diff --git a/gdb/python/py-arch.c b/gdb/python/py-arch.c
index ac519331f18..b7d861d27ad 100644
--- a/gdb/python/py-arch.c
+++ b/gdb/python/py-arch.c
@@ -326,7 +326,7 @@ archpy_repr (PyObject *self)
 {
   const auto gdbarch = arch_object_to_gdbarch (self);
   if (gdbarch == nullptr)
-    return PyUnicode_FromFormat ("<%s (invalid)>", Py_TYPE (self)->tp_name);
+    return gdb_py_invalid_object_repr (self);
 
   auto arch_info = gdbarch_bfd_arch_info (gdbarch);
   return PyUnicode_FromFormat ("<%s arch_name=%s printable_name=%s>",
diff --git a/gdb/python/py-block.c b/gdb/python/py-block.c
index dd6d6d278a0..34be4664144 100644
--- a/gdb/python/py-block.c
+++ b/gdb/python/py-block.c
@@ -425,7 +425,7 @@ blpy_repr (PyObject *self)
 {
   const auto block = block_object_to_block (self);
   if (block == nullptr)
-    return PyUnicode_FromFormat ("<%s (invalid)>", Py_TYPE (self)->tp_name);
+    return gdb_py_invalid_object_repr (self);
 
   const auto name = block->function () ?
     block->function ()->print_name () : "<anonymous>";
diff --git a/gdb/python/py-breakpoint.c b/gdb/python/py-breakpoint.c
index 5155d41e675..9b5e023cb09 100644
--- a/gdb/python/py-breakpoint.c
+++ b/gdb/python/py-breakpoint.c
@@ -1750,8 +1750,8 @@ bplocpy_repr (PyObject *py_self)
 {
   const auto self = (gdbpy_breakpoint_location_object *) py_self;
   if (self->owner == nullptr || self->owner->bp == nullptr
-    || self->owner->bp != self->bp_loc->owner)
-    return PyUnicode_FromFormat ("<%s (invalid)>", Py_TYPE (self)->tp_name);
+      || self->owner->bp != self->bp_loc->owner)
+    return gdb_py_invalid_object_repr (py_self);
 
   const auto enabled = self->bp_loc->enabled ? "enabled" : "disabled";
 
diff --git a/gdb/python/py-connection.c b/gdb/python/py-connection.c
index 3df12b435bb..d288a74cb2b 100644
--- a/gdb/python/py-connection.c
+++ b/gdb/python/py-connection.c
@@ -204,7 +204,7 @@ connpy_repr (PyObject *obj)
   process_stratum_target *target = self->target;
 
   if (target == nullptr)
-    return PyUnicode_FromFormat ("<%s (invalid)>", Py_TYPE (obj)->tp_name);
+    return gdb_py_invalid_object_repr (obj);
 
   return PyUnicode_FromFormat ("<%s num=%d, what=\"%s\">",
 			       Py_TYPE (obj)->tp_name,
diff --git a/gdb/python/py-inferior.c b/gdb/python/py-inferior.c
index ed153d668ac..929d8bd17b5 100644
--- a/gdb/python/py-inferior.c
+++ b/gdb/python/py-inferior.c
@@ -800,7 +800,7 @@ infpy_repr (PyObject *obj)
   inferior *inf = self->inferior;
 
   if (inf == nullptr)
-    return PyUnicode_FromString ("<gdb.Inferior (invalid)>");
+    return gdb_py_invalid_object_repr (obj);
 
   return PyUnicode_FromFormat ("<gdb.Inferior num=%d, pid=%d>",
 			       inf->num, inf->pid);
diff --git a/gdb/python/py-objfile.c b/gdb/python/py-objfile.c
index bb5d0d92aba..4f5e5cda5e6 100644
--- a/gdb/python/py-objfile.c
+++ b/gdb/python/py-objfile.c
@@ -537,7 +537,7 @@ objfpy_repr (PyObject *self_)
   objfile *obj = self->objfile;
 
