTime {
         )
     )]
     #[allow(clippy::too_many_arguments)]
-    pub fn new<'p>(
-        py: Python<'p>,
+    pub fn new<'py>(
+        py: Python<'py>,
         year: i32,
         month: u8,
         day: u8,
@@ -309,8 +311,8 @@ impl PyDateTime {
         minute: u8,
         second: u8,
         microsecond: u32,
-        tzinfo: Option<&PyTzInfo>,
-    ) -> PyResult<&'p PyDateTime> {
+        tzinfo: Option<&'py PyTzInfo>,
+    ) -> PyResult<&'py PyDateTime> {
         Self::new_bound(
             py,
             year,
@@ -327,8 +329,8 @@ impl PyDateTime {
 
     /// Creates a new `datetime.datetime` object.
     #[allow(clippy::too_many_arguments)]
-    pub fn new_bound<'p>(
-        py: Python<'p>,
+    pub fn new_bound<'py>(
+        py: Python<'py>,
         year: i32,
         month: u8,
         day: u8,
@@ -336,8 +338,8 @@ impl PyDateTime {
         minute: u8,
         second: u8,
         microsecond: u32,
-        tzinfo: Option<&Bound<'_, PyTzInfo>>,
-    ) -> PyResult<Bound<'p, PyDateTime>> {
+        tzinfo: Option<&Bound<'py, PyTzInfo>>,
+    ) -> PyResult<Bound<'py, PyDateTime>> {
         let api = ensure_datetime_api(py)?;
         unsafe {
             (api.DateTime_FromDateAndTime)(
@@ -357,9 +359,16 @@ impl PyDateTime {
     }
 
     /// Deprecated form of [`PyDateTime::new_bound_with_fold`].
+    #[cfg_attr(
+        not(feature = "gil-refs"),
+        deprecated(
+            since = "0.21.0",
+            note = "`PyDateTime::new_with_fold` will be replaced by `PyDateTime::new_bound_with_fold` in a future PyO3 version"
+        )
+    )]
     #[allow(clippy::too_many_arguments)]
-    pub fn new_with_fold<'p>(
-        py: Python<'p>,
+    pub fn new_with_fold<'py>(
+        py: Python<'py>,
         year: i32,
         month: u8,
         day: u8,
@@ -367,9 +376,9 @@ impl PyDateTime {
         minute: u8,
         second: u8,
         microsecond: u32,
-        tzinfo: Option<&PyTzInfo>,
+        tzinfo: Option<&'py PyTzInfo>,
         fold: bool,
-    ) -> PyResult<&'p PyDateTime> {
+    ) -> PyResult<&'py PyDateTime> {
         Self::new_bound_with_fold(
             py,
             year,
@@ -393,8 +402,8 @@ impl PyDateTime {
     /// represented time is ambiguous.
     /// See [PEP 495](https://www.python.org/dev/peps/pep-0495/) for more detail.
     #[allow(clippy::too_many_arguments)]
-    pub fn new_bound_with_fold<'p>(
-        py: Python<'p>,
+    pub fn new_bound_with_fold<'py>(
+        py: Python<'py>,
         year: i32,
         month: u8,
         day: u8,
@@ -402,9 +411,9 @@ impl PyDateTime {
         minute: u8,
         second: u8,
         microsecond: u32,
-        tzinfo: Option<&Bound<'_, PyTzInfo>>,
+        tzinfo: Option<&Bound<'py, PyTzInfo>>,
         fold: bool,
-    ) -> PyResult<Bound<'p, PyDateTime>> {
+    ) -> PyResult<Bound<'py, PyDateTime>> {
         let api = ensure_datetime_api(py)?;
         unsafe {
             (api.DateTime_FromDateAndTimeAndFold)(
@@ -432,11 +441,11 @@ impl PyDateTime {
             note = "`PyDateTime::from_timestamp` will be replaced by `PyDateTime::from_timestamp_bound` in a future PyO3 version"
         )
     )]
-    pub fn from_timestamp<'p>(
-        py: Python<'p>,
+    pub fn from_timestamp<'py>(
+        py: Python<'py>,
         timestamp: f64,
-        tzinfo: Option<&PyTzInfo>,
-    ) -> PyResult<&'p PyDateTime> {
+        tzinfo: Option<&'py PyTzInfo>,
+    ) -> PyResult<&'py PyDateTime> {
         Self::from_timestamp_bound(py, timestamp, tzinfo.map(PyTzInfo::as_borrowed).as_deref())
             .map(Bound::into_gil_ref)
     }
@@ -444,11 +453,11 @@ impl PyDateTime {
     /// Construct a `datetime` object from a POSIX timestamp
     ///
     /// This is equivalent to `datetime.datetime.fromtimestamp`
-    pub fn from_timestamp_bound<'p>(
-        py: Python<'p>,
+    pub fn from_timestamp_bound<'py>(
+        py: Python<'py>,
         timestamp: f64,
-        tzinfo: Option<&Bound<'_, PyTzInfo>>,
-    ) -> PyResult<Bound<'p, PyDateTime>> {
+        tzinfo: Option<&Bound<'py, PyTzInfo>>,
+    ) -> PyResult<Bound<'py, PyDateTime>> {
         let args = IntoPy::<Py<PyTuple>>::into_py((timestamp, tzinfo), py).into_bound(py);
 
