Use `Symbol` instead of `InternedString` in the AST, HIR, and various other places.

72 files changed, 399 insertions, 453 deletions

diff --git a/src/librustc/hir/map/definitions.rs b/src/librustc/hir/map/definitions.rs
index eafcb8b6f43..673429b49f7 100644
--- a/src/librustc/hir/map/definitions.rs
+++ b/src/librustc/hir/map/definitions.rs
@@ -115,9 +115,9 @@ impl DefPath {
     pub fn to_string(&self, tcx: TyCtxt) -> String {
         let mut s = String::with_capacity(self.data.len() * 16);
 
-        s.push_str(&tcx.original_crate_name(self.krate));
+        s.push_str(&tcx.original_crate_name(self.krate).as_str());
         s.push_str("/");
-        s.push_str(&tcx.crate_disambiguator(self.krate));
+        s.push_str(&tcx.crate_disambiguator(self.krate).as_str());
 
         for component in &self.data {
             write!(s,
@@ -137,8 +137,8 @@ impl DefPath {
     }
 
     pub fn deterministic_hash_to<H: Hasher>(&self, tcx: TyCtxt, state: &mut H) {
-        tcx.original_crate_name(self.krate).hash(state);
-        tcx.crate_disambiguator(self.krate).hash(state);
+        tcx.original_crate_name(self.krate).as_str().hash(state);
+        tcx.crate_disambiguator(self.krate).as_str().hash(state);
         self.data.hash(state);
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/librustc/hir/mod.rs b/src/librustc/hir/mod.rs
index 9d8f6bb5c95..b5f892f0ff7 100644
--- a/src/librustc/hir/mod.rs
+++ b/src/librustc/hir/mod.rs
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ use syntax::abi::Abi;
 use syntax::ast::{Name, NodeId, DUMMY_NODE_ID, AsmDialect};
 use syntax::ast::{Attribute, Lit, StrStyle, FloatTy, IntTy, UintTy, MetaItem};
 use syntax::ptr::P;
-use syntax::symbol::{keywords, InternedString};
+use syntax::symbol::{Symbol, keywords};
 use syntax::tokenstream::TokenTree;
 use syntax::util::ThinVec;
 
@@ -1163,18 +1163,18 @@ pub enum Ty_ {
 
 #[derive(Clone, PartialEq, Eq, RustcEncodable, RustcDecodable, Hash, Debug)]
 pub struct InlineAsmOutput {
-    pub constraint: InternedString,
+    pub constraint: Symbol,
     pub is_rw: bool,
     pub is_indirect: bool,
 }
 
 #[derive(Clone, PartialEq, Eq, RustcEncodable, RustcDecodable, Hash, Debug)]
 pub struct InlineAsm {
-    pub asm: InternedString,
+    pub asm: Symbol,
     pub asm_str_style: StrStyle,
     pub outputs: HirVec<InlineAsmOutput>,
-    pub inputs: HirVec<InternedString>,
-    pub clobbers: HirVec<InternedString>,
+    pub inputs: HirVec<Symbol>,
+    pub clobbers: HirVec<Symbol>,
     pub volatile: bool,
     pub alignstack: bool,
     pub dialect: AsmDialect,
diff --git a/src/librustc/hir/print.rs b/src/librustc/hir/print.rs
index ccb43644b31..b9d1d7e4efb 100644
--- a/src/librustc/hir/print.rs
+++ b/src/librustc/hir/print.rs
@@ -1500,19 +1500,19 @@ impl<'a> State<'a> {
             hir::ExprInlineAsm(ref a, ref outputs, ref inputs) => {
                 word(&mut self.s, "asm!")?;
                 self.popen()?;
-                self.print_string(&a.asm, a.asm_str_style)?;
+                self.print_string(&a.asm.as_str(), a.asm_str_style)?;
                 self.word_space(":")?;
 
                 let mut out_idx = 0;
                 self.commasep(Inconsistent, &a.outputs, |s, out| {
-                    let mut ch = out.constraint.chars();
+                    let constraint = out.constraint.as_str();
+                    let mut ch = constraint.chars();
                     match ch.next() {
                         Some('=') if out.is_rw => {
                             s.print_string(&format!("+{}", ch.as_str()),
                                            ast::StrStyle::Cooked)?
                         }
-                        _ => s.print_string(&out.constraint,
-                                            ast::StrStyle::Cooked)?,
+                        _ => s.print_string(&constraint, ast::StrStyle::Cooked)?,
                     }
                     s.popen()?;
                     s.print_expr(&outputs[out_idx])?;
@@ -1525,7 +1525,7 @@ impl<'a> State<'a> {
 
                 let mut in_idx = 0;
                 self.commasep(Inconsistent, &a.inputs, |s, co| {
-                    s.print_string(&co, ast::StrStyle::Cooked)?;
+                    s.print_string(&co.as_str(), ast::StrStyle::Cooked)?;
                     s.popen()?;
                     s.print_expr(&inputs[in_idx])?;
                     s.pclose()?;
@@ -1536,7 +1536,7 @@ impl<'a> State<'a> {
                 self.word_space(":")?;
 
                 self.commasep(Inconsistent, &a.clobbers, |s, co| {
-                    s.print_string(&co, ast::StrStyle::Cooked)?;
+                    s.print_string(&co.as_str(), ast::StrStyle::Cooked)?;
                     Ok(())
                 })?;
 
diff --git a/src/librustc/middle/cstore.rs b/src/librustc/middle/cstore.rs
index fea0a6edffe..168aba77433 100644
--- a/src/librustc/middle/cstore.rs
+++ b/src/librustc/middle/cstore.rs
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ use syntax::ast;
 use syntax::attr;
 use syntax::ext::base::SyntaxExtension;
 use syntax::ptr::P;
-use syntax::symbol::InternedString;
+use syntax::symbol::Symbol;
 use syntax_pos::Span;
 use rustc_back::target::Target;
 use hir;
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ pub use self::NativeLibraryKind::{NativeStatic, NativeFramework, NativeUnknown};
 
 #[derive(Clone, Debug)]
 pub struct LinkMeta {
-    pub crate_name: String,
+    pub crate_name: Symbol,
     pub crate_hash: Svh,
 }
 
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ pub enum NativeLibraryKind {
 #[derive(Clone, Hash, RustcEncodable, RustcDecodable)]
 pub struct NativeLibrary {
     pub kind: NativeLibraryKind,
-    pub name: String,
+    pub name: Symbol,
     pub cfg: Option<ast::MetaItem>,
 }
 
@@ -205,11 +205,11 @@ pub trait CrateStore<'tcx> {
     fn extern_crate(&self, cnum: CrateNum) -> Option<ExternCrate>;
     /// The name of the crate as it is referred to in source code of the current
     /// crate.
-    fn crate_name(&self, cnum: CrateNum) -> InternedString;
+    fn crate_name(&self, cnum: CrateNum) -> Symbol;
     /// The name of the crate as it is stored in the crate's metadata.
-    fn original_crate_name(&self, cnum: CrateNum) -> InternedString;
+    fn original_crate_name(&self, cnum: CrateNum) -> Symbol;
     fn crate_hash(&self, cnum: CrateNum) -> Svh;
-    fn crate_disambiguator(&self, cnum: CrateNum) -> InternedString;
+    fn crate_disambiguator(&self, cnum: CrateNum) -> Symbol;
     fn plugin_registrar_fn(&self, cnum: CrateNum) -> Option<DefId>;
     fn native_libraries(&self, cnum: CrateNum) -> Vec<NativeLibrary>;
     fn reachable_ids(&self, cnum: CrateNum) -> Vec<DefId>;
@@ -375,13 +375,13 @@ impl<'tcx> CrateStore<'tcx> for DummyCrateStore {
         bug!("panic_strategy")
     }
     fn extern_crate(&self, cnum: CrateNum) -> Option<ExternCrate> { bug!("extern_crate") }
-    fn crate_name(&self, cnum: CrateNum) -> InternedString { bug!("crate_name") }
-    fn original_crate_name(&self, cnum: CrateNum) -> InternedString {
+    fn crate_name(&self, cnum: CrateNum) -> Symbol { bug!("crate_name") }
+    fn original_crate_name(&self, cnum: CrateNum) -> Symbol {
         bug!("original_crate_name")
     }
     fn crate_hash(&self, cnum: CrateNum) -> Svh { bug!("crate_hash") }
     fn crate_disambiguator(&self, cnum: CrateNum)
-                           -> InternedString { bug!("crate_disambiguator") }
+                           -> Symbol { bug!("crate_disambiguator") }
     fn plugin_registrar_fn(&self, cnum: CrateNum) -> Option<DefId>
         { bug!("plugin_registrar_fn") }
     fn native_libraries(&self, cnum: CrateNum) -> Vec<NativeLibrary>
diff --git a/src/librustc/middle/lang_items.rs b/src/librustc/middle/lang_items.rs
index 1b61163574e..5af9a2f0274 100644
--- a/src/librustc/middle/lang_items.rs
+++ b/src/librustc/middle/lang_items.rs
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ use middle::weak_lang_items;
 use util::nodemap::FxHashMap;
 
