diff --git a/common/src/bytes.rs b/common/src/bytes.rs
deleted file mode 100644
index 2ed17ad953..0000000000
--- a/common/src/bytes.rs
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,72 +0,0 @@
-use crate::escape::Quote;
-use crate::str::ReprOverflowError;
-
-pub fn repr(b: &[u8]) -> Result<String, ReprOverflowError> {
-    repr_with(b, &[], "", Quote::Single)
-}
-
-pub fn repr_with_quote(b: &[u8], quote: Quote) -> Result<String, ReprOverflowError> {
-    repr_with(b, &[], "", quote)
-}
-
-pub fn repr_with(
-    b: &[u8],
-    prefixes: &[&str],
-    suffix: &str,
-    quote: Quote,
-) -> Result<String, ReprOverflowError> {
-    use std::fmt::Write;
-
-    let mut out_len = 0usize;
-    let mut squote = 0;
-    let mut dquote = 0;
-
-    for &ch in b {
-        let incr = match ch {
-            b'\'' => {
-                squote += 1;
-                1
-            }
-            b'"' => {
-                dquote += 1;
-                1
-            }
-            b'\\' | b'\t' | b'\r' | b'\n' => 2,
-            0x20..=0x7e => 1,
-            _ => 4, // \xHH
-        };
-        out_len = out_len.checked_add(incr).ok_or(ReprOverflowError)?;
-    }
-
-    let (quote, num_escaped_quotes) = crate::escape::choose_quote(squote, dquote, quote);
-    // we'll be adding backslashes in front of the existing inner quotes
-    out_len += num_escaped_quotes;
-
-    // 3 is for b prefix + outer quotes
-    out_len += 3 + prefixes.iter().map(|s| s.len()).sum::<usize>() + suffix.len();
-
-    let mut res = String::with_capacity(out_len);
-    res.extend(prefixes.iter().copied());
-    res.push('b');
-    res.push(quote.to_char());
-    for &ch in b {
-        match ch {
-            b'\t' => res.push_str("\\t"),
-            b'\n' => res.push_str("\\n"),
-            b'\r' => res.push_str("\\r"),
-            // printable ascii range
-            0x20..=0x7e => {
-                let ch = ch as char;
-                if ch == quote.to_char() || ch == '\\' {
-                    res.push('\\');
-                }
-                res.push(ch);
-            }
-            _ => write!(res, "\\x{ch:02x}").unwrap(),
-        }
-    }
-    res.push(quote.to_char());
-    res.push_str(suffix);
-
-    Ok(res)
-}
diff --git a/common/src/escape.rs b/common/src/escape.rs
index d4c288d101..de7a51433e 100644
--- a/common/src/escape.rs
+++ b/common/src/escape.rs
@@ -36,29 +36,12 @@ pub struct EscapeLayout {
 }
 
 pub trait Escape {
-    type Source: ?Sized;
-
     fn source_len(&self) -> usize;
     fn layout(&self) -> &EscapeLayout;
     fn changed(&self) -> bool {
         self.layout().len != Some(self.source_len())
     }
 
-    fn output_layout_with_checker(
-        source: &Self::Source,
-        preferred_quote: Quote,
-        reserved_len: usize,
-        length_add: impl Fn(usize, usize) -> Option<usize>,
-    ) -> EscapeLayout;
-    // fn output_layout(source: &Self::Source, preferred_quote: Quote) -> EscapeLayout {
-    //     Self::output_layout_with_checker(source, preferred_quote, 2, |a, b| a.checked_add(b))
-    // }
-    fn output_layout(source: &Self::Source, preferred_quote: Quote) -> EscapeLayout {
-        Self::output_layout_with_checker(source, preferred_quote, 2, |a, b| {
-            Some((a as isize).checked_add(b as isize)? as usize)
-        })
-    }
-
     fn write_source(&self, formatter: &mut impl std::fmt::Write) -> std::fmt::Result;
     fn write_body_slow(&self, formatter: &mut impl std::fmt::Write) -> std::fmt::Result;
     fn write_body(&self, formatter: &mut impl std::fmt::Write) -> std::fmt::Result {
@@ -68,18 +51,6 @@ pub trait Escape {
             self.write_source(formatter)
         }
     }
-    fn write_quoted(&self, formatter: &mut impl std::fmt::Write) -> std::fmt::Result {
-        let quote = self.layout().quote.to_char();
-        formatter.write_char(quote)?;
-        self.write_body(formatter)?;
-        formatter.write_char(quote)
-    }
-    fn to_quoted_string(&self) -> Option<String> {
-        let len = self.layout().len?.checked_add(2)?;
-        let mut s = String::with_capacity(len);
-        self.write_quoted(&mut s).unwrap();
-        Some(s)
-    }
 }
 