         // safety ensure API is loaded
@@ -579,14 +588,14 @@ impl PyTime {
             note = "`PyTime::new` will be replaced by `PyTime::new_bound` in a future PyO3 version"
         )
     )]
-    pub fn new<'p>(
-        py: Python<'p>,
+    pub fn new<'py>(
+        py: Python<'py>,
         hour: u8,
         minute: u8,
         second: u8,
         microsecond: u32,
-        tzinfo: Option<&PyTzInfo>,
-    ) -> PyResult<&'p PyTime> {
+        tzinfo: Option<&'py PyTzInfo>,
+    ) -> PyResult<&'py PyTime> {
         Self::new_bound(
             py,
             hour,
@@ -599,14 +608,14 @@ impl PyTime {
     }
 
     /// Creates a new `datetime.time` object.
-    pub fn new_bound<'p>(
-        py: Python<'p>,
+    pub fn new_bound<'py>(
+        py: Python<'py>,
         hour: u8,
         minute: u8,
         second: u8,
         microsecond: u32,
-        tzinfo: Option<&Bound<'_, PyTzInfo>>,
-    ) -> PyResult<Bound<'p, PyTime>> {
+        tzinfo: Option<&Bound<'py, PyTzInfo>>,
+    ) -> PyResult<Bound<'py, PyTime>> {
         let api = ensure_datetime_api(py)?;
         unsafe {
             (api.Time_FromTime)(
@@ -630,15 +639,15 @@ impl PyTime {
             note = "`PyTime::new_with_fold` will be replaced by `PyTime::new_bound_with_fold` in a future PyO3 version"
         )
     )]
-    pub fn new_with_fold<'p>(
-        py: Python<'p>,
+    pub fn new_with_fold<'py>(
+        py: Python<'py>,
         hour: u8,
         minute: u8,
         second: u8,
         microsecond: u32,
-        tzinfo: Option<&PyTzInfo>,
+        tzinfo: Option<&'py PyTzInfo>,
         fold: bool,
-    ) -> PyResult<&'p PyTime> {
+    ) -> PyResult<&'py PyTime> {
         Self::new_bound_with_fold(
             py,
             hour,
@@ -652,15 +661,15 @@ impl PyTime {
     }
 
     /// Alternate constructor that takes a `fold` argument. See [`PyDateTime::new_with_fold`].
-    pub fn new_bound_with_fold<'p>(
-        py: Python<'p>,
+    pub fn new_bound_with_fold<'py>(
+        py: Python<'py>,
         hour: u8,
         minute: u8,
         second: u8,
         microsecond: u32,
-        tzinfo: Option<&Bound<'_, PyTzInfo>>,
+        tzinfo: Option<&Bound<'py, PyTzInfo>>,
         fold: bool,
-    ) -> PyResult<Bound<'p, PyTime>> {
+    ) -> PyResult<Bound<'py, PyTime>> {
         let api = ensure_datetime_api(py)?;
         unsafe {
             (api.Time_FromTimeAndFold)(
@@ -762,9 +771,16 @@ pyobject_native_type!(
     #checkfunction=PyTZInfo_Check
 );
 
-/// Equivalent to `datetime.timezone.utc`
+/// Deprecated form of [`timezone_utc_bound`].
+#[cfg_attr(
+    not(feature = "gil-refs"),
+    deprecated(
+        since = "0.21.0",
+        note = "`timezone_utc` will be replaced by `timezone_utc_bound` in a future PyO3 version"
+    )
+)]
 pub fn timezone_utc(py: Python<'_>) -> &PyTzInfo {
-    unsafe { &*(expect_datetime_api(py).TimeZone_UTC as *const PyTzInfo) }
+    timezone_utc_bound(py).into_gil_ref()
 }
 
 /// Equivalent to `datetime.timezone.utc`