diff --git a/Doc/library/collections.rst b/Doc/library/collections.rst
index cb9300f072b9e7..0b750bfca61be5 100644
--- a/Doc/library/collections.rst
+++ b/Doc/library/collections.rst
@@ -730,7 +730,7 @@ stack manipulations such as ``dup``, ``drop``, ``swap``, ``over``, ``pick``,
            defaultdict(default_factory, iterable, /, **kwargs)
 
     Return a new dictionary-like object.  :class:`defaultdict` is a subclass of the
-    built-in :class:`dict` class.  It overrides one method and adds one writable
+    built-in :class:`dict` class.  It defines two methods and adds one writable
     instance variable.  The remaining functionality is the same as for the
     :class:`dict` class and is not documented here.
 
@@ -740,33 +740,39 @@ stack manipulations such as ``dup``, ``drop``, ``swap``, ``over``, ``pick``,
     arguments.
 
 
-    :class:`defaultdict` objects support the following method in addition to the
-    standard :class:`dict` operations:
+    :class:`defaultdict` defines the following methods:
 
-    .. method:: __missing__(key, /)
+    .. method:: __getitem__(key, /)
+
+        Return ``self[key]``. If the item doesn't exist, the :meth:`__missing__`
+        method is called to create it.
 
-        If the :attr:`default_factory` attribute is ``None``, this raises a
-        :exc:`KeyError` exception with the *key* as argument.
+        When :term:`free threading` is enabled, the defaultdict is locked while
+        the key is being looked up and the :meth:`__missing__` method is being
+        called, thus ensuring that only one default value is generated and
+        inserted for each missing key.
 
-        If :attr:`default_factory` is not ``None``, it is called without arguments
-        to provide a default value for the given *key*, this value is inserted in
-        the dictionary for the *key*, and returned.
+    .. method:: __missing__(key, /)
 
-        If calling :attr:`default_factory` raises an exception this exception is
-        propagated unchanged.
+        Equivalent to::
 
-        This method is called by the :meth:`~object.__getitem__` method of the
-        :class:`dict` class when the requested key is not found; whatever it
-        returns or raises is then returned or raised by :meth:`~object.__getitem__`.
+            if self.default_factory is None:
+                raise KeyError(key)
+            self[key] = value = self.default_factory()
+            return value
 
-        Note that :meth:`__missing__` is *not* called for any operations besides
-        :meth:`~object.__getitem__`. This means that :meth:`~dict.get` will, like
-        normal dictionaries, return ``None`` as a default rather than using
+        Keep in mind that this method is *not* called for any operations besides
+        ``dd[key]``. This means that ``dd.get(key)`` will, like normal
+        dictionaries, return ``None`` as a default rather than using
         :attr:`default_factory`.
 
+        A direct call to this method (meaning a call that isn't coming from
+        :meth:`__getitem__`) can create a :term:`race condition`. To reset an
+        item to a default value the next time it's accessed, use the
+        :meth:`~dict.pop` method to safely remove the current value.
 
-    :class:`defaultdict` objects support the following instance variable:
 
+    :class:`defaultdict` objects support the following instance variable:
 
     .. attribute:: default_factory
 
@@ -774,9 +780,14 @@ stack manipulations such as ``dup``, ``drop``, ``swap``, ``over``, ``pick``,
         it is initialized from the first argument to the constructor, if present,
         or to ``None``, if absent.
 
+
     .. versionchanged:: 3.9
-       Added merge (``|``) and update (``|=``) operators, specified in
-       :pep:`584`.
+        Added merge (``|``) and update (``|=``) operators, specified in
+        :pep:`584`.
+
+    .. versionchanged:: 3.15
+        Added the :meth:`__getitem__` method which is safe to use with
+        :term:`free threading` enabled.
 
 
 :class:`defaultdict` Examples
diff --git a/Include/internal/pycore_critical_section.h b/Include/internal/pycore_critical_section.h
index 2a2846b1296b90..415ef273223860 100644
--- a/Include/internal/pycore_critical_section.h
+++ b/Include/internal/pycore_critical_section.h
@@ -95,6 +95,9 @@ _PyCriticalSection2_BeginSlow(PyThreadState *tstate, PyCriticalSection2 *c, PyMu
 PyAPI_FUNC(void)
 _PyCriticalSection_SuspendAll(PyThreadState *tstate);
 
+int
+_PyCriticalSection_WarnIfNotHeld(PyObject *op, const char *message);
+
 #ifdef Py_GIL_DISABLED
 
 static inline int
diff --git a/Include/internal/pycore_dict.h b/Include/internal/pycore_dict.h
index 6c6e3b77e69fab..56a29c586f67f5 100644
--- a/Include/internal/pycore_dict.h
+++ b/Include/internal/pycore_dict.h
@@ -123,6 +123,8 @@ PyAPI_FUNC(Py_ssize_t) _Py_dict_lookup(PyDictObject *mp, PyObject *key, Py_hash_
 extern Py_ssize_t _Py_dict_lookup_threadsafe(PyDictObject *mp, PyObject *key, Py_hash_t hash, PyObject **value_addr);
 extern Py_ssize_t _Py_dict_lookup_threadsafe_stackref(PyDictObject *mp, PyObject *key, Py_hash_t hash, _PyStackRef *value_addr);
 
+extern void _Py_dict_unhashable_type(PyObject *op, PyObject *key);
+
 extern int _PyDict_GetMethodStackRef(PyDictObject *dict, PyObject *name, _PyStackRef *method);
 
 // Exported for external JIT support
diff --git a/Lib/test/test_defaultdict.py b/Lib/test/test_defaultdict.py
index a193eb10f16d17..4fb01486891f4d 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_defaultdict.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_defaultdict.py
@@ -2,7 +2,9 @@
 
 import copy
 import pickle
+import sys
 import unittest
+import warnings
 
 from collections import defaultdict
 
@@ -48,10 +50,16 @@ def test_basic(self):
         self.assertRaises(TypeError, defaultdict, 1)
 
     def test_missing(self):
-        d1 = defaultdict()
-        self.assertRaises(KeyError, d1.__missing__, 42)
-        d1.default_factory = list
-        self.assertEqual(d1.__missing__(42), [])
+        with warnings.catch_warnings(record=True, action='always') as w:
+            d1 = defaultdict()
+            self.assertRaises(KeyError, d1.__missing__, 42)
+            d1.default_factory = list
+            v1 = d1.__missing__(42)
+            self.assertEqual(v1, [])
+            v2 = d1.__missing__(42)
+            self.assertEqual(v2, [])
+            self.assertIsNot(v2, v1)
+        self.assertEqual(len(w), 0 if sys._is_gil_enabled() else 3)
 
     def test_repr(self):
         d1 = defaultdict()
@@ -186,7 +194,7 @@ def test_union(self):
         with self.assertRaises(TypeError):
             i |= None
 
-    def test_factory_conflict_with_set_value(self):
+    def test_reentering_getitem_method(self):
         key = "conflict_test"
         count = 0
 
@@ -201,7 +209,7 @@ def default_factory():
         test_dict = defaultdict(default_factory)
 
         self.assertEqual(count, 0)
-        self.assertEqual(test_dict[key], 2)
+        self.assertEqual(test_dict[key], 1)
         self.assertEqual(count, 2)
 
     def test_repr_recursive_factory(self):
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2026-04-21-12-06-41.gh-issue-148242.eCy0eS.rst b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2026-04-21-12-06-41.gh-issue-148242.eCy0eS.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..377d206a59a7be
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2026-04-21-12-06-41.gh-issue-148242.eCy0eS.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+Restore the historical behavior of the :class:`~collections.defaultdict` class,
+while keeping it safe to use with :term:`free threading`.
diff --git a/Modules/_collectionsmodule.c b/Modules/_collectionsmodule.c
index 4ff05727ebc8ce..dbc4dc7571d13f 100644
--- a/Modules/_collectionsmodule.c
+++ b/Modules/_collectionsmodule.c
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 #include "Python.h"
 #include "pycore_call.h"          // _PyObject_CallNoArgs()
+#include "pycore_critical_section.h"  // _PyCriticalSection_WarnIfNotHeld()
 #include "pycore_dict.h"          // _PyDict_GetItem_KnownHash()
 #include "pycore_long.h"          // _PyLong_GetZero()
 #include "pycore_moduleobject.h"  // _PyModule_GetState()
@@ -2222,9 +2223,39 @@ typedef struct {
 
 static PyType_Spec defdict_spec;
 
+PyDoc_STRVAR(defdict_getitem_doc,
+"__getitem__($self, key, /)\n--\n\n\
+Return self[key]. If the item doesn't exist, self.__missing__(key) is called\n\
+to create it.\
+");
+
+static PyObject *
+defdict_subscript(PyObject *op, PyObject *key)
+{
+    Py_ssize_t ix;
+    Py_hash_t hash;
+    PyObject *value;
+
+    hash = _PyObject_HashFast(key);
+    if (hash == -1) {
+        _Py_dict_unhashable_type(op, key);
+        return NULL;
+    }
+    Py_BEGIN_CRITICAL_SECTION(op);
+    ix = _Py_dict_lookup((PyDictObject *)op, key, hash, &value);
+    if (value != NULL) {
+        Py_INCREF(value);
+    } else if (ix != DKIX_ERROR) {
+        value = PyObject_CallMethodOneArg(op, &_Py_ID(__missing__), key);
+    }
+    Py_END_CRITICAL_SECTION();
+    return value;
+}
+
 PyDoc_STRVAR(defdict_missing_doc,
-"__missing__(key) # Called by __getitem__ for missing key; pseudo-code:\n\
-  if self.default_factory is None: raise KeyError((key,))\n\
+"__missing__($self, key, /)\n--\n\n\
+  # Called by __getitem__ for missing key. Equivalent to:\n\
+  if self.default_factory is None: raise KeyError(key)\n\
   self[key] = value = self.default_factory()\n\
   return value\n\
 ");
@@ -2232,26 +2263,26 @@ PyDoc_STRVAR(defdict_missing_doc,
 static PyObject *
 defdict_missing(PyObject *op, PyObject *key)
 {
+    if (_PyCriticalSection_WarnIfNotHeld(op,
+        "the defaultdict.__missing__ method should not be called directly; "
+        "use dd.pop(key, None) to safely trigger a reset to a default value "
+        "the next time key is accessed") < 0)
+        return NULL;
     defdictobject *dd = defdictobject_CAST(op);
     PyObject *factory = dd->default_factory;
     PyObject *value;
     if (factory == NULL || factory == Py_None) {
-        /* XXX Call dict.__missing__(key) */
-        PyObject *tup;
-        tup = PyTuple_Pack(1, key);
-        if (!tup) return NULL;
-        PyErr_SetObject(PyExc_KeyError, tup);
-        Py_DECREF(tup);
+        _PyErr_SetKeyError(key);
         return NULL;
     }
     value = _PyObject_CallNoArgs(factory);
     if (value == NULL)
         return value;
-    PyObject *result = NULL;
-    (void)PyDict_SetDefaultRef(op, key, value, &result);
-    // 'result' is NULL, or a strong reference to 'value' or 'op[key]'
-    Py_DECREF(value);
-    return result;
+    if (PyObject_SetItem(op, key, value) < 0) {
+        Py_DECREF(value);
+        return NULL;
+    }
+    return value;
 }
 
 static inline PyObject*
@@ -2331,6 +2362,8 @@ defdict_reduce(PyObject *op, PyObject *Py_UNUSED(dummy))
 }
 
 static PyMethodDef defdict_methods[] = {
+    {"__getitem__", defdict_subscript, METH_O|METH_COEXIST,
+     defdict_getitem_doc},
     {"__missing__", defdict_missing, METH_O,
      defdict_missing_doc},
     {"copy", defdict_copy, METH_NOARGS,
@@ -2511,6 +2544,7 @@ static PyType_Slot defdict_slots[] = {
     {Py_tp_init, defdict_init},
     {Py_tp_alloc, PyType_GenericAlloc},
     {Py_tp_free, PyObject_GC_Del},
+    {Py_mp_subscript, defdict_subscript},
     {0, NULL},
 };
 
diff --git a/Objects/dictobject.c b/Objects/dictobject.c
index 09db93b2d31820..1ae4be4b234ac9 100644
--- a/Objects/dictobject.c
+++ b/Objects/dictobject.c
@@ -2398,8 +2398,8 @@ PyDict_GetItem(PyObject *op, PyObject *key)
             "PyDict_GetItemRef() or PyDict_GetItemWithError()");
 }
 
-static void
-dict_unhashable_type(PyObject *op, PyObject *key)
+void
+_Py_dict_unhashable_type(PyObject *op, PyObject *key)
 {
     PyObject *exc = PyErr_GetRaisedException();
     assert(exc != NULL);
@@ -2428,7 +2428,7 @@ _PyDict_LookupIndexAndValue(PyDictObject *mp, PyObject *key, PyObject **value)
 
     Py_hash_t hash = _PyObject_HashFast(key);
     if (hash == -1) {
-        dict_unhashable_type((PyObject*)mp, key);
+        _Py_dict_unhashable_type((PyObject*)mp, key);
         return -1;
     }
 
@@ -2532,7 +2532,7 @@ PyDict_GetItemRef(PyObject *op, PyObject *key, PyObject **result)
 
     Py_hash_t hash = _PyObject_HashFast(key);
     if (hash == -1) {
-        dict_unhashable_type(op, key);
+        _Py_dict_unhashable_type(op, key);
         *result = NULL;
         return -1;
     }
@@ -2548,7 +2548,7 @@ _PyDict_GetItemRef_Unicode_LockHeld(PyDictObject *op, PyObject *key, PyObject **
 
     Py_hash_t hash = _PyObject_HashFast(key);
     if (hash == -1) {
-        dict_unhashable_type((PyObject*)op, key);
+        _Py_dict_unhashable_type((PyObject*)op, key);
         *result = NULL;
         return -1;
     }
@@ -2586,7 +2586,7 @@ PyDict_GetItemWithError(PyObject *op, PyObject *key)
     }
     hash = _PyObject_HashFast(key);
     if (hash == -1) {
-        dict_unhashable_type(op, key);
+        _Py_dict_unhashable_type(op, key);
         return NULL;
     }
 