 /// Returns the outer quotes to use and the number of quotes that need to be
@@ -114,23 +85,90 @@ impl<'a> UnicodeEscape<'a> {
         Self { source, layout }
     }
     pub fn new_repr(source: &'a str) -> Self {
-        let layout = Self::output_layout(source, Quote::Single);
+        let layout = Self::repr_layout(source, Quote::Single);
         Self { source, layout }
     }
-    pub fn repr<'r>(&'a self) -> UnicodeRepr<'r, 'a> {
-        UnicodeRepr(self)
+
+    pub fn str_repr<'r>(&'a self) -> StrRepr<'r, 'a> {
+        StrRepr(self)
     }
 }
 
-pub struct UnicodeRepr<'r, 'a>(&'r UnicodeEscape<'a>);
+pub struct StrRepr<'r, 'a>(&'r UnicodeEscape<'a>);
 
-impl std::fmt::Display for UnicodeRepr<'_, '_> {
+impl StrRepr<'_, '_> {
+    pub fn write(&self, formatter: &mut impl std::fmt::Write) -> std::fmt::Result {
+        let quote = self.0.layout().quote.to_char();
+        formatter.write_char(quote)?;
+        self.0.write_body(formatter)?;
+        formatter.write_char(quote)
+    }
+
+    pub fn to_string(&self) -> Option<String> {
+        let mut s = String::with_capacity(self.0.layout().len?);
+        self.write(&mut s).unwrap();
+        Some(s)
+    }
+}
+
+impl std::fmt::Display for StrRepr<'_, '_> {
     fn fmt(&self, formatter: &mut std::fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> std::fmt::Result {
-        self.0.write_quoted(formatter)
+        self.write(formatter)
     }
 }
 
 impl UnicodeEscape<'_> {
+    const REPR_RESERVED_LEN: usize = 2; // for quotes
+
+    pub fn repr_layout(source: &str, preferred_quote: Quote) -> EscapeLayout {
+        Self::output_layout_with_checker(source, preferred_quote, |a, b| {
+            Some((a as isize).checked_add(b as isize)? as usize)
+        })
+    }
+
+    fn output_layout_with_checker(
+        source: &str,
+        preferred_quote: Quote,
+        length_add: impl Fn(usize, usize) -> Option<usize>,
+    ) -> EscapeLayout {
+        let mut out_len = Self::REPR_RESERVED_LEN;
+        let mut single_count = 0;
+        let mut double_count = 0;
+
+        for ch in source.chars() {
+            let incr = match ch {
+                '\'' => {
+                    single_count += 1;
+                    1
+                }
+                '"' => {
+                    double_count += 1;
+                    1
+                }
+                c => Self::escaped_char_len(c),
+            };
+            let Some(new_len) = length_add(out_len, incr) else {
+                #[cold]
+                fn stop(single_count: usize, double_count: usize, preferred_quote: Quote) -> EscapeLayout {
+                    EscapeLayout { quote: choose_quote(single_count, double_count, preferred_quote).0, len: None }
+                }
+                return stop(single_count, double_count, preferred_quote);
+            };
+            out_len = new_len;
+        }
+
+        let (quote, num_escaped_quotes) = choose_quote(single_count, double_count, preferred_quote);
+        // we'll be adding backslashes in front of the existing inner quotes
+        let Some(out_len) = length_add(out_len, num_escaped_quotes) else {
+            return EscapeLayout { quote, len: None };
+        };
+
+        EscapeLayout {
+            quote,
+            len: Some(out_len - Self::REPR_RESERVED_LEN),
+        }
+    }
+
     fn escaped_char_len(ch: char) -> usize {
         match ch {
             '\\' | '\t' | '\r' | '\n' => 2,
@@ -182,8 +220,6 @@ impl UnicodeEscape<'_> {
 }
 
 impl<'a> Escape for UnicodeEscape<'a> {
-    type Source = str;
-
     fn source_len(&self) -> usize {
         self.source.len()
     }
@@ -192,50 +228,6 @@ impl<'a> Escape for UnicodeEscape<'a> {
         &self.layout
     }
 
