diff --git a/mypy/typeshed/stdlib/typing.pyi b/mypy/typeshed/stdlib/typing.pyi
index aafb1fbdf1b3..0995c9412726 100644
--- a/mypy/typeshed/stdlib/typing.pyi
+++ b/mypy/typeshed/stdlib/typing.pyi
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import collections  # Needed by aliases like DefaultDict, see mypy issue 2986
 import sys
 from abc import ABCMeta, abstractmethod
 from types import BuiltinFunctionType, CodeType, FrameType, FunctionType, MethodType, ModuleType, TracebackType
+from typing_extensions import Literal as _Literal
 
 if sys.version_info >= (3, 7):
     from types import MethodDescriptorType, MethodWrapperType, WrapperDescriptorType
@@ -563,19 +564,35 @@ class Match(Generic[AnyStr]):
     # this match instance.
     re: Pattern[AnyStr]
     def expand(self, template: AnyStr) -> AnyStr: ...
-    # TODO: The return for a group may be None, except if __group is 0 or not given.
+    # group() returns "AnyStr" or "AnyStr | None", depending on the pattern.
     @overload
-    def group(self, __group: Union[str, int] = ...) -> AnyStr: ...
+    def group(self, __group: _Literal[0] = ...) -> AnyStr: ...
     @overload
-    def group(self, __group1: Union[str, int], __group2: Union[str, int], *groups: Union[str, int]) -> Tuple[AnyStr, ...]: ...
-    def groups(self, default: AnyStr = ...) -> Sequence[AnyStr]: ...
-    def groupdict(self, default: AnyStr = ...) -> dict[str, AnyStr]: ...
+    def group(self, __group: str | int) -> AnyStr | Any: ...
+    @overload
+    def group(self, __group1: str | int, __group2: str | int, *groups: str | int) -> Tuple[AnyStr | Any, ...]: ...
+    # Each item of groups()'s return tuple is either "AnyStr" or
+    # "AnyStr | None", depending on the pattern.
+    @overload
+    def groups(self) -> Tuple[AnyStr | Any, ...]: ...
+    @overload
+    def groups(self, default: _T) -> Tuple[AnyStr | _T, ...]: ...
+    # Each value in groupdict()'s return dict is either "AnyStr" or
+    # "AnyStr | None", depending on the pattern.
+    @overload
+    def groupdict(self) -> dict[str, AnyStr | Any]: ...
+    @overload
+    def groupdict(self, default: _T) -> dict[str, AnyStr | _T]: ...
     def start(self, __group: Union[int, str] = ...) -> int: ...
     def end(self, __group: Union[int, str] = ...) -> int: ...
     def span(self, __group: Union[int, str] = ...) -> Tuple[int, int]: ...
     @property
     def regs(self) -> Tuple[Tuple[int, int], ...]: ...  # undocumented
-    def __getitem__(self, g: Union[int, str]) -> AnyStr: ...
+    # __getitem__() returns "AnyStr" or "AnyStr | None", depending on the pattern.
+    @overload
+    def __getitem__(self, __key: _Literal[0]) -> AnyStr: ...
+    @overload
+    def __getitem__(self, __key: int | str) -> AnyStr | Any: ...
     if sys.version_info >= (3, 9):
         def __class_getitem__(cls, item: Any) -> GenericAlias: ...
 
diff --git a/mypyc/codegen/emit.py b/mypyc/codegen/emit.py
index 9053fac1acff..0ef6dd57e441 100644
--- a/mypyc/codegen/emit.py
+++ b/mypyc/codegen/emit.py
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
     is_list_rprimitive, is_dict_rprimitive, is_set_rprimitive, is_tuple_rprimitive,
     is_none_rprimitive, is_object_rprimitive, object_rprimitive, is_str_rprimitive,
     int_rprimitive, is_optional_type, optional_value_type, is_int32_rprimitive,
-    is_int64_rprimitive, is_bit_rprimitive, is_range_rprimitive
+    is_int64_rprimitive, is_bit_rprimitive, is_range_rprimitive, is_bytes_rprimitive
 )
 from mypyc.ir.func_ir import FuncDecl
 from mypyc.ir.class_ir import ClassIR, all_concrete_classes
@@ -451,8 +451,8 @@ def emit_cast(self,
 
