diff --git a/Lib/opcode.py b/Lib/opcode.py
index bc885051c6454e..db9b7dbee3b2c9 100644
--- a/Lib/opcode.py
+++ b/Lib/opcode.py
@@ -8,24 +8,10 @@
            "haslocal", "hascompare", "hasfree", "hasexc", "opname", "opmap",
            "HAVE_ARGUMENT", "EXTENDED_ARG"]
 
-# It's a chicken-and-egg I'm afraid:
-# We're imported before _opcode's made.
-# With exception unheeded
-# (stack_effect is not needed)
-# Both our chickens and eggs are allayed.
-#     --Larry Hastings, 2013/11/23
-
-try:
-    from _opcode import stack_effect
-    __all__.append('stack_effect')
-except ImportError:
-    pass
-
-# _opcode_metadata may not be ready during early stages of the build
-try:
-    from _opcode_metadata import _specializations, _specialized_instructions
-except ModuleNotFoundError:
-    pass
+from _opcode import stack_effect
+__all__.append('stack_effect')
+
+from _opcode_metadata import _specializations, _specialized_instructions
 
 cmp_op = ('<', '<=', '==', '!=', '>', '>=')
 
diff --git a/Lib/sysconfig.py b/Lib/sysconfig.py
index 122d441bd19f5e..eba6535b78866d 100644
--- a/Lib/sysconfig.py
+++ b/Lib/sysconfig.py
@@ -465,10 +465,14 @@ def _get_sysconfigdata_name():
         f'_sysconfigdata_{sys.abiflags}_{sys.platform}_{multiarch}',
     )
 
+def _print_config_dict(d, stream):
+    print (" {", file=stream)
+    for k, v in sorted(d.items()):
+        print(f"    {k!r}: {v!r},", file=stream)
+    print ("}", file=stream)
 
 def _generate_posix_vars():
     """Generate the Python module containing build-time variables."""
-    import pprint
     vars = {}
     # load the installed Makefile:
     makefile = get_makefile_filename()
@@ -523,7 +527,7 @@ def _generate_posix_vars():
         f.write('# system configuration generated and used by'
                 ' the sysconfig module\n')
         f.write('build_time_vars = ')
-        pprint.pprint(vars, stream=f)
+        _print_config_dict(vars, stream=f)
 
     # Create file used for sys.path fixup -- see Modules/getpath.c
     with open('pybuilddir.txt', 'w', encoding='utf8') as f: