diff --git a/Lib/test/test_capi/test_opt.py b/Lib/test/test_capi/test_opt.py
index 36efab51878141..3732482ea1d9e1 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_capi/test_opt.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_capi/test_opt.py
@@ -1812,6 +1812,20 @@ def testfunc(n):
         # __init__ resolution allows promotion of range to constant
         self.assertNotIn("_LOAD_GLOBAL_BUILTINS", uops)
 
+    # See https://github.com/python/cpython/issues/158072
+    def test_init_with_default_argument(self):
+        script_helper.assert_python_ok("-c", textwrap.dedent(f"""\
+            sentinel = object()
+
+            class WithDefault:
+                def __init__(self, value=sentinel):
+                    if value is not sentinel:
+                        pass
+
+            for _ in range({TIER2_THRESHOLD * 3}):
+                WithDefault()
+            """), PYTHON_JIT="1")
+
     def test_init_guards_removed(self):
         class MyPoint:
             def __init__(self, x, y):
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Core_and_Builtins/2026-09-24-18-44-40.gh-issue-158072.mHveWw.rst b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Core_and_Builtins/2026-09-24-18-44-40.gh-issue-158072.mHveWw.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..faff8fff4aec5c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Core_and_Builtins/2026-09-24-18-44-40.gh-issue-158072.mHveWw.rst
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Fix a JIT crash when a class is instantiated with their default arguments
diff --git a/Python/optimizer_symbols.c b/Python/optimizer_symbols.c
index 79f81482d247e3..90a9d4332c5a35 100644
--- a/Python/optimizer_symbols.c
+++ b/Python/optimizer_symbols.c
@@ -1392,13 +1392,22 @@ _Py_uop_frame_new(
         frame->locals[i] = PyJitRef_RemoveUnique(args[i]);
     }
 
-    // If the args are known, then it's safe to just initialize
-    // every other non-set local to null symbol.
-    bool default_null = args != NULL;
+    // When args is available, missing parameters get defaults or *args/**kwargs.
+    // Other locals start as NULL. When args is NULL, treat all locals as unknown.
+    int parameter_count = co->co_argcount + co->co_kwonlyargcount;
+    parameter_count += (co->co_flags & CO_VARARGS) != 0;
+    parameter_count += (co->co_flags & CO_VARKEYWORDS) != 0;
 
     for (int i = arg_len; i < co->co_nlocalsplus; i++) {
-        JitOptRef local = default_null ? _Py_uop_sym_new_null(ctx) : _Py_uop_sym_new_unknown(ctx);
-        frame->locals[i] = local;
+        if (args == NULL) {
+            frame->locals[i] = _Py_uop_sym_new_unknown(ctx);
+        }
+        else if (i < parameter_count) {
+            frame->locals[i] = _Py_uop_sym_new_not_null(ctx);
+        }
+        else {
+            frame->locals[i] = _Py_uop_sym_new_null(ctx);
+        }
     }
 
     frame->callable = _Py_uop_sym_new_not_null(ctx);