         # TODO: Verify refcount handling.
         if (is_list_rprimitive(typ) or is_dict_rprimitive(typ) or is_set_rprimitive(typ)
-                or is_str_rprimitive(typ) or is_range_rprimitive(typ) or is_float_rprimitive(typ)
-                or is_int_rprimitive(typ) or is_bool_rprimitive(typ)):
+                or is_str_rprimitive(typ) or is_bytes_rprimitive(typ) or is_range_rprimitive(typ)
+                or is_float_rprimitive(typ) or is_int_rprimitive(typ) or is_bool_rprimitive(typ)):
             if declare_dest:
                 self.emit_line('PyObject *{};'.format(dest))
             if is_list_rprimitive(typ):
@@ -463,6 +463,8 @@ def emit_cast(self,
                 prefix = 'PySet'
             elif is_str_rprimitive(typ):
                 prefix = 'PyUnicode'
+            elif is_bytes_rprimitive(typ):
+                prefix = 'PyBytes'
             elif is_range_rprimitive(typ):
                 prefix = 'PyRange'
             elif is_float_rprimitive(typ):
diff --git a/mypyc/ir/rtypes.py b/mypyc/ir/rtypes.py
index 0aaa03c1e2d2..87f1bd1f2be3 100644
--- a/mypyc/ir/rtypes.py
+++ b/mypyc/ir/rtypes.py
@@ -328,6 +328,9 @@ def __hash__(self) -> int:
 # (PyUnicode).
 str_rprimitive: Final = RPrimitive("builtins.str", is_unboxed=False, is_refcounted=True)
 
+# Python bytes object.
+bytes_rprimitive: Final = RPrimitive('builtins.bytes', is_unboxed=False, is_refcounted=True)
+
 # Tuple of an arbitrary length (corresponds to Tuple[t, ...], with
 # explicit '...').
 tuple_rprimitive: Final = RPrimitive("builtins.tuple", is_unboxed=False, is_refcounted=True)
@@ -410,6 +413,10 @@ def is_str_rprimitive(rtype: RType) -> bool:
     return isinstance(rtype, RPrimitive) and rtype.name == 'builtins.str'
 
 
+def is_bytes_rprimitive(rtype: RType) -> bool:
+    return isinstance(rtype, RPrimitive) and rtype.name == 'builtins.bytes'
+
+
 def is_tuple_rprimitive(rtype: RType) -> bool:
     return isinstance(rtype, RPrimitive) and rtype.name == 'builtins.tuple'
 
diff --git a/mypyc/irbuild/ll_builder.py b/mypyc/irbuild/ll_builder.py
index 45a1ca647f76..e5d46bf5edd4 100644
--- a/mypyc/irbuild/ll_builder.py
+++ b/mypyc/irbuild/ll_builder.py
@@ -32,8 +32,8 @@
     c_pyssize_t_rprimitive, is_short_int_rprimitive, is_tagged, PyVarObject, short_int_rprimitive,
     is_list_rprimitive, is_tuple_rprimitive, is_dict_rprimitive, is_set_rprimitive, PySetObject,
     none_rprimitive, RTuple, is_bool_rprimitive, is_str_rprimitive, c_int_rprimitive,
-    pointer_rprimitive, PyObject, bit_rprimitive, is_bit_rprimitive,
-    object_pointer_rprimitive, c_size_t_rprimitive, dict_rprimitive, PyListObject
+    pointer_rprimitive, PyObject, PyListObject, bit_rprimitive, is_bit_rprimitive,
+    object_pointer_rprimitive, c_size_t_rprimitive, dict_rprimitive, bytes_rprimitive
 )
 from mypyc.ir.func_ir import FuncDecl, FuncSignature
 from mypyc.ir.class_ir import ClassIR, all_concrete_classes
@@ -802,7 +802,7 @@ def load_str(self, value: str) -> Value:
 
     def load_bytes(self, value: bytes) -> Value:
         """Load a bytes literal value."""
-        return self.add(LoadLiteral(value, object_rprimitive))
+        return self.add(LoadLiteral(value, bytes_rprimitive))
 