 use syntax::ast;
-use syntax::symbol::InternedString;
+use syntax::symbol::Symbol;
 use hir::itemlikevisit::ItemLikeVisitor;
 use hir;
 
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ struct LanguageItemCollector<'a, 'tcx: 'a> {
 impl<'a, 'v, 'tcx> ItemLikeVisitor<'v> for LanguageItemCollector<'a, 'tcx> {
     fn visit_item(&mut self, item: &hir::Item) {
         if let Some(value) = extract(&item.attrs) {
-            let item_index = self.item_refs.get(&value[..]).cloned();
+            let item_index = self.item_refs.get(&*value.as_str()).cloned();
 
             if let Some(item_index) = item_index {
                 self.collect_item(item_index, self.ast_map.local_def_id(item.id))
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ impl<'a, 'v, 'tcx> ItemLikeVisitor<'v> for LanguageItemCollector<'a, 'tcx> {
                 let span = self.ast_map.span(item.id);
                 span_err!(self.session, span, E0522,
                           "definition of an unknown language item: `{}`.",
-                          &value[..]);
+                          value);
             }
         }
     }
@@ -243,12 +243,10 @@ impl<'a, 'tcx> LanguageItemCollector<'a, 'tcx> {
     }
 }
 
-pub fn extract(attrs: &[ast::Attribute]) -> Option<InternedString> {
+pub fn extract(attrs: &[ast::Attribute]) -> Option<Symbol> {
     for attribute in attrs {
         match attribute.value_str() {
-            Some(ref value) if attribute.check_name("lang") => {
-                return Some(value.clone());
-            }
+            Some(value) if attribute.check_name("lang") => return Some(value),
             _ => {}
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/librustc/middle/recursion_limit.rs b/src/librustc/middle/recursion_limit.rs
index 0764e817f43..7f89461a3f4 100644
--- a/src/librustc/middle/recursion_limit.rs
+++ b/src/librustc/middle/recursion_limit.rs
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ pub fn update_recursion_limit(sess: &Session, krate: &ast::Crate) {
         }
 
         if let Some(s) = attr.value_str() {
-            if let Some(n) = s.parse().ok() {
+            if let Some(n) = s.as_str().parse().ok() {
                 sess.recursion_limit.set(n);
                 return;
             }
diff --git a/src/librustc/middle/stability.rs b/src/librustc/middle/stability.rs
index 4b8433e3bf6..6b2e3de34f3 100644
--- a/src/librustc/middle/stability.rs
+++ b/src/librustc/middle/stability.rs
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ use hir::def::Def;
 use hir::def_id::{CrateNum, CRATE_DEF_INDEX, DefId, DefIndex, LOCAL_CRATE};
 use ty::{self, TyCtxt, AdtKind};
 use middle::privacy::AccessLevels;
-use syntax::symbol::InternedString;
+use syntax::symbol::Symbol;
 use syntax_pos::{Span, DUMMY_SP};
 use syntax::ast;
 use syntax::ast::{NodeId, Attribute};
@@ -36,7 +36,6 @@ use hir::pat_util::EnumerateAndAdjustIterator;
 
 use std::mem::replace;
 use std::cmp::Ordering;
-use std::ops::Deref;
 
 #[derive(RustcEncodable, RustcDecodable, PartialEq, PartialOrd, Clone, Copy, Debug, Eq, Hash)]
 pub enum StabilityLevel {
@@ -151,10 +150,11 @@ impl<'a, 'tcx: 'a> Annotator<'a, 'tcx> {
 
                 // Check if deprecated_since < stable_since. If it is,
                 // this is *almost surely* an accident.
-                if let (&Some(attr::RustcDeprecation {since: ref dep_since, ..}),
-                        &attr::Stable {since: ref stab_since}) = (&stab.rustc_depr, &stab.level) {
+                if let (&Some(attr::RustcDeprecation {since: dep_since, ..}),
+                        &attr::Stable {since: stab_since}) = (&stab.rustc_depr, &stab.level) {
                     // Explicit version of iter::order::lt to handle parse errors properly
-                    for (dep_v, stab_v) in dep_since.split(".").zip(stab_since.split(".")) {
+                    for (dep_v, stab_v) in
+                            dep_since.as_str().split(".").zip(stab_since.as_str().split(".")) {
                         if let (Ok(dep_v), Ok(stab_v)) = (dep_v.parse::<u64>(), stab_v.parse()) {
                             match dep_v.cmp(&stab_v) {
                                 Ordering::Less => {
@@ -356,7 +356,7 @@ impl<'a, 'tcx> Index<'tcx> {
 /// features and possibly prints errors. Returns a list of all
 /// features used.
 pub fn check_unstable_api_usage<'a, 'tcx>(tcx: TyCtxt<'a, 'tcx, 'tcx>)
-                                          -> FxHashMap<InternedString, attr::StabilityLevel> {
+                                          -> FxHashMap<Symbol, attr::StabilityLevel> {
     let _task = tcx.dep_graph.in_task(DepNode::StabilityCheck);
     let ref active_lib_features = tcx.sess.features.borrow().declared_lib_features;
 
@@ -376,8 +376,8 @@ pub fn check_unstable_api_usage<'a, 'tcx>(tcx: TyCtxt<'a, 'tcx, 'tcx>)
 
 struct Checker<'a, 'tcx: 'a> {
     tcx: TyCtxt<'a, 'tcx, 'tcx>,
-    active_features: FxHashSet<InternedString>,
-    used_features: FxHashMap<InternedString, attr::StabilityLevel>,
+    active_features: FxHashSet<Symbol>,
+    used_features: FxHashMap<Symbol, attr::StabilityLevel>,
     // Within a block where feature gate checking can be skipped.
     in_skip_block: u32,
 }
@@ -407,10 +407,10 @@ impl<'a, 'tcx> Checker<'a, 'tcx> {
                 if !self.active_features.contains(feature) {
                     let msg = match *reason {
                         Some(ref r) => format!("use of unstable library feature '{}': {}",
-                                               &feature, &r),
+                                               &feature.as_str(), &r),
                         None => format!("use of unstable library feature '{}'", &feature)
                     };
-                    emit_feature_err(&self.tcx.sess.parse_sess, &feature, span,
+                    emit_feature_err(&self.tcx.sess.parse_sess, &feature.as_str(), span,
                                      GateIssue::Library(Some(issue)), &msg);
                 }
             }
@@ -735,10 +735,10 @@ impl<'a, 'tcx> TyCtxt<'a, 'tcx, 'tcx> {
 /// were expected to be library features), and the list of features used from
 /// libraries, identify activated features that don't exist and error about them.
 pub fn check_unused_or_stable_features(sess: &Session,
-                                       lib_features_used: &FxHashMap<InternedString,
+                                       lib_features_used: &FxHashMap<Symbol,
                                                                      attr::StabilityLevel>) {
     let ref declared_lib_features = sess.features.borrow().declared_lib_features;
-    let mut remaining_lib_features: FxHashMap<InternedString, Span>
+    let mut remaining_lib_features: FxHashMap<Symbol, Span>
         = declared_lib_features.clone().into_iter().collect();
 
     fn format_stable_since_msg(version: &str) -> String {
@@ -746,7 +746,7 @@ pub fn check_unused_or_stable_features(sess: &Session,
     }
 
     for &(ref stable_lang_feature, span) in &sess.features.borrow().declared_stable_lang_features {
-        let version = find_lang_feature_accepted_version(stable_lang_feature.deref())
+        let version = find_lang_feature_accepted_version(&stable_lang_feature.as_str())
             .expect("unexpectedly couldn't find version feature was stabilized");
         sess.add_lint(lint::builtin::STABLE_FEATURES,
                       ast::CRATE_NODE_ID,
@@ -761,7 +761,7 @@ pub fn check_unused_or_stable_features(sess: &Session,
                     sess.add_lint(lint::builtin::STABLE_FEATURES,
                                   ast::CRATE_NODE_ID,
                                   span,
-                                  format_stable_since_msg(version.deref()));
+                                  format_stable_since_msg(&version.as_str()));
                 }
             }
             None => ( /* used but undeclared, handled during the previous ast visit */ )
diff --git a/src/librustc/middle/weak_lang_items.rs b/src/librustc/middle/weak_lang_items.rs
index bee049df985..ec6971d596b 100644
--- a/src/librustc/middle/weak_lang_items.rs
+++ b/src/librustc/middle/weak_lang_items.rs
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ use middle::lang_items;
 
 use rustc_back::PanicStrategy;
 use syntax::ast;
-use syntax::symbol::InternedString;
+use syntax::symbol::Symbol;
 use syntax_pos::Span;
 use hir::intravisit::Visitor;
 use hir::intravisit;
@@ -55,10 +55,10 @@ pub fn check_crate(krate: &hir::Crate,
     verify(sess, items);
 }
 
-pub fn link_name(attrs: &[ast::Attribute]) -> Option<InternedString> {
+pub fn link_name(attrs: &[ast::Attribute]) -> Option<Symbol> {
     lang_items::extract(attrs).and_then(|name| {
-        $(if &name[..] == stringify!($name) {
-            Some(InternedString::new(stringify!($sym)))
+        $(if name == stringify!($name) {
+            Some(Symbol::intern(stringify!($sym)))
         } else)* {
             None
         }
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ impl<'a> Context<'a> {
 impl<'a, 'v> Visitor<'v> for Context<'a> {
     fn visit_foreign_item(&mut self, i: &hir::ForeignItem) {
         if let Some(lang_item) = lang_items::extract(&i.attrs) {
-            self.register(&lang_item, i.span);
+            self.register(&lang_item.as_str(), i.span);
         }
         intravisit::walk_foreign_item(self, i)
     }
diff --git a/src/librustc/session/config.rs b/src/librustc/session/config.rs
index 9fd80acea89..99c299861e0 100644
--- a/src/librustc/session/config.rs
+++ b/src/librustc/session/config.rs
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ use middle::cstore;
 
 use syntax::ast::{self, IntTy, UintTy};
 use syntax::parse;
-use syntax::symbol::{Symbol, InternedString};
+use syntax::symbol::Symbol;
 use syntax::feature_gate::UnstableFeatures;
 
 use errors::{ColorConfig, FatalError, Handler};
@@ -927,8 +927,6 @@ pub fn default_lib_output() -> CrateType {
 }
 
 pub fn default_configuration(sess: &Session) -> ast::CrateConfig {
-    use syntax::symbol::intern_and_get_ident as intern;
-
     let end = &sess.target.target.target_endian;
     let arch = &sess.target.target.arch;
     let wordsz = &sess.target.target.target_pointer_width;
@@ -938,24 +936,24 @@ pub fn default_configuration(sess: &Session) -> ast::CrateConfig {
     let max_atomic_width = sess.target.target.max_atomic_width();
 
     let fam = if let Some(ref fam) = sess.target.target.options.target_family {
-        intern(fam)
+        Symbol::intern(fam)
     } else if sess.target.target.options.is_like_windows {
-        InternedString::new("windows")
+        Symbol::intern("windows")
     } else {
-        InternedString::new("unix")
+        Symbol::intern("unix")
     };
 
     let mut ret = HashSet::new();
     // Target bindings.
-    ret.insert((Symbol::intern("target_os"), Some(intern(os))));
-    ret.insert((Symbol::intern("target_family"), Some(fam.clone())));
-    ret.insert((Symbol::intern("target_arch"), Some(intern(arch))));
-    ret.insert((Symbol::intern("target_endian"), Some(intern(end))));
-    ret.insert((Symbol::intern("target_pointer_width"), Some(intern(wordsz))));
-    ret.insert((Symbol::intern("target_env"), Some(intern(env))));
-    ret.insert((Symbol::intern("target_vendor"), Some(intern(vendor))));
-    if &fam == "windows" || &fam == "unix" {
-        ret.insert((Symbol::intern(&fam), None));
+    ret.insert((Symbol::intern("target_os"), Some(Symbol::intern(os))));
+    ret.insert((Symbol::intern("target_family"), Some(fam)));
+    ret.insert((Symbol::intern("target_arch"), Some(Symbol::intern(arch))));
+    ret.insert((Symbol::intern("target_endian"), Some(Symbol::intern(end))));
+    ret.insert((Symbol::intern("target_pointer_width"), Some(Symbol::intern(wordsz))));
+    ret.insert((Symbol::intern("target_env"), Some(Symbol::intern(env))));
+    ret.insert((Symbol::intern("target_vendor"), Some(Symbol::intern(vendor))));
+    if fam == "windows" || fam == "unix" {
+        ret.insert((fam, None));
     }
     if sess.target.target.options.has_elf_tls {
         ret.insert((Symbol::intern("target_thread_local"), None));
@@ -963,9 +961,9 @@ pub fn default_configuration(sess: &Session) -> ast::CrateConfig {
     for &i in &[8, 16, 32, 64, 128] {
         if i <= max_atomic_width {
             let s = i.to_string();
-            ret.insert((Symbol::intern("target_has_atomic"), Some(intern(&s))));
+            ret.insert((Symbol::intern("target_has_atomic"), Some(Symbol::intern(&s))));
             if &s == wordsz {
-                ret.insert((Symbol::intern("target_has_atomic"), Some(intern("ptr"))));
+                ret.insert((Symbol::intern("target_has_atomic"), Some(Symbol::intern("ptr"))));
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/librustc/session/mod.rs b/src/librustc/session/mod.rs
index a9a4553f176..9577a25b3f8 100644
--- a/src/librustc/session/mod.rs
+++ b/src/librustc/session/mod.rs
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ use syntax::json::JsonEmitter;
 use syntax::feature_gate;
 use syntax::parse;
 use syntax::parse::ParseSess;
-use syntax::symbol::{Symbol, InternedString};
+use syntax::symbol::Symbol;
 use syntax::{ast, codemap};
 use syntax::feature_gate::AttributeType;
 use syntax_pos::{Span, MultiSpan};
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ pub struct Session {
     // forms a unique global identifier for the crate. It is used to allow
     // multiple crates with the same name to coexist. See the
     // trans::back::symbol_names module for more information.
-    pub crate_disambiguator: RefCell<InternedString>,
+    pub crate_disambiguator: RefCell<Symbol>,
     pub features: RefCell<feature_gate::Features>,
 
     /// The maximum recursion limit for potentially infinitely recursive
@@ -129,8 +129,8 @@ pub struct PerfStats {
 }
 
 impl Session {
-    pub fn local_crate_disambiguator(&self) -> InternedString {
-        self.crate_disambiguator.borrow().clone()
+    pub fn local_crate_disambiguator(&self) -> Symbol {
+        *self.crate_disambiguator.borrow()
     }
     pub fn struct_span_warn<'a, S: Into<MultiSpan>>(&'a self,
                                                     sp: S,
@@ -610,7 +610,7 @@ pub fn build_session_(sopts: config::Options,
         plugin_attributes: RefCell::new(Vec::new()),
         crate_types: RefCell::new(Vec::new()),
         dependency_formats: RefCell::new(FxHashMap()),
-        crate_disambiguator: RefCell::new(Symbol::intern("").as_str()),
+        crate_disambiguator: RefCell::new(Symbol::intern("")),
         features: RefCell::new(feature_gate::Features::new()),
         recursion_limit: Cell::new(64),
         next_node_id: Cell::new(NodeId::new(1)),
diff --git a/src/librustc/traits/error_reporting.rs b/src/librustc/traits/error_reporting.rs
index e0a397ad28f..21009711cb1 100644
--- a/src/librustc/traits/error_reporting.rs
+++ b/src/librustc/traits/error_reporting.rs
@@ -246,12 +246,13 @@ impl<'a, 'gcx, 'tcx> InferCtxt<'a, 'gcx, 'tcx> {
                 let err_sp = item.meta().span.substitute_dummy(span);
                 let def = self.tcx.lookup_trait_def(trait_ref.def_id);
                 let trait_str = def.trait_ref.to_string();
-                if let Some(ref istring) = item.value_str() {
+                if let Some(istring) = item.value_str() {
+                    let istring = &*istring.as_str();
                     let generic_map = def.generics.types.iter().map(|param| {
                         (param.name.as_str().to_string(),
                          trait_ref.substs.type_for_def(param).to_string())
                     }).collect::<FxHashMap<String, String>>();
-                    let parser = Parser::new(&istring);
+                    let parser = Parser::new(istring);
                     let mut errored = false;
                     let err: String = parser.filter_map(|p| {
                         match p {
diff --git a/src/librustc/ty/context.rs b/src/librustc/ty/context.rs
index d187fed732c..20855c46b68 100644
--- a/src/librustc/ty/context.rs
+++ b/src/librustc/ty/context.rs
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ use std::rc::Rc;
 use std::iter;
 use syntax::ast::{self, Name, NodeId};
 use syntax::attr;
-use syntax::symbol::{InternedString, intern_and_get_ident, keywords};
+use syntax::symbol::{Symbol, keywords};
 
 use hir;
 
@@ -561,7 +561,7 @@ pub struct GlobalCtxt<'tcx> {
 
     /// The definite name of the current crate after taking into account
     /// attributes, commandline parameters, etc.
-    pub crate_name: InternedString,
+    pub crate_name: Symbol,
 
     /// Data layout specification for the current target.
     pub data_layout: TargetDataLayout,
@@ -574,7 +574,7 @@ pub struct GlobalCtxt<'tcx> {
 
     /// Map from function to the `#[derive]` mode that it's defining. Only used
     /// by `proc-macro` crates.
-    pub derive_macros: RefCell<NodeMap<InternedString>>,
+    pub derive_macros: RefCell<NodeMap<Symbol>>,
 }
 
 impl<'tcx> GlobalCtxt<'tcx> {
@@ -588,15 +588,15 @@ impl<'tcx> GlobalCtxt<'tcx> {
 }
 
 impl<'a, 'gcx, 'tcx> TyCtxt<'a, 'gcx, 'tcx> {
-    pub fn crate_name(self, cnum: CrateNum) -> InternedString {
+    pub fn crate_name(self, cnum: CrateNum) -> Symbol {
         if cnum == LOCAL_CRATE {
-            self.crate_name.clone()
+            self.crate_name
         } else {
             self.sess.cstore.crate_name(cnum)
         }
     }
 
-    pub fn original_crate_name(self, cnum: CrateNum) -> InternedString {
+    pub fn original_crate_name(self, cnum: CrateNum) -> Symbol {
         if cnum == LOCAL_CRATE {
             self.crate_name.clone()
         } else {
@@ -604,7 +604,7 @@ impl<'a, 'gcx, 'tcx> TyCtxt<'a, 'gcx, 'tcx> {
         }
     }
 
-    pub fn crate_disambiguator(self, cnum: CrateNum) -> InternedString {
+    pub fn crate_disambiguator(self, cnum: CrateNum) -> Symbol {
         if cnum == LOCAL_CRATE {
             self.sess.local_crate_disambiguator()
         } else {
@@ -835,7 +835,7 @@ impl<'a, 'gcx, 'tcx> TyCtxt<'a, 'gcx, 'tcx> {
             custom_coerce_unsized_kinds: RefCell::new(DefIdMap()),
             cast_kinds: RefCell::new(NodeMap()),
             fragment_infos: RefCell::new(DefIdMap()),
-            crate_name: intern_and_get_ident(crate_name),
+            crate_name: Symbol::intern(crate_name),
             data_layout: data_layout,
             layout_cache: RefCell::new(FxHashMap()),
             layout_depth: Cell::new(0),
diff --git a/src/librustc/ty/item_path.rs b/src/librustc/ty/item_path.rs
index 92d5b734f17..b93a8698f60 100644
--- a/src/librustc/ty/item_path.rs
+++ b/src/librustc/ty/item_path.rs
@@ -94,14 +94,14 @@ impl<'a, 'gcx, 'tcx> TyCtxt<'a, 'gcx, 'tcx> {
                     if let Some(extern_crate_def_id) = opt_extern_crate {
                         self.push_item_path(buffer, extern_crate_def_id);
                     } else {
-                        buffer.push(&self.crate_name(cnum));
+                        buffer.push(&self.crate_name(cnum).as_str());
                     }
                 }
             }
             RootMode::Absolute => {
                 // In absolute mode, just write the crate name
                 // unconditionally.
-                buffer.push(&self.original_crate_name(cnum));
+                buffer.push(&self.original_crate_name(cnum).as_str());
             }
         }
     }
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ impl<'a, 'gcx, 'tcx> TyCtxt<'a, 'gcx, 'tcx> {
                         return true;
                     }
                     None => {
-                        buffer.push(&self.crate_name(cur_def.krate));
+                        buffer.push(&self.crate_name(cur_def.krate).as_str());
                         cur_path.iter().rev().map(|segment| buffer.push(&segment.as_str())).count();
                         return true;
                     }
diff --git a/src/librustc/ty/mod.rs b/src/librustc/ty/mod.rs
index f7f34c0af3a..e94e93158c4 100644
--- a/src/librustc/ty/mod.rs
+++ b/src/librustc/ty/mod.rs
@@ -2344,7 +2344,7 @@ impl<'a, 'gcx, 'tcx> TyCtxt<'a, 'gcx, 'tcx> {
         if let Some(id) = self.map.as_local_node_id(id) {
             self.map.name(id)
         } else if id.index == CRATE_DEF_INDEX {
-            Symbol::intern(&self.sess.cstore.original_crate_name(id.krate))
+            self.sess.cstore.original_crate_name(id.krate)
         } else {
             let def_key = self.sess.cstore.def_key(id);
             // The name of a StructCtor is that of its struct parent.
@@ -2747,7 +2747,7 @@ impl<'a, 'gcx, 'tcx> TyCtxt<'a, 'gcx, 'tcx> {
 