-    fn output_layout_with_checker(
-        source: &str,
-        preferred_quote: Quote,
-        reserved_len: usize,
-        length_add: impl Fn(usize, usize) -> Option<usize>,
-    ) -> EscapeLayout {
-        let mut out_len = reserved_len;
-        let mut single_count = 0;
-        let mut double_count = 0;
-
-        for ch in source.chars() {
-            let incr = match ch {
-                '\'' => {
-                    single_count += 1;
-                    1
-                }
-                '"' => {
-                    double_count += 1;
-                    1
-                }
-                c => Self::escaped_char_len(c),
-            };
-            let Some(new_len) = length_add(out_len, incr) else {
-                #[cold]
-                fn stop(single_count: usize, double_count: usize, preferred_quote: Quote) -> EscapeLayout {
-                    EscapeLayout { quote: choose_quote(single_count, double_count, preferred_quote).0, len: None }
-                }
-                return stop(single_count, double_count, preferred_quote);
-            };
-            out_len = new_len;
-        }
-
-        let (quote, num_escaped_quotes) = choose_quote(single_count, double_count, preferred_quote);
-        // we'll be adding backslashes in front of the existing inner quotes
-        let Some(out_len) = length_add(out_len, num_escaped_quotes) else {
-            return EscapeLayout { quote, len: None };
-        };
-
-        EscapeLayout {
-            quote,
-            len: Some(out_len - reserved_len),
-        }
-    }
-
     fn write_source(&self, formatter: &mut impl std::fmt::Write) -> std::fmt::Result {
         formatter.write_str(self.source)
     }
@@ -266,3 +258,157 @@ mod unicode_escapse_tests {
         assert!(test("hello\n"));
     }
 }
+
+pub struct AsciiEscape<'a> {
+    source: &'a [u8],
+    layout: EscapeLayout,
+}
+
+impl<'a> AsciiEscape<'a> {
+    pub fn new(source: &'a [u8], layout: EscapeLayout) -> Self {
+        Self { source, layout }
+    }
+    pub fn with_forced_quote(source: &'a [u8], quote: Quote) -> Self {
+        let layout = EscapeLayout { quote, len: None };
+        Self { source, layout }
+    }
+    pub fn new_repr(source: &'a [u8]) -> Self {
+        let layout = Self::repr_layout(source, Quote::Single);
+        Self { source, layout }
+    }
+
+    pub fn bytes_repr<'r>(&'a self) -> BytesRepr<'r, 'a> {
+        BytesRepr(self)
+    }
+}
+
+impl AsciiEscape<'_> {
+    pub fn repr_layout(source: &[u8], preferred_quote: Quote) -> EscapeLayout {
+        Self::output_layout_with_checker(source, preferred_quote, 3, |a, b| {
+            Some((a as isize).checked_add(b as isize)? as usize)
+        })
+    }
+
+    pub fn named_repr_layout(source: &[u8], name: &str) -> EscapeLayout {
+        Self::output_layout_with_checker(source, Quote::Single, name.len() + 2 + 3, |a, b| {
+            Some((a as isize).checked_add(b as isize)? as usize)
+        })
+    }
+
+    fn output_layout_with_checker(
+        source: &[u8],
+        preferred_quote: Quote,
+        reserved_len: usize,
+        length_add: impl Fn(usize, usize) -> Option<usize>,
+    ) -> EscapeLayout {
+        let mut out_len = reserved_len;
+        let mut single_count = 0;
+        let mut double_count = 0;
+
+        for ch in source.iter() {
+            let incr = match ch {
+                b'\'' => {
+                    single_count += 1;
+                    1
+                }
+                b'"' => {
+                    double_count += 1;
+                    1
+                }
+                c => Self::escaped_char_len(*c),
+            };
+            let Some(new_len) = length_add(out_len, incr) else {
+                #[cold]
