diff --git a/Lib/test/test_long.py b/Lib/test/test_long.py
index b48a8812a1a2d13..113e4956d86c148 100644
--- a/Lib/test/test_long.py
+++ b/Lib/test/test_long.py
@@ -1698,6 +1698,21 @@ class MyInt(int):
         # GH-117195 -- This shouldn't crash
         object.__sizeof__(1)
 
+    def test_long_add_overallocate(self):
+        # see gh-100687
+        x = (MASK//2) * (MASK+1)
+        x2 = (MASK//2 + 1) * (MASK+1)
+        z = x + x2
+        self.assertEqual(x + x2, MASK * (MASK + 1))
+
+    def test_karatsuba_single_digit_parts(self):
+        # gh-100687: k_mul() adds the halves of its operands with x_add(),
+        # and those halves can be single digits.
+        a = 1 + (1 << (SHIFT * 70))
+        b = 1 << (SHIFT * 139)
+        self.assertEqual(a * b, (1 << (SHIFT * 139)) + (1 << (SHIFT * 209)))
+        self.assertEqual(b * a, a * b)
+
     def test_hash(self):
         # gh-136599
         self.assertEqual(hash(-1), -2)
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Core_and_Builtins/2023-01-02-14-54-12.gh-issue-100687.yenIag.rst b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Core_and_Builtins/2023-01-02-14-54-12.gh-issue-100687.yenIag.rst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000000..385c13ae724a07a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Core_and_Builtins/2023-01-02-14-54-12.gh-issue-100687.yenIag.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+Reduce frequency of overallocation in some cases of multidigit integer
+additions and subtractions.
diff --git a/Objects/longobject.c b/Objects/longobject.c
index 1dac70820d142b6..0ad6f78c144a7e4 100644
--- a/Objects/longobject.c
+++ b/Objects/longobject.c
@@ -3760,7 +3760,13 @@ x_add(PyLongObject *a, PyLongObject *b)
             size_a = size_b;
             size_b = size_temp; }
     }
-    z = long_alloc(size_a+1);
+    assert(size_a >= 1);
+    /* A carry out of the top digit is only possible if the top digits sum
+       to at least PyLong_MASK; only then allocate a digit for it. */
+    digit top_sum = a->long_value.ob_digit[size_a - 1]
+        + (size_b == size_a ? b->long_value.ob_digit[size_b - 1] : (digit)0);
+    int extra_digit = top_sum >= PyLong_MASK;
+    z = long_alloc(size_a + extra_digit);
     if (z == NULL)
         return NULL;
     for (i = 0; i < size_b; ++i) {
@@ -3773,8 +3779,13 @@ x_add(PyLongObject *a, PyLongObject *b)
         z->long_value.ob_digit[i] = carry & PyLong_MASK;
         carry >>= PyLong_SHIFT;
     }
-    z->long_value.ob_digit[i] = carry;
-    return long_normalize(z);
+    if (extra_digit) {
+        z->long_value.ob_digit[i] = carry;
+        return long_normalize(z);
+    }
+    assert(carry == 0);
+    assert(z->long_value.ob_digit[i - 1] != 0);
+    return z;
 }
 
 /* Subtract the absolute values of two integers. */