   if (obj == nullptr)
-    return PyUnicode_FromString ("<gdb.Objfile (invalid)>");
+    return gdb_py_invalid_object_repr (self_);
 
   return PyUnicode_FromFormat ("<gdb.Objfile filename=%s>",
 			       objfile_name (obj));
diff --git a/gdb/python/py-symbol.c b/gdb/python/py-symbol.c
index 99724cfc95b..014442bf147 100644
--- a/gdb/python/py-symbol.c
+++ b/gdb/python/py-symbol.c
@@ -385,7 +385,7 @@ sympy_repr (PyObject *self)
 {
   const auto symbol = symbol_object_to_symbol (self);
   if (symbol == nullptr)
-    return PyUnicode_FromFormat ("<%s (invalid)>", Py_TYPE (self)->tp_name);
+    return gdb_py_invalid_object_repr (self);
 
   return PyUnicode_FromFormat ("<%s print_name=%s>", Py_TYPE (self)->tp_name,
 			       symbol->print_name ());
diff --git a/gdb/python/py-type.c b/gdb/python/py-type.c
index bfaa6d24d94..27c7b78096b 100644
--- a/gdb/python/py-type.c
+++ b/gdb/python/py-type.c
@@ -1083,8 +1083,7 @@ typy_repr (PyObject *self)
 {
   const auto type = type_object_to_type (self);
   if (type == nullptr)
-    return PyUnicode_FromFormat ("<%s (invalid)>",
-				 Py_TYPE (self)->tp_name);
+    return gdb_py_invalid_object_repr (self);
 
   const char *code = pyty_codes[type->code ()].name;
   string_file type_name;
diff --git a/gdb/python/py-unwind.c b/gdb/python/py-unwind.c
index f12485c22b7..70c33724cbc 100644
--- a/gdb/python/py-unwind.c
+++ b/gdb/python/py-unwind.c
@@ -425,7 +425,7 @@ pending_framepy_repr (PyObject *self)
   frame_info_ptr frame = pending_frame->frame_info;
 
   if (frame == nullptr)
-    return PyUnicode_FromFormat ("<%s (invalid)>", Py_TYPE (self)->tp_name);
+    return gdb_py_invalid_object_repr (self);
 
   const char *sp_str = nullptr;
   const char *pc_str = nullptr;
diff --git a/gdb/python/py-utils.c b/gdb/python/py-utils.c
index f1ca9ea0a5d..c29291004d2 100644
--- a/gdb/python/py-utils.c
+++ b/gdb/python/py-utils.c
@@ -597,3 +597,11 @@ gdbpy_fix_doc_string_indentation (gdb::unique_xmalloc_ptr<char> doc)
 
   return doc;
 }
+
+/* See python-internal.h.  */
+
+PyObject *
+gdb_py_invalid_object_repr (PyObject *self)
+{
+  return PyUnicode_FromFormat ("<%s (invalid)>", Py_TYPE (self)->tp_name);
+}
diff --git a/gdb/python/python-internal.h b/gdb/python/python-internal.h
index 14e15574685..8ff9af650c2 100644
--- a/gdb/python/python-internal.h
+++ b/gdb/python/python-internal.h
@@ -897,6 +897,15 @@ int gdb_pymodule_addobject (PyObject *module, const char *name,
 			    PyObject *object)
   CPYCHECKER_NEGATIVE_RESULT_SETS_EXCEPTION;
 
+
+/* Return a Python string (str) object that represents SELF.  SELF can be
+   any object type, but should be in an "invalid" state.  What "invalid"
+   means is up to the caller.  The returned string will take the form
+   "<TYPENAME (invalid)>", without the quotes, and with TYPENAME replaced
+   with the type of SELF.  */
+
+PyObject *gdb_py_invalid_object_repr (PyObject *self);
+
 struct varobj_iter;
 struct varobj;
 std::unique_ptr<varobj_iter> py_varobj_get_iterator