+                fn stop(single_count: usize, double_count: usize, preferred_quote: Quote) -> EscapeLayout {
+                    EscapeLayout { quote: choose_quote(single_count, double_count, preferred_quote).0, len: None }
+                }
+                return stop(single_count, double_count, preferred_quote);
+            };
+            out_len = new_len;
+        }
+
+        let (quote, num_escaped_quotes) = choose_quote(single_count, double_count, preferred_quote);
+        // we'll be adding backslashes in front of the existing inner quotes
+        let Some(out_len) = length_add(out_len, num_escaped_quotes) else {
+            return EscapeLayout { quote, len: None };
+        };
+
+        EscapeLayout {
+            quote,
+            len: Some(out_len - reserved_len),
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn escaped_char_len(ch: u8) -> usize {
+        match ch {
+            b'\\' | b'\t' | b'\r' | b'\n' => 2,
+            0x20..=0x7e => 1,
+            _ => 4, // \xHH
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn write_char(ch: u8, quote: Quote, formatter: &mut impl std::fmt::Write) -> std::fmt::Result {
+        match ch {
+            b'\t' => formatter.write_str("\\t"),
+            b'\n' => formatter.write_str("\\n"),
+            b'\r' => formatter.write_str("\\r"),
+            0x20..=0x7e => {
+                // printable ascii range
+                if ch == quote.to_byte() || ch == b'\\' {
+                    formatter.write_char('\\')?;
+                }
+                formatter.write_char(ch as char)
+            }
+            ch => write!(formatter, "\\x{ch:02x}"),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl<'a> Escape for AsciiEscape<'a> {
+    fn source_len(&self) -> usize {
+        self.source.len()
+    }
+
+    fn layout(&self) -> &EscapeLayout {
+        &self.layout
+    }
+
+    fn write_source(&self, formatter: &mut impl std::fmt::Write) -> std::fmt::Result {
+        formatter.write_str(unsafe {
+            // SAFETY: this function must be called only when source is printable ascii characters
+            std::str::from_utf8_unchecked(self.source)
+        })
+    }
+
+    #[cold]
+    fn write_body_slow(&self, formatter: &mut impl std::fmt::Write) -> std::fmt::Result {
+        for ch in self.source.iter() {
+            Self::write_char(*ch, self.layout().quote, formatter)?;
+        }
+        Ok(())
+    }
+}
+
+pub struct BytesRepr<'r, 'a>(&'r AsciiEscape<'a>);
+
+impl BytesRepr<'_, '_> {
+    pub fn write(&self, formatter: &mut impl std::fmt::Write) -> std::fmt::Result {
+        let quote = self.0.layout().quote.to_char();
+        formatter.write_char('b')?;
+        formatter.write_char(quote)?;
+        self.0.write_body(formatter)?;
+        formatter.write_char(quote)
+    }
+
+    pub fn to_string(&self) -> Option<String> {
+        let mut s = String::with_capacity(self.0.layout().len?);
+        self.write(&mut s).unwrap();
+        Some(s)
+    }
+}
+
+impl std::fmt::Display for BytesRepr<'_, '_> {
+    fn fmt(&self, formatter: &mut std::fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> std::fmt::Result {
+        self.write(formatter)
+    }
+}
diff --git a/common/src/lib.rs b/common/src/lib.rs
index 9dc3612667..ae6e55a793 100644
--- a/common/src/lib.rs
+++ b/common/src/lib.rs
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ pub use macros::*;
 pub mod atomic;
 pub mod borrow;
 pub mod boxvec;
-pub mod bytes;
 pub mod cformat;
 pub mod char;
 pub mod cmp;
diff --git a/common/src/str.rs b/common/src/str.rs
index b9a4fae9c4..3c01b755bf 100644
--- a/common/src/str.rs
+++ b/common/src/str.rs
@@ -3,10 +3,7 @@ use crate::{
     hash::PyHash,
 };
 use ascii::AsciiString;
-use std::{
-    fmt,
-    ops::{Bound, RangeBounds},
-};
+use std::ops::{Bound, RangeBounds};
 
