diff --git a/patch/Python/release.iOS.exclude b/patch/Python/release.iOS.exclude
index f1d0f75e..536e1602 100644
--- a/patch/Python/release.iOS.exclude
+++ b/patch/Python/release.iOS.exclude
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # This is a list of support package path patterns that we exclude
 # from all Python-Apple-support tarballs.
 # It is used by `tar -X` during the Makefile build.
-# Remove pyc files. These take up space, but since most stdlib modules are
-# never imported by user code, they mostly have no value.
-*/__pycache__
+# Remove -opt-*.pyc files. These take up a lot of space, but won't be used for
+# most deployments.
+*.opt-*.pyc
diff --git a/patch/Python/release.tvOS.exclude b/patch/Python/release.tvOS.exclude
index f1d0f75e..536e1602 100644
--- a/patch/Python/release.tvOS.exclude
+++ b/patch/Python/release.tvOS.exclude
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # This is a list of support package path patterns that we exclude
 # from all Python-Apple-support tarballs.
 # It is used by `tar -X` during the Makefile build.
-# Remove pyc files. These take up space, but since most stdlib modules are
-# never imported by user code, they mostly have no value.
-*/__pycache__
+# Remove -opt-*.pyc files. These take up a lot of space, but won't be used for
+# most deployments.
+*.opt-*.pyc
diff --git a/patch/Python/release.watchOS.exclude b/patch/Python/release.watchOS.exclude
index f1d0f75e..536e1602 100644
--- a/patch/Python/release.watchOS.exclude
+++ b/patch/Python/release.watchOS.exclude
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # This is a list of support package path patterns that we exclude
 # from all Python-Apple-support tarballs.
 # It is used by `tar -X` during the Makefile build.
-# Remove pyc files. These take up space, but since most stdlib modules are
-# never imported by user code, they mostly have no value.
-*/__pycache__
+# Remove -opt-*.pyc files. These take up a lot of space, but won't be used for
+# most deployments.
+*.opt-*.pyc