@@ -2746,7 +2746,7 @@ setitem_take2_lock_held(PyDictObject *mp, PyObject *key, PyObject *value)
 {
     Py_hash_t hash = _PyObject_HashFast(key);
     if (hash == -1) {
-        dict_unhashable_type((PyObject*)mp, key);
+        _Py_dict_unhashable_type((PyObject*)mp, key);
         Py_DECREF(key);
         Py_DECREF(value);
         return -1;
@@ -2924,7 +2924,7 @@ PyDict_DelItem(PyObject *op, PyObject *key)
     assert(key);
     Py_hash_t hash = _PyObject_HashFast(key);
     if (hash == -1) {
-        dict_unhashable_type(op, key);
+        _Py_dict_unhashable_type(op, key);
         return -1;
     }
 
@@ -3266,7 +3266,7 @@ pop_lock_held(PyObject *op, PyObject *key, PyObject **result)
 
     Py_hash_t hash = _PyObject_HashFast(key);
     if (hash == -1) {
-        dict_unhashable_type(op, key);
+        _Py_dict_unhashable_type(op, key);
         if (result) {
             *result = NULL;
         }
@@ -3679,7 +3679,7 @@ dict_subscript(PyObject *self, PyObject *key)
 
     hash = _PyObject_HashFast(key);
     if (hash == -1) {
-        dict_unhashable_type(self, key);
+        _Py_dict_unhashable_type(self, key);
         return NULL;
     }
     ix = _Py_dict_lookup_threadsafe(mp, key, hash, &value);
@@ -4650,7 +4650,7 @@ dict_get_impl(PyDictObject *self, PyObject *key, PyObject *default_value)
 
     hash = _PyObject_HashFast(key);
     if (hash == -1) {
-        dict_unhashable_type((PyObject*)self, key);
+        _Py_dict_unhashable_type((PyObject*)self, key);
         return NULL;
     }
     ix = _Py_dict_lookup_threadsafe(self, key, hash, &val);
@@ -4687,7 +4687,7 @@ dict_setdefault_ref_lock_held(PyObject *d, PyObject *key, PyObject *default_valu
 
     hash = _PyObject_HashFast(key);
     if (hash == -1) {
-        dict_unhashable_type(d, key);
+        _Py_dict_unhashable_type(d, key);
         if (result) {
             *result = NULL;
         }
@@ -5128,7 +5128,7 @@ dict_contains(PyObject *op, PyObject *key)
 {
     Py_hash_t hash = _PyObject_HashFast(key);
     if (hash == -1) {
-        dict_unhashable_type(op, key);
+        _Py_dict_unhashable_type(op, key);
         return -1;
     }
 
@@ -7234,7 +7234,7 @@ _PyDict_SetItem_LockHeld(PyDictObject *dict, PyObject *name, PyObject *value)
     if (value == NULL) {
         Py_hash_t hash = _PyObject_HashFast(name);
         if (hash == -1) {
-            dict_unhashable_type((PyObject*)dict, name);
+            _Py_dict_unhashable_type((PyObject*)dict, name);
             return -1;
         }
         return _PyDict_DelItem_KnownHash_LockHeld((PyObject *)dict, name, hash);
diff --git a/Python/critical_section.c b/Python/critical_section.c
index 98e23eda7cdd77..859e3537ed3319 100644
--- a/Python/critical_section.c
+++ b/Python/critical_section.c
@@ -201,3 +201,24 @@ PyCriticalSection2_End(PyCriticalSection2 *c)
     _PyCriticalSection2_End(_PyThreadState_GET(), c);
 #endif
 }
+
+int
+_PyCriticalSection_WarnIfNotHeld(PyObject *op, const char *message)
+{
+#ifdef Py_GIL_DISABLED
+    PyMutex *mutex = &_PyObject_CAST(op)->ob_mutex;
+    PyThreadState *tstate = _PyThreadState_GET();
+    uintptr_t prev = tstate->critical_section;
+    if (prev & _Py_CRITICAL_SECTION_TWO_MUTEXES) {
+        PyCriticalSection2 *cs = (PyCriticalSection2 *)(prev & ~_Py_CRITICAL_SECTION_MASK);
+        if (cs == NULL || (cs->_cs_base._cs_mutex != mutex && cs->_cs_mutex2 != mutex))
+            return PyErr_WarnEx(NULL, message, 2);
+    }
+    else {
+        PyCriticalSection *cs = (PyCriticalSection *)(prev & ~_Py_CRITICAL_SECTION_MASK);
+        if (cs == NULL || cs->_cs_mutex != mutex)
+            return PyErr_WarnEx(NULL, message, 2);
+    }
+#endif
+    return 0;
+}