 #[cfg(not(target_arch = "wasm32"))]
 #[allow(non_camel_case_types)]
@@ -341,15 +338,6 @@ macro_rules! ascii {
     }};
 }
 
-#[derive(Debug, Copy, Clone)]
-#[non_exhaustive]
-pub struct ReprOverflowError;
-impl fmt::Display for ReprOverflowError {
-    fn fmt(&self, f: &mut fmt::Formatter) -> fmt::Result {
-        f.write_str("string is too long to generate repr")
-    }
-}
-
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests {
     use super::*;
diff --git a/compiler/ast/src/constant.rs b/compiler/ast/src/constant.rs
index 7b40fb1f39..d81d7fbede 100644
--- a/compiler/ast/src/constant.rs
+++ b/compiler/ast/src/constant.rs
@@ -41,12 +41,13 @@ impl std::fmt::Display for Constant {
         match self {
             Constant::None => f.pad("None"),
             Constant::Bool(b) => f.pad(if *b { "True" } else { "False" }),
-            Constant::Str(s) => {
-                use rustpython_common::escape::Escape;
-                rustpython_common::escape::UnicodeEscape::new_repr(s.as_str()).write_quoted(f)
-            }
+            Constant::Str(s) => rustpython_common::escape::UnicodeEscape::new_repr(s.as_str())
+                .str_repr()
+                .write(f),
             Constant::Bytes(b) => {
-                f.pad(&rustpython_common::bytes::repr(b).map_err(|_err| std::fmt::Error)?)
+                let escape = rustpython_common::escape::AsciiEscape::new_repr(b);
+                let repr = escape.bytes_repr().to_string().unwrap();
+                f.pad(&repr)
             }
             Constant::Int(i) => i.fmt(f),
             Constant::Tuple(tup) => {
diff --git a/compiler/ast/src/unparse.rs b/compiler/ast/src/unparse.rs
index 1af7bf2e98..e7e1bced18 100644
--- a/compiler/ast/src/unparse.rs
+++ b/compiler/ast/src/unparse.rs
@@ -509,10 +509,11 @@ impl<'a> Unparser<'a> {
         if is_spec {
             self.unparse_fstring_body(values, is_spec)
         } else {
-            use rustpython_common::escape::Escape;
             self.p("f")?;
             let body = to_string_fmt(|f| Unparser::new(f).unparse_fstring_body(values, is_spec));
-            rustpython_common::escape::UnicodeEscape::new_repr(&body).write_quoted(&mut self.f)
+            rustpython_common::escape::UnicodeEscape::new_repr(&body)
+                .str_repr()
+                .write(&mut self.f)
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/stdlib/src/array.rs b/stdlib/src/array.rs
index e94a37eb45..2ea4c2d5a2 100644
--- a/stdlib/src/array.rs
+++ b/stdlib/src/array.rs
@@ -1294,7 +1294,7 @@ mod array {
                 }
                 let to_unicode = zelf.tounicode(vm)?;
                 let escape = crate::common::escape::UnicodeEscape::new_repr(&to_unicode);
-                return Ok(format!("{}('u', {})", class_name, escape.repr(),));
+                return Ok(format!("{}('u', {})", class_name, escape.str_repr()));
             }
             zelf.read().repr(&class_name, vm)
         }
diff --git a/vm/src/builtins/bytearray.rs b/vm/src/builtins/bytearray.rs
index 87757fae36..0f792c24e2 100644
--- a/vm/src/builtins/bytearray.rs
+++ b/vm/src/builtins/bytearray.rs
@@ -871,7 +871,7 @@ impl Representable for PyByteArray {
     fn repr_str(zelf: &Py<Self>, vm: &VirtualMachine) -> PyResult<String> {
         let class = zelf.class();
         let class_name = class.name();
-        zelf.inner().repr(Some(&class_name), vm)
+        zelf.inner().repr_with_name(&class_name, vm)
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/vm/src/builtins/bytes.rs b/vm/src/builtins/bytes.rs
index 18ea0d01ca..4e40301e23 100644
--- a/vm/src/builtins/bytes.rs
+++ b/vm/src/builtins/bytes.rs
@@ -672,7 +672,7 @@ impl Iterable for PyBytes {
 impl Representable for PyBytes {
     #[inline]
     fn repr_str(zelf: &Py<Self>, vm: &VirtualMachine) -> PyResult<String> {
-        zelf.inner.repr(None, vm)
+        zelf.inner.repr_bytes(vm)
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/vm/src/builtins/str.rs b/vm/src/builtins/str.rs
index 16458f1af7..a1f7e99f17 100644
--- a/vm/src/builtins/str.rs
+++ b/vm/src/builtins/str.rs
@@ -500,10 +500,11 @@ impl PyStr {
 
