diff --git a/src/_cffi_src/utils.py b/src/_cffi_src/utils.py
index 95b548b61d8e..5b4f6a5c8b90 100644
--- a/src/_cffi_src/utils.py
+++ b/src/_cffi_src/utils.py
@@ -75,7 +75,13 @@ def build_ffi(
     if platform.python_implementation() == "PyPy":
         verify_source += r"""
 int Cryptography_make_openssl_module(void) {
-    return cffi_start_python();
+    int result;
+
+    Py_BEGIN_ALLOW_THREADS
+    result = cffi_start_python();
+    Py_END_ALLOW_THREADS
+
+    return result;
 }
 """
     ffi.cdef(cdef_source)