diff --git a/examples/usercmodule/cexample/examplemodule.c b/examples/usercmodule/cexample/examplemodule.c
index b2457b28011af..076a412c28cd9 100644
--- a/examples/usercmodule/cexample/examplemodule.c
+++ b/examples/usercmodule/cexample/examplemodule.c
@@ -69,6 +69,88 @@ MP_DEFINE_CONST_OBJ_TYPE(
     locals_dict, &example_Timer_locals_dict
     );
 
+
+// What follows is a *separate* class definition that demonstrates more
+// advanced techniques to implement other Python-like features, such as:
+//
+// - A custom representation for __repr__ and __str__.
+// - Custom attribute handling to create a read/write "property".
+//
+// It re-uses some of the elements of the basic Timer class. This is allowed
+// because they both use example_Timer_obj_t as the instance structure.
+
+// Handles AdvancedTimer.__repr__, AdvancedTimer.__str__.
+STATIC void example_AdvancedTimer_print(const mp_print_t *print, mp_obj_t self_in, mp_print_kind_t kind) {
+
+    // Get the elapsed time. In this case, it's also a demonstration of calling
+    // the equivalent of self.time() in the C API. This is not usually very
+    // efficient, but it can sometimes be useful.
+    mp_uint_t elapsed = mp_obj_get_int(example_Timer_time(self_in));
+
+    // We'll make all representations print at least the class name.
+    mp_printf(print, "%q()", MP_QSTR_AdvancedTimer);
+
+    // Decide what else to print based on print kind.
+    if (kind == PRINT_STR) {
+        // For __str__, let's attempt to make it more readable.
+        mp_printf(print, "  # created %d seconds ago", elapsed / 1000);
+    }
+}
+
+// Handles AdvancedTimer.seconds for reading and writing.
+STATIC void example_AdvancedTimer_attribute_handler(mp_obj_t self_in, qstr attr, mp_obj_t *dest) {
+
+    // In this example, we only want to handle the .seconds attribute in a
+    // special way.
+    if (attr != MP_QSTR_seconds) {
+        // Attribute not found, continue lookup in locals dict. This way,
+        // methods like .time() will be handled normally.
+        dest[1] = MP_OBJ_SENTINEL;
+        return;
+    }
+
+    // Get reference to AdvancedTimer instance.
+    example_Timer_obj_t *self = MP_OBJ_TO_PTR(self_in);
+
+    // Check if this is a read operation.
+    if (dest[0] == MP_OBJ_NULL) {
+        // It's read, so "return" elapsed seconds by storing it in dest[0].
+        mp_uint_t elapsed = mp_hal_ticks_ms() - self->start_time;
+        dest[0] = mp_obj_new_int_from_uint(elapsed / 1000);
+        return;
+    }
+    // Check if this is a delete or store operation.
+    else if (dest[0] == MP_OBJ_SENTINEL) {
+        // It's delete or store. Now check which one.
+        if (dest[1] == MP_OBJ_NULL) {
+            // It's delete. But in this example we don't want to allow it
+            // so we just return.
+            return;
+        } else {
+            // It's write. First, get the value that the user is trying to set.
+            mp_uint_t desired_ms = mp_obj_get_int(dest[1]) * 1000;
+            // Use it to update the start time. This way, the next read will
+            // report the updated time.
+            self->start_time = mp_hal_ticks_ms() - desired_ms;
+
+            // Indicate successful store.
+            dest[0] = MP_OBJ_NULL;
+            return;
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+// This defines the type(AdvancedTimer) object.
+MP_DEFINE_CONST_OBJ_TYPE(
+    example_type_AdvancedTimer,
+    MP_QSTR_AdvancedTimer,
+    MP_TYPE_FLAG_NONE,
+    attr, example_AdvancedTimer_attribute_handler,
+    print, example_AdvancedTimer_print,
+    make_new, example_Timer_make_new,
+    locals_dict, &example_Timer_locals_dict
+    );
+
 // Define all properties of the module.
 // Table entries are key/value pairs of the attribute name (a string)
 // and the MicroPython object reference.
@@ -78,6 +160,7 @@ STATIC const mp_rom_map_elem_t example_module_globals_table[] = {
     { MP_ROM_QSTR(MP_QSTR___name__), MP_ROM_QSTR(MP_QSTR_cexample) },
     { MP_ROM_QSTR(MP_QSTR_add_ints), MP_ROM_PTR(&example_add_ints_obj) },
     { MP_ROM_QSTR(MP_QSTR_Timer),    MP_ROM_PTR(&example_type_Timer) },
+    { MP_ROM_QSTR(MP_QSTR_AdvancedTimer),    MP_ROM_PTR(&example_type_AdvancedTimer) },
 };
 STATIC MP_DEFINE_CONST_DICT(example_module_globals, example_module_globals_table);
 
diff --git a/py/objtype.c b/py/objtype.c
index 909fc833931f6..a202b023bcf03 100644
--- a/py/objtype.c
+++ b/py/objtype.c
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ STATIC int instance_count_native_bases(const mp_obj_type_t *type, const mp_obj_t
     }
 }
 