     #[inline]
     pub(crate) fn repr(&self, vm: &VirtualMachine) -> PyResult<String> {
-        use rustpython_common::escape::{Escape, UnicodeEscape};
+        use rustpython_common::escape::UnicodeEscape;
         let escape = UnicodeEscape::new_repr(self.as_str());
         escape
-            .to_quoted_string()
+            .str_repr()
+            .to_string()
             .ok_or_else(|| vm.new_overflow_error("string is too long to generate repr".to_owned()))
     }
 
diff --git a/vm/src/bytesinner.rs b/vm/src/bytesinner.rs
index 425863307f..2e0bf1ae2e 100644
--- a/vm/src/bytesinner.rs
+++ b/vm/src/bytesinner.rs
@@ -1,10 +1,12 @@
 use crate::{
     anystr::{self, AnyStr, AnyStrContainer, AnyStrWrapper},
     builtins::{
-        pystr, PyByteArray, PyBytes, PyBytesRef, PyInt, PyIntRef, PyStr, PyStrRef, PyTypeRef,
+        pystr, PyBaseExceptionRef, PyByteArray, PyBytes, PyBytesRef, PyInt, PyIntRef, PyStr,
+        PyStrRef, PyTypeRef,
     },
     byte::bytes_from_object,
     cformat::cformat_bytes,
+    common::{escape::Escape, hash},
     function::{ArgIterable, Either, OptionalArg, OptionalOption, PyComparisonValue},
     identifier,
     protocol::PyBuffer,
@@ -16,7 +18,6 @@ use bstr::ByteSlice;
 use itertools::Itertools;
 use num_bigint::BigInt;
 use num_traits::ToPrimitive;
-use rustpython_common::hash;
 
 #[derive(Debug, Default, Clone)]
 pub struct PyBytesInner {
@@ -246,18 +247,36 @@ impl PyBytesInner {
         &self.elements
     }
 
-    pub fn repr(&self, class_name: Option<&str>, vm: &VirtualMachine) -> PyResult<String> {
-        let repr = if let Some(class_name) = class_name {
-            rustpython_common::bytes::repr_with(
-                &self.elements,
-                &[class_name, "("],
-                ")",
-                rustpython_common::escape::Quote::Single,
-            )
-        } else {
-            rustpython_common::bytes::repr(&self.elements)
-        };
-        repr.map_err(|_| vm.new_overflow_error("bytes object is too large to make repr".to_owned()))
+    fn new_repr_overflow_error(vm: &VirtualMachine) -> PyBaseExceptionRef {
+        vm.new_overflow_error("bytes object is too large to make repr".to_owned())
+    }
+
+    pub fn repr_with_name(&self, class_name: &str, vm: &VirtualMachine) -> PyResult<String> {
+        let escape = rustpython_common::escape::AsciiEscape::new_repr(&self.elements);
+        let len = escape
+            .layout()
+            .len
+            .and_then(|len| (len as isize).checked_add(2 + class_name.len() as isize))
+            .ok_or_else(|| Self::new_repr_overflow_error(vm))? as usize;
+        let mut buf = String::with_capacity(len);
+        buf.push_str(class_name);
+        buf.push('(');
+        escape.bytes_repr().write(&mut buf).unwrap();
+        buf.push(')');
+        debug_assert_eq!(buf.len(), len);
+        Ok(buf)
+    }
+
+    pub fn repr_bytes(&self, vm: &VirtualMachine) -> PyResult<String> {
+        let escape = rustpython_common::escape::AsciiEscape::new_repr(&self.elements);
+        let len = escape
+            .layout()
+            .len
+            .ok_or_else(|| Self::new_repr_overflow_error(vm))?;
+        let mut buf = String::with_capacity(len);
+        escape.bytes_repr().write(&mut buf).unwrap();
+        debug_assert_eq!(buf.len(), len);
+        Ok(buf)
     }
 
     #[inline]