     /// Looks up the span of `impl_did` if the impl is local; otherwise returns `Err`
     /// with the name of the crate containing the impl.
-    pub fn span_of_impl(self, impl_did: DefId) -> Result<Span, InternedString> {
+    pub fn span_of_impl(self, impl_did: DefId) -> Result<Span, Symbol> {
         if impl_did.is_local() {
             let node_id = self.map.as_local_node_id(impl_did).unwrap();
             Ok(self.map.span(node_id))
diff --git a/src/librustc_const_eval/eval.rs b/src/librustc_const_eval/eval.rs
index 5f0c94744a1..c265fa97e29 100644
--- a/src/librustc_const_eval/eval.rs
+++ b/src/librustc_const_eval/eval.rs
@@ -1221,7 +1221,7 @@ fn lit_to_const<'a, 'tcx>(lit: &ast::LitKind,
     use syntax::ast::*;
     use syntax::ast::LitIntType::*;
     match *lit {
-        LitKind::Str(ref s, _) => Ok(Str((*s).clone())),
+        LitKind::Str(ref s, _) => Ok(Str(s.as_str())),
         LitKind::ByteStr(ref data) => Ok(ByteStr(data.clone())),
         LitKind::Byte(n) => Ok(Integral(U8(n))),
         LitKind::Int(n, Signed(ity)) => {
@@ -1249,15 +1249,15 @@ fn lit_to_const<'a, 'tcx>(lit: &ast::LitKind,
             infer(Infer(n), tcx, &ty::TyUint(ity)).map(Integral)
         },
 
-        LitKind::Float(ref n, fty) => {
-            parse_float(n, Some(fty)).map(Float)
+        LitKind::Float(n, fty) => {
+            parse_float(&n.as_str(), Some(fty)).map(Float)
         }
-        LitKind::FloatUnsuffixed(ref n) => {
+        LitKind::FloatUnsuffixed(n) => {
             let fty_hint = match ty_hint.map(|t| &t.sty) {
                 Some(&ty::TyFloat(fty)) => Some(fty),
                 _ => None
             };
-            parse_float(n, fty_hint).map(Float)
+            parse_float(&n.as_str(), fty_hint).map(Float)
         }
         LitKind::Bool(b) => Ok(Bool(b)),
         LitKind::Char(c) => Ok(Char(c)),
diff --git a/src/librustc_driver/driver.rs b/src/librustc_driver/driver.rs
index f864f083402..f93934f975b 100644
--- a/src/librustc_driver/driver.rs
+++ b/src/librustc_driver/driver.rs
@@ -561,8 +561,7 @@ pub fn phase_2_configure_and_expand<'a, F>(sess: &Session,
     *sess.features.borrow_mut() = features;
 
     *sess.crate_types.borrow_mut() = collect_crate_types(sess, &krate.attrs);
-    *sess.crate_disambiguator.borrow_mut() =
-        Symbol::intern(&compute_crate_disambiguator(sess)).as_str();
+    *sess.crate_disambiguator.borrow_mut() = Symbol::intern(&compute_crate_disambiguator(sess));
 
     time(time_passes, "recursion limit", || {
         middle::recursion_limit::update_recursion_limit(sess, &krate);
@@ -1105,7 +1104,7 @@ pub fn phase_6_link_output(sess: &Session,
                            outputs: &OutputFilenames) {
     time(sess.time_passes(),
          "linking",
-         || link::link_binary(sess, trans, outputs, &trans.link.crate_name));
+         || link::link_binary(sess, trans, outputs, &trans.link.crate_name.as_str()));
 }
 
 fn escape_dep_filename(filename: &str) -> String {
diff --git a/src/librustc_driver/target_features.rs b/src/librustc_driver/target_features.rs
index 677b9bca976..876323d599e 100644
--- a/src/librustc_driver/target_features.rs
+++ b/src/librustc_driver/target_features.rs
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ use llvm::LLVMRustHasFeature;
 use rustc::session::Session;
 use rustc_trans::back::write::create_target_machine;
 use syntax::feature_gate::UnstableFeatures;
-use syntax::symbol::{Symbol, intern_and_get_ident as intern};
+use syntax::symbol::Symbol;
 use libc::c_char;
 
 // WARNING: the features must be known to LLVM or the feature
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ pub fn add_configuration(cfg: &mut ast::CrateConfig, sess: &Session) {
     for feat in whitelist {
         assert_eq!(feat.chars().last(), Some('\0'));
         if unsafe { LLVMRustHasFeature(target_machine, feat.as_ptr() as *const c_char) } {
-            cfg.insert((tf, Some(intern(&feat[..feat.len() - 1]))));
+            cfg.insert((tf, Some(Symbol::intern(&feat[..feat.len() - 1]))));
         }
     }
 
@@ -73,6 +73,6 @@ pub fn add_configuration(cfg: &mut ast::CrateConfig, sess: &Session) {
     }
 
     if crt_static {
-        cfg.insert((tf, Some(intern("crt-static"))));
+        cfg.insert((tf, Some(Symbol::intern("crt-static"))));
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/librustc_incremental/calculate_svh/mod.rs b/src/librustc_incremental/calculate_svh/mod.rs
index f98e698a1c9..250ef061e51 100644
--- a/src/librustc_incremental/calculate_svh/mod.rs
+++ b/src/librustc_incremental/calculate_svh/mod.rs
@@ -172,8 +172,8 @@ impl<'a, 'tcx> HashItemsVisitor<'a, 'tcx> {
 
         let crate_disambiguator = self.tcx.sess.local_crate_disambiguator();
         "crate_disambiguator".hash(&mut crate_state);
-        crate_disambiguator.len().hash(&mut crate_state);
-        crate_disambiguator.hash(&mut crate_state);
+        crate_disambiguator.as_str().len().hash(&mut crate_state);
+        crate_disambiguator.as_str().hash(&mut crate_state);
 
         // add each item (in some deterministic order) to the overall
         // crate hash.
diff --git a/src/librustc_incremental/persist/directory.rs b/src/librustc_incremental/persist/directory.rs
index d238121872b..546feb21224 100644
--- a/src/librustc_incremental/persist/directory.rs
+++ b/src/librustc_incremental/persist/directory.rs
@@ -84,8 +84,8 @@ impl DefIdDirectory {
             assert_eq!(old_info.krate, krate);
             let old_name: &str = &old_info.name;
             let old_disambiguator: &str = &old_info.disambiguator;
-            let new_name: &str = &tcx.crate_name(krate);
-            let new_disambiguator: &str = &tcx.crate_disambiguator(krate);
+            let new_name: &str = &tcx.crate_name(krate).as_str();
+            let new_disambiguator: &str = &tcx.crate_disambiguator(krate).as_str();
             old_name == new_name && old_disambiguator == new_disambiguator
         }
     }
@@ -99,8 +99,8 @@ impl DefIdDirectory {
         let new_krates: HashMap<_, _> =
             once(LOCAL_CRATE)
             .chain(tcx.sess.cstore.crates())
-            .map(|krate| (make_key(&tcx.crate_name(krate),
-                                   &tcx.crate_disambiguator(krate)), krate))
+            .map(|krate| (make_key(&tcx.crate_name(krate).as_str(),
+                                   &tcx.crate_disambiguator(krate).as_str()), krate))
             .collect();
 
         let ids = self.paths.iter()
diff --git a/src/librustc_incremental/persist/dirty_clean.rs b/src/librustc_incremental/persist/dirty_clean.rs
index 4d759b66617..85c35bf79ce 100644
--- a/src/librustc_incremental/persist/dirty_clean.rs
+++ b/src/librustc_incremental/persist/dirty_clean.rs
@@ -48,7 +48,6 @@ use rustc::hir::def_id::DefId;
 use rustc::hir::itemlikevisit::ItemLikeVisitor;
 use syntax::ast::{self, Attribute, NestedMetaItem};
 use rustc_data_structures::fx::{FxHashSet, FxHashMap};
-use syntax::symbol::Symbol;
 use syntax_pos::Span;
 use rustc::ty::TyCtxt;
 use ich::Fingerprint;
@@ -286,7 +285,7 @@ fn check_config(tcx: TyCtxt, attr: &ast::Attribute) -> bool {
 