-// This wrapper function is allows a subclass of a native type to call the
+// This wrapper function allows a subclass of a native type to call the
 // __init__() method (corresponding to type->make_new) of the native type.
 STATIC mp_obj_t native_base_init_wrapper(size_t n_args, const mp_obj_t *args) {
     mp_obj_instance_t *self = MP_OBJ_TO_PTR(args[0]);
@@ -170,6 +170,12 @@ STATIC void mp_obj_class_lookup(struct class_lookup_data *lookup, const mp_obj_t
                     if (obj != NULL && mp_obj_is_native_type(type) && type != &mp_type_object /* object is not a real type */) {
                         // If we're dealing with native base class, then it applies to native sub-object
                         obj_obj = obj->subobj[0];
+                        #if MICROPY_BUILTIN_METHOD_CHECK_SELF_ARG
+                        if (obj_obj == MP_OBJ_FROM_PTR(&native_base_init_wrapper_obj)) {
+                            // But we shouldn't attempt lookups on object that is not yet instantiated.
+                            mp_raise_msg(&mp_type_AttributeError, MP_ERROR_TEXT("call super().__init__() first"));
+                        }
+                        #endif // MICROPY_BUILTIN_METHOD_CHECK_SELF_ARG
                     } else {
                         obj_obj = MP_OBJ_FROM_PTR(obj);
                     }
diff --git a/tests/cpydiff/core_class_super_init.py b/tests/cpydiff/core_class_super_init.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..1774f61dd82e4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/cpydiff/core_class_super_init.py
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+"""
+categories: Core,Classes
+description: When inheriting native types, calling a method in ``__init__(self, ...)`` before ``super().__init__()`` raises an ``AttributeError`` (or segfaults if ``MICROPY_BUILTIN_METHOD_CHECK_SELF_ARG`` is not enabled).
+cause: MicroPython does not have separate ``__new__`` and ``__init__`` methods in native types.
+workaround: Call ``super().__init__()`` first.
+"""
+
+
+class L1(list):
+    def __init__(self, a):
+        self.append(a)
+
+
+try:
+    L1(1)
+    print("OK")
+except AttributeError:
+    print("AttributeError")
+
+
+class L2(list):
+    def __init__(self, a):
+        super().__init__()
+        self.append(a)
+
+
+try:
+    L2(1)
+    print("OK")
+except AttributeError:
+    print("AttributeError")
diff --git a/tests/misc/cexample_class.py b/tests/misc/cexample_class.py
index 6b8718ad8cc5f..06d741922d289 100644
--- a/tests/misc/cexample_class.py
+++ b/tests/misc/cexample_class.py
@@ -22,3 +22,20 @@
 print(timer)
 print(0 <= t_start <= TOLERANCE_MS)
 print(SLEEP_MS - TOLERANCE_MS <= t_end <= SLEEP_MS + TOLERANCE_MS)
+
+advanced_timer = cexample.AdvancedTimer()
+
+time.sleep_ms(100)
+
+print(repr(advanced_timer))
+print(str(advanced_timer))
+
+print(advanced_timer.seconds)
+advanced_timer.seconds = 123
+print(advanced_timer.seconds)
+print(advanced_timer.time() < 123000 + TOLERANCE_MS)
+
+try:
+    advanced_timer.seconds = "bad input"
+except TypeError:
+    print("TypeError")
diff --git a/tests/misc/cexample_class.py.exp b/tests/misc/cexample_class.py.exp
index b9a06602a316a..a86d4d14f78df 100644
--- a/tests/misc/cexample_class.py.exp
+++ b/tests/misc/cexample_class.py.exp
@@ -1,3 +1,9 @@
 <Timer>
 True
 True
+AdvancedTimer()
+AdvancedTimer()  # created 0 seconds ago
+0
+123
+True
+TypeError
diff --git a/tests/misc/cexample_module.py b/tests/misc/cexample_module.py
index c1da2ecf7ab24..979c1fa24b376 100644
--- a/tests/misc/cexample_module.py
+++ b/tests/misc/cexample_module.py
@@ -12,5 +12,6 @@
 d = dir(cexample)
 d.index("add_ints")
 d.index("Timer")
+d.index("AdvancedTimer")
 
 print(cexample.add_ints(1, 3))
diff --git a/tests/misc/cexample_subclass.py b/tests/misc/cexample_subclass.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..8222a51c68d13
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/misc/cexample_subclass.py
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+# test subclassing custom native class
+
+try:
+    from cexample import AdvancedTimer
+except ImportError:
+    print("SKIP")
+    raise SystemExit
+
+
+class SubTimer(AdvancedTimer):
+    def __init__(self):
+
+        # At this point, self does not yet represent a AdvancedTimer instance.
+        print(self)
+
+        # So lookups via type.attr handler will fail.
+        try:
+            self.seconds
+        except AttributeError:
+            print("AttributeError")
+
+        # Also applies to builtin methods.
+        try:
+            self.time()
+        except AttributeError:
+            print("AttributeError")
+
+        # Initialize base class.
+        super().__init__(self)
+
+        # Now you can access methods and attributes normally.
+        self.time()
+        print(self.seconds)
+        self.seconds = 123
+        print(self.seconds)
+
+
+watch = SubTimer()
diff --git a/tests/misc/cexample_subclass.py.exp b/tests/misc/cexample_subclass.py.exp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..a035649e475db
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/misc/cexample_subclass.py.exp
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+<function>
+AttributeError
+AttributeError
+0
+123