     def load_complex(self, value: complex) -> Value:
         """Load a complex literal value."""
diff --git a/mypyc/irbuild/mapper.py b/mypyc/irbuild/mapper.py
index 37b3861643a2..901ea49fc2fa 100644
--- a/mypyc/irbuild/mapper.py
+++ b/mypyc/irbuild/mapper.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 from mypyc.ir.rtypes import (
     RType, RUnion, RTuple, RInstance, object_rprimitive, dict_rprimitive, tuple_rprimitive,
     none_rprimitive, int_rprimitive, float_rprimitive, str_rprimitive, bool_rprimitive,
-    list_rprimitive, set_rprimitive, range_rprimitive
+    list_rprimitive, set_rprimitive, range_rprimitive, bytes_rprimitive
 )
 from mypyc.ir.func_ir import FuncSignature, FuncDecl, RuntimeArg
 from mypyc.ir.class_ir import ClassIR
@@ -43,10 +43,12 @@ def type_to_rtype(self, typ: Optional[Type]) -> RType:
                 return int_rprimitive
             elif typ.type.fullname == 'builtins.float':
                 return float_rprimitive
-            elif typ.type.fullname == 'builtins.str':
-                return str_rprimitive
             elif typ.type.fullname == 'builtins.bool':
                 return bool_rprimitive
+            elif typ.type.fullname == 'builtins.str':
+                return str_rprimitive
+            elif typ.type.fullname == 'builtins.bytes':
+                return bytes_rprimitive
             elif typ.type.fullname == 'builtins.list':
                 return list_rprimitive
             # Dict subclasses are at least somewhat common and we
diff --git a/mypyc/primitives/bytes_ops.py b/mypyc/primitives/bytes_ops.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..5981284c9484
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mypyc/primitives/bytes_ops.py
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+"""Primitive bytes ops."""
+
+from mypyc.ir.rtypes import object_rprimitive
+from mypyc.primitives.registry import load_address_op
+
+
+# Get the 'bytes' type object.
+load_address_op(
+    name='builtins.bytes',
+    type=object_rprimitive,
+    src='PyBytes_Type')
diff --git a/mypyc/primitives/registry.py b/mypyc/primitives/registry.py
index 4be29885903a..5ed910549f5a 100644
--- a/mypyc/primitives/registry.py
+++ b/mypyc/primitives/registry.py
@@ -239,6 +239,7 @@ def load_address_op(name: str,
 # Import various modules that set up global state.
 import mypyc.primitives.int_ops  # noqa
 import mypyc.primitives.str_ops  # noqa
+import mypyc.primitives.bytes_ops # noqa
 import mypyc.primitives.list_ops  # noqa
 import mypyc.primitives.dict_ops  # noqa
 import mypyc.primitives.tuple_ops  # noqa
diff --git a/mypyc/test-data/driver/driver.py b/mypyc/test-data/driver/driver.py
index 957b25a01987..6717f402f72d 100644
--- a/mypyc/test-data/driver/driver.py
+++ b/mypyc/test-data/driver/driver.py
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
 
     def extract_line(tb):
         formatted = '\n'.join(format_tb(tb))
-        m = re.search('File "native.py", line ([0-9]+), in test_', formatted)
+        m = re.search('File "(native|driver).py", line ([0-9]+), in (test_|<module>)', formatted)
         if m is None:
             return "0"
         return m.group(1)
diff --git a/mypyc/test-data/fixtures/ir.py b/mypyc/test-data/fixtures/ir.py
index ad5c2b4aa87b..9e32a70dfd79 100644
--- a/mypyc/test-data/fixtures/ir.py
+++ b/mypyc/test-data/fixtures/ir.py
@@ -96,10 +96,14 @@ def __truediv__(self, n: complex) -> complex: pass
     def __neg__(self) -> complex: pass
 
 class bytes:
+    @overload
+    def __init__(self) -> None: pass
+    @overload
     def __init__(self, x: object) -> None: pass
-    def __add__(self, x: object) -> bytes: pass
-    def __eq__(self, x:object) -> bool:pass
+    def __add__(self, x: bytes) -> bytes: pass
+    def __eq__(self, x: object) -> bool: pass
     def __ne__(self, x: object) -> bool: pass
+    def __getitem__(self, i: int) -> int: pass
     def join(self, x: Iterable[object]) -> bytes: pass
 