 fn expect_associated_value(tcx: TyCtxt, item: &NestedMetaItem) -> ast::Name {
     if let Some(value) = item.value_str() {
-        Symbol::intern(&value)
+        value
     } else {
         let msg = if let Some(name) = item.name() {
             format!("associated value expected for `{}`", name)
diff --git a/src/librustc_incremental/persist/fs.rs b/src/librustc_incremental/persist/fs.rs
index 2572a9c1d78..26181dbaf50 100644
--- a/src/librustc_incremental/persist/fs.rs
+++ b/src/librustc_incremental/persist/fs.rs
@@ -604,7 +604,7 @@ fn string_to_timestamp(s: &str) -> Result<SystemTime, ()> {
 }
 
 fn crate_path_tcx(tcx: TyCtxt, cnum: CrateNum) -> PathBuf {
-    crate_path(tcx.sess, &tcx.crate_name(cnum), &tcx.crate_disambiguator(cnum))
+    crate_path(tcx.sess, &tcx.crate_name(cnum).as_str(), &tcx.crate_disambiguator(cnum).as_str())
 }
 
 /// Finds the session directory containing the correct metadata hashes file for
diff --git a/src/librustc_lint/bad_style.rs b/src/librustc_lint/bad_style.rs
index 6320a923d69..550b78e5c6e 100644
--- a/src/librustc_lint/bad_style.rs
+++ b/src/librustc_lint/bad_style.rs
@@ -241,8 +241,8 @@ impl LateLintPass for NonSnakeCase {
             .and_then(|at| at.value_str().map(|s| (at, s)));
         if let Some(ref name) = cx.tcx.sess.opts.crate_name {
             self.check_snake_case(cx, "crate", name, None);
-        } else if let Some((attr, ref name)) = attr_crate_name {
-            self.check_snake_case(cx, "crate", name, Some(attr.span));
+        } else if let Some((attr, name)) = attr_crate_name {
+            self.check_snake_case(cx, "crate", &name.as_str(), Some(attr.span));
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/src/librustc_lint/builtin.rs b/src/librustc_lint/builtin.rs
index 3bf7cc0f74c..d3c5c5e1e65 100644
--- a/src/librustc_lint/builtin.rs
+++ b/src/librustc_lint/builtin.rs
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ use std::collections::HashSet;
 use syntax::ast;
 use syntax::attr;
 use syntax::feature_gate::{AttributeGate, AttributeType, Stability, deprecated_attributes};
+use syntax::symbol::Symbol;
 use syntax_pos::Span;
 
 use rustc::hir::{self, PatKind};
@@ -633,9 +634,9 @@ impl Deprecated {
             stability: &Option<&attr::Stability>,
             deprecation: &Option<stability::DeprecationEntry>) {
         // Deprecated attributes apply in-crate and cross-crate.
-        if let Some(&attr::Stability{rustc_depr: Some(attr::RustcDeprecation{ref reason, ..}), ..})
+        if let Some(&attr::Stability{rustc_depr: Some(attr::RustcDeprecation{reason, ..}), ..})
                 = *stability {
-            output(cx, DEPRECATED, span, Some(&reason))
+            output(cx, DEPRECATED, span, Some(reason))
         } else if let Some(ref depr_entry) = *deprecation {
             if let Some(parent_depr) = cx.tcx.lookup_deprecation_entry(self.parent_def(cx)) {
                 if parent_depr.same_origin(depr_entry) {
@@ -643,10 +644,10 @@ impl Deprecated {
                 }
             }
 
-            output(cx, DEPRECATED, span, depr_entry.attr.note.as_ref().map(|x| &**x))
+            output(cx, DEPRECATED, span, depr_entry.attr.note)
         }
 
-        fn output(cx: &LateContext, lint: &'static Lint, span: Span, note: Option<&str>) {
+        fn output(cx: &LateContext, lint: &'static Lint, span: Span, note: Option<Symbol>) {
             let msg = if let Some(note) = note {
                 format!("use of deprecated item: {}", note)
             } else {
diff --git a/src/librustc_lint/types.rs b/src/librustc_lint/types.rs
index 4155d3e67a2..8aa5e9e0a94 100644
--- a/src/librustc_lint/types.rs
+++ b/src/librustc_lint/types.rs
@@ -219,9 +219,9 @@ impl LateLintPass for TypeLimits {
                     ty::TyFloat(t) => {
                         let (min, max) = float_ty_range(t);
                         let lit_val: f64 = match lit.node {
-                            ast::LitKind::Float(ref v, _) |
-                            ast::LitKind::FloatUnsuffixed(ref v) => {
-                                match v.parse() {
+                            ast::LitKind::Float(v, _) |
+                            ast::LitKind::FloatUnsuffixed(v) => {
+                                match v.as_str().parse() {
                                     Ok(f) => f,
                                     Err(_) => return,
                                 }
diff --git a/src/librustc_lint/unused.rs b/src/librustc_lint/unused.rs
index 535c8094bed..fa452017f0c 100644
--- a/src/librustc_lint/unused.rs
+++ b/src/librustc_lint/unused.rs
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ impl LateLintPass for UnusedResults {
                     // check for #[must_use="..."]
                     if let Some(s) = attr.value_str() {
                         msg.push_str(": ");
-                        msg.push_str(&s);
+                        msg.push_str(&s.as_str());
                     }
                     cx.span_lint(UNUSED_MUST_USE, sp, &msg);
                     return true;
diff --git a/src/librustc_metadata/creader.rs b/src/librustc_metadata/creader.rs
index 3b162f31a94..79a0d0d0389 100644
--- a/src/librustc_metadata/creader.rs
+++ b/src/librustc_metadata/creader.rs
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ use syntax::abi::Abi;
 use syntax::attr;
 use syntax::ext::base::SyntaxExtension;
 use syntax::feature_gate::{self, GateIssue};
-use syntax::symbol::{Symbol, InternedString};
+use syntax::symbol::Symbol;
 use syntax_pos::{Span, DUMMY_SP};
 use log;
 
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ pub struct CrateLoader<'a> {
     cstore: &'a CStore,
     next_crate_num: CrateNum,
     foreign_item_map: FxHashMap<String, Vec<ast::NodeId>>,
-    local_crate_name: String,
+    local_crate_name: Symbol,
 }
 
 fn dump_crates(cstore: &CStore) {
@@ -70,8 +70,8 @@ fn dump_crates(cstore: &CStore) {
 
 #[derive(Debug)]
 struct ExternCrateInfo {
-    ident: String,
-    name: String,
+    ident: Symbol,
+    name: Symbol,
     id: ast::NodeId,
     dep_kind: DepKind,
 }
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ fn register_native_lib(sess: &Session,
                        cstore: &CStore,
                        span: Option<Span>,
                        lib: NativeLibrary) {
-    if lib.name.is_empty() {
+    if lib.name.as_str().is_empty() {
         match span {
             Some(span) => {
                 struct_span_err!(sess, span, E0454,
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ impl<'a> CrateLoader<'a> {
             cstore: cstore,
             next_crate_num: cstore.next_crate_num(),
             foreign_item_map: FxHashMap(),
-            local_crate_name: local_crate_name.to_owned(),
+            local_crate_name: Symbol::intern(local_crate_name),
         }
     }
 
@@ -160,12 +160,12 @@ impl<'a> CrateLoader<'a> {
                     Some(name) => {
                         validate_crate_name(Some(self.sess), &name.as_str(),
                                             Some(i.span));
-                        name.to_string()
+                        name
                     }
-                    None => i.ident.to_string(),
+                    None => i.ident.name,
                 };
                 Some(ExternCrateInfo {
-                    ident: i.ident.to_string(),
+                    ident: i.ident.name,
                     name: name,
                     id: i.id,
                     dep_kind: if attr::contains_name(&i.attrs, "no_link") {
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ impl<'a> CrateLoader<'a> {
         }
     }
 
