diff --git a/Cython/Utility/ModuleSetupCode.c b/Cython/Utility/ModuleSetupCode.c

index 2aeabd2..8b285bb 100644

--- a/Cython/Utility/ModuleSetupCode.c

+++ b/Cython/Utility/ModuleSetupCode.c

@@ -669,7 +669,7 @@ static CYTHON_INLINE void * PyThread_tss_get(Py_tss_t *key) {

 #if defined(__clang__)

     #define CYTHON_SMALL_CODE

 #elif defined(__GNUC__)

-    #define CYTHON_SMALL_CODE __attribute__((optimize("Os")))

+    #define CYTHON_SMALL_CODE __attribute__((cold))

 #else

     #define CYTHON_SMALL_CODE

 #endif