 class bool(int):
diff --git a/mypyc/test-data/irbuild-basic.test b/mypyc/test-data/irbuild-basic.test
index 5b102ba2631f..070bf7e333c8 100644
--- a/mypyc/test-data/irbuild-basic.test
+++ b/mypyc/test-data/irbuild-basic.test
@@ -761,7 +761,7 @@ def f() -> bytes:
     return b'1234'
 [out]
 def f():
-    r0, x, r1 :: object
+    r0, x, r1 :: bytes
 L0:
     r0 = b'\xf0'
     x = r0
diff --git a/mypyc/test-data/run-bytes.test b/mypyc/test-data/run-bytes.test
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..b88201fc896a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mypyc/test-data/run-bytes.test
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+# Bytes test cases (compile and run)
+
+[case testBytesBasics]
+# Note: Add tests for additional operations to testBytesOps or in a new test case
+
+def f(x: bytes) -> bytes:
+    return x
+
+def eq(a: bytes, b: bytes) -> bool:
+    return a == b
+
+def neq(a: bytes, b: bytes) -> bool:
+    return a != b
+[file driver.py]
+from native import f, eq, neq
+assert f(b'123') == b'123'
+assert f(b'\x07 \x0b " \t \x7f \xf0') == b'\x07 \x0b " \t \x7f \xf0'
+assert eq(b'123', b'123')
+assert not eq(b'123', b'1234')
+assert neq(b'123', b'1234')
+try:
+    f('x')
+    assert False
+except TypeError:
+    pass
+
+[case testBytesOps]
+def test_indexing() -> None:
+    # Use bytes() to avoid constant folding
+    b = b'asdf' + bytes()
+    assert b[0] == 97
+    assert b[1] == 115
+    assert b[3] == 102
+    assert b[-1] == 102
+    b = b'\xfe\x15' + bytes()
+    assert b[0] == 254
+    assert b[1] == 21
+
+def test_concat() -> None:
+    b1 = b'123' + bytes()
+    b2 = b'456' + bytes()
+    assert b1 + b2 == b'123456'
+
+def test_join() -> None:
+    seq = (b'1', b'"', b'\xf0')
+    assert b'\x07'.join(seq) == b'1\x07"\x07\xf0'
+    assert b', '.join(()) == b''
+    assert b', '.join([bytes() + b'ab']) == b'ab'
+    assert b', '.join([bytes() + b'ab', b'cd']) == b'ab, cd'
+
+def test_len() -> None:
+    # Use bytes() to avoid constant folding
+    b = b'foo' + bytes()
+    assert len(b) == 3
+    assert len(bytes()) == 0
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/mypyc/test-data/run-primitives.test b/mypyc/test-data/run-primitives.test
index efef3d86edaf..b95f742977be 100644
--- a/mypyc/test-data/run-primitives.test
+++ b/mypyc/test-data/run-primitives.test
@@ -255,32 +255,6 @@ assert str(to_int(3.14)) == '3'
 assert str(to_int(3)) == '3'
 assert get_complex() == 3.5 + 6.2j
 
-[case testBytes]
-def f(x: bytes) -> bytes:
-    return x
-
-def concat(a: bytes, b: bytes) -> bytes:
-    return a + b
-
-def eq(a: bytes, b: bytes) -> bool:
-    return a == b
-
-def neq(a: bytes, b: bytes) -> bool:
-    return a != b
-
-def join() -> bytes:
-    seq = (b'1', b'"', b'\xf0')
-    return b'\x07'.join(seq)
-[file driver.py]
-from native import f, concat, eq, neq, join
-assert f(b'123') == b'123'
-assert f(b'\x07 \x0b " \t \x7f \xf0') == b'\x07 \x0b " \t \x7f \xf0'
-assert concat(b'123', b'456') == b'123456'
-assert eq(b'123', b'123')
-assert not eq(b'123', b'1234')
-assert neq(b'123', b'1234')
-assert join() == b'1\x07"\x07\xf0'
-
 [case testDel]
 from typing import List
 from testutil import assertRaises
diff --git a/mypyc/test/test_run.py b/mypyc/test/test_run.py
index df0228c68d3b..8ed1ac3c3dc6 100644
--- a/mypyc/test/test_run.py
+++ b/mypyc/test/test_run.py
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@
     'run-floats.test',
     'run-bools.test',
     'run-strings.test',
+    'run-bytes.test',
     'run-tuples.test',
     'run-lists.test',
     'run-dicts.test',