-    fn existing_match(&self, name: &str, hash: Option<&Svh>, kind: PathKind)
+    fn existing_match(&self, name: Symbol, hash: Option<&Svh>, kind: PathKind)
                       -> Option<CrateNum> {
         let mut ret = None;
         self.cstore.iter_crate_data(|cnum, data| {
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@ impl<'a> CrateLoader<'a> {
             // `source` stores paths which are normalized which may be different
             // from the strings on the command line.
             let source = self.cstore.used_crate_source(cnum);
-            if let Some(locs) = self.sess.opts.externs.get(name) {
+            if let Some(locs) = self.sess.opts.externs.get(&*name.as_str()) {
                 let found = locs.iter().any(|l| {
                     let l = fs::canonicalize(l).ok();
                     source.dylib.as_ref().map(|p| &p.0) == l.as_ref() ||
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@ impl<'a> CrateLoader<'a> {
                                   root: &CrateRoot) {
         // Check for (potential) conflicts with the local crate
         if self.local_crate_name == root.name &&
-           self.sess.local_crate_disambiguator() == &root.disambiguator[..] {
+           self.sess.local_crate_disambiguator() == root.disambiguator {
             span_fatal!(self.sess, span, E0519,
                         "the current crate is indistinguishable from one of its \
                          dependencies: it has the same crate-name `{}` and was \
@@ -258,8 +258,8 @@ impl<'a> CrateLoader<'a> {
 
     fn register_crate(&mut self,
                       root: &Option<CratePaths>,
-                      ident: &str,
-                      name: &str,
+                      ident: Symbol,
+                      name: Symbol,
                       span: Span,
                       lib: Library,
                       dep_kind: DepKind)
@@ -290,7 +290,7 @@ impl<'a> CrateLoader<'a> {
         let cnum_map = self.resolve_crate_deps(root, &crate_root, &metadata, cnum, span, dep_kind);
 
         let cmeta = Rc::new(cstore::CrateMetadata {
-            name: name.to_string(),
+            name: name,
             extern_crate: Cell::new(None),
             key_map: metadata.load_key_map(crate_root.index),
             proc_macros: crate_root.macro_derive_registrar.map(|_| {
@@ -314,8 +314,8 @@ impl<'a> CrateLoader<'a> {
 
     fn resolve_crate(&mut self,
                      root: &Option<CratePaths>,
-                     ident: &str,
-                     name: &str,
+                     ident: Symbol,
+                     name: Symbol,
                      hash: Option<&Svh>,
                      span: Span,
                      path_kind: PathKind,
@@ -456,13 +456,12 @@ impl<'a> CrateLoader<'a> {
         let deps = crate_root.crate_deps.decode(metadata);
         let map: FxHashMap<_, _> = deps.enumerate().map(|(crate_num, dep)| {
             debug!("resolving dep crate {} hash: `{}`", dep.name, dep.hash);
-            let dep_name = &dep.name.as_str();
             let dep_kind = match dep_kind {
                 DepKind::MacrosOnly => DepKind::MacrosOnly,
                 _ => dep.kind,
             };
             let (local_cnum, ..) = self.resolve_crate(
-                root, dep_name, dep_name, Some(&dep.hash), span, PathKind::Dependency, dep_kind,
+                root, dep.name, dep.name, Some(&dep.hash), span, PathKind::Dependency, dep_kind,
             );
             (CrateNum::new(crate_num + 1), local_cnum)
         }).collect();
@@ -482,13 +481,11 @@ impl<'a> CrateLoader<'a> {
         let target_triple = &self.sess.opts.target_triple[..];
         let is_cross = target_triple != config::host_triple();
         let mut target_only = false;
-        let ident = info.ident.clone();
-        let name = info.name.clone();
         let mut locate_ctxt = locator::Context {
             sess: self.sess,
             span: span,
-            ident: &ident[..],
-            crate_name: &name[..],
+            ident: info.ident,
+            crate_name: info.name,
             hash: None,
             filesearch: self.sess.host_filesearch(PathKind::Crate),
             target: &self.sess.host,
@@ -604,8 +601,8 @@ impl<'a> CrateLoader<'a> {
     pub fn find_plugin_registrar(&mut self, span: Span, name: &str)
                                  -> Option<(PathBuf, Svh, DefIndex)> {
         let ekrate = self.read_extension_crate(span, &ExternCrateInfo {
-             name: name.to_string(),
-             ident: name.to_string(),
+             name: Symbol::intern(name),
+             ident: Symbol::intern(name),
              id: ast::DUMMY_NODE_ID,
              dep_kind: DepKind::MacrosOnly,
         });
@@ -642,7 +639,7 @@ impl<'a> CrateLoader<'a> {
         let libs = self.cstore.get_used_libraries();
         for (foreign_lib, list) in self.foreign_item_map.iter() {
             let is_static = libs.borrow().iter().any(|lib| {
-                *foreign_lib == lib.name && lib.kind == cstore::NativeStatic
+                lib.name == &**foreign_lib && lib.kind == cstore::NativeStatic
             });
             if is_static {
                 for id in list {
@@ -705,8 +702,8 @@ impl<'a> CrateLoader<'a> {
         // in terms of everyone has a compatible panic runtime format, that's
         // performed later as part of the `dependency_format` module.
         let name = match desired_strategy {
-            PanicStrategy::Unwind => "panic_unwind",
-            PanicStrategy::Abort => "panic_abort",
+            PanicStrategy::Unwind => Symbol::intern("panic_unwind"),
+            PanicStrategy::Abort => Symbol::intern("panic_abort"),
         };
         info!("panic runtime not found -- loading {}", name);
 
@@ -788,9 +785,9 @@ impl<'a> CrateLoader<'a> {
         // * Staticlibs and Rust dylibs use system malloc
         // * Rust dylibs used as dependencies to rust use jemalloc
         let name = if need_lib_alloc && !self.sess.opts.cg.prefer_dynamic {
-            &self.sess.target.target.options.lib_allocation_crate
+            Symbol::intern(&self.sess.target.target.options.lib_allocation_crate)
         } else {
-            &self.sess.target.target.options.exe_allocation_crate
+            Symbol::intern(&self.sess.target.target.options.exe_allocation_crate)
         };
         let dep_kind = DepKind::Implicit;
         let (cnum, data) =
@@ -852,8 +849,8 @@ impl<'a> CrateLoader<'a> {
 impl<'a> CrateLoader<'a> {
     pub fn preprocess(&mut self, krate: &ast::Crate) {
         for attr in krate.attrs.iter().filter(|m| m.name() == "link_args") {
-            if let Some(ref linkarg) = attr.value_str() {
-                self.cstore.add_used_link_args(&linkarg);
+            if let Some(linkarg) = attr.value_str() {
+                self.cstore.add_used_link_args(&linkarg.as_str());
             }
         }
     }
@@ -866,7 +863,7 @@ impl<'a> CrateLoader<'a> {
         // First, add all of the custom #[link_args] attributes
         for m in i.attrs.iter().filter(|a| a.check_name("link_args")) {
             if let Some(linkarg) = m.value_str() {
-                self.cstore.add_used_link_args(&linkarg);
+                self.cstore.add_used_link_args(&linkarg.as_str());
             }
         }
 
@@ -878,7 +875,7 @@ impl<'a> CrateLoader<'a> {
             };
             let kind = items.iter().find(|k| {
                 k.check_name("kind")
-            }).and_then(|a| a.value_str());
+            }).and_then(|a| a.value_str()).map(Symbol::as_str);
             let kind = match kind.as_ref().map(|s| &s[..]) {
                 Some("static") => cstore::NativeStatic,
                 Some("dylib") => cstore::NativeUnknown,
@@ -900,7 +897,7 @@ impl<'a> CrateLoader<'a> {
                     struct_span_err!(self.sess, m.span, E0459,
                                      "#[link(...)] specified without `name = \"foo\"`")
                         .span_label(m.span, &format!("missing `name` argument")).emit();
-                    InternedString::new("foo")
+                    Symbol::intern("foo")
                 }
             };
             let cfg = items.iter().find(|k| {
@@ -910,7 +907,7 @@ impl<'a> CrateLoader<'a> {
                 list[0].meta_item().unwrap().clone()
             });
             let lib = NativeLibrary {
-                name: n.to_string(),
+                name: n,
                 kind: kind,
                 cfg: cfg,
             };
@@ -941,7 +938,7 @@ impl<'a> middle::cstore::CrateLoader for CrateLoader<'a> {
 
         for &(ref name, kind) in &self.sess.opts.libs {
             let lib = NativeLibrary {
-                name: name.clone(),
+                name: Symbol::intern(name),
                 kind: kind,
                 cfg: None,
             };
@@ -959,7 +956,7 @@ impl<'a> middle::cstore::CrateLoader for CrateLoader<'a> {
 
         let info = self.extract_crate_info(item).unwrap();
         let (cnum, ..) = self.resolve_crate(
-            &None, &info.ident, &info.name, None, item.span, PathKind::Crate, info.dep_kind,
+            &None, info.ident, info.name, None, item.span, PathKind::Crate, info.dep_kind,
         );
 
         let def_id = definitions.opt_local_def_id(item.id).unwrap();
diff --git a/src/librustc_metadata/cstore.rs b/src/librustc_metadata/cstore.rs
index 37853b7473a..ce47b936ddc 100644
--- a/src/librustc_metadata/cstore.rs
+++ b/src/librustc_metadata/cstore.rs
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ use std::path::PathBuf;
 use flate::Bytes;
 use syntax::{ast, attr};
 use syntax::ext::base::SyntaxExtension;
+use syntax::symbol::Symbol;
 use syntax_pos;
 
 pub use rustc::middle::cstore::{NativeLibrary, LinkagePreference};
@@ -58,7 +59,7 @@ pub struct ImportedFileMap {
 }
 
 pub struct CrateMetadata {
-    pub name: String,
+    pub name: Symbol,
 
     /// Information about the extern crate that caused this crate to
     /// be loaded. If this is `None`, then the crate was injected
@@ -213,7 +214,7 @@ impl CStore {
     }
 
     pub fn add_used_library(&self, lib: NativeLibrary) {
-        assert!(!lib.name.is_empty());
+        assert!(!lib.name.as_str().is_empty());
         self.used_libraries.borrow_mut().push(lib);
     }
 
@@ -249,14 +250,14 @@ impl CStore {
 }
 
 impl CrateMetadata {
-    pub fn name(&self) -> &str {
-        &self.root.name
+    pub fn name(&self) -> Symbol {
+        self.root.name
     }
     pub fn hash(&self) -> Svh {
         self.root.hash
     }
-    pub fn disambiguator(&self) -> &str {
-        &self.root.disambiguator
+    pub fn disambiguator(&self) -> Symbol {
+        self.root.disambiguator
     }
 
     pub fn is_staged_api(&self) -> bool {
diff --git a/src/librustc_metadata/cstore_impl.rs b/src/librustc_metadata/cstore_impl.rs
index 7ab7a32bbc4..407166203de 100644
--- a/src/librustc_metadata/cstore_impl.rs
+++ b/src/librustc_metadata/cstore_impl.rs
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ use std::path::PathBuf;
 use syntax::ast;
 use syntax::attr;
 use syntax::parse::new_parser_from_source_str;
-use syntax::symbol::{InternedString, intern_and_get_ident};
+use syntax::symbol::Symbol;
 use syntax_pos::mk_sp;
 use rustc::hir::svh::Svh;
 use rustc_back::target::Target;
@@ -263,14 +263,14 @@ impl<'tcx> CrateStore<'tcx> for cstore::CStore {
         self.get_crate_data(cnum).panic_strategy()
     }
 
-    fn crate_name(&self, cnum: CrateNum) -> InternedString
+    fn crate_name(&self, cnum: CrateNum) -> Symbol
     {
-        intern_and_get_ident(&self.get_crate_data(cnum).name[..])
+        self.get_crate_data(cnum).name
     }
 
-    fn original_crate_name(&self, cnum: CrateNum) -> InternedString
+    fn original_crate_name(&self, cnum: CrateNum) -> Symbol
     {
-        intern_and_get_ident(&self.get_crate_data(cnum).name())
+        self.get_crate_data(cnum).name()
     }
 
     fn extern_crate(&self, cnum: CrateNum) -> Option<ExternCrate>
@@ -283,9 +283,9 @@ impl<'tcx> CrateStore<'tcx> for cstore::CStore {
         self.get_crate_hash(cnum)
     }
 
-    fn crate_disambiguator(&self, cnum: CrateNum) -> InternedString
+    fn crate_disambiguator(&self, cnum: CrateNum) -> Symbol
     {
-        intern_and_get_ident(&self.get_crate_data(cnum).disambiguator())
+        self.get_crate_data(cnum).disambiguator()
     }
 
     fn plugin_registrar_fn(&self, cnum: CrateNum) -> Option<DefId>
diff --git a/src/librustc_metadata/encoder.rs b/src/librustc_metadata/encoder.rs
index c11694e561a..2f4b0d5c87b 100644
--- a/src/librustc_metadata/encoder.rs
+++ b/src/librustc_metadata/encoder.rs
@@ -1119,7 +1119,7 @@ impl<'a, 'tcx> EncodeContext<'a, 'tcx> {
         let deps = get_ordered_deps(self.cstore);
         self.lazy_seq(deps.iter().map(|&(_, ref dep)| {
             CrateDep {
-                name: Symbol::intern(dep.name()),
+                name: dep.name(),
                 hash: dep.hash(),
                 kind: dep.dep_kind.get(),
             }
@@ -1279,10 +1279,10 @@ impl<'a, 'tcx> EncodeContext<'a, 'tcx> {
         let is_proc_macro = tcx.sess.crate_types.borrow().contains(&CrateTypeProcMacro);
         let root = self.lazy(&CrateRoot {
             rustc_version: rustc_version(),
-            name: link_meta.crate_name.clone(),
+            name: link_meta.crate_name,
             triple: tcx.sess.opts.target_triple.clone(),
             hash: link_meta.crate_hash,
-            disambiguator: tcx.sess.local_crate_disambiguator().to_string(),
+            disambiguator: tcx.sess.local_crate_disambiguator(),
             panic_strategy: tcx.sess.panic_strategy(),
             plugin_registrar_fn: tcx.sess
                 .plugin_registrar_fn
diff --git a/src/librustc_metadata/locator.rs b/src/librustc_metadata/locator.rs
index b677a63edc0..f5196f7ea84 100644
--- a/src/librustc_metadata/locator.rs
+++ b/src/librustc_metadata/locator.rs
@@ -227,6 +227,7 @@ use rustc_llvm as llvm;
 use rustc_llvm::{False, ObjectFile, mk_section_iter};
 use rustc_llvm::archive_ro::ArchiveRO;
 use errors::DiagnosticBuilder;
+use syntax::symbol::Symbol;
 use syntax_pos::Span;
 use rustc_back::target::Target;
 
@@ -249,8 +250,8 @@ pub struct CrateMismatch {
 pub struct Context<'a> {
     pub sess: &'a Session,
     pub span: Span,
-    pub ident: &'a str,
-    pub crate_name: &'a str,
+    pub ident: Symbol,
+    pub crate_name: Symbol,
     pub hash: Option<&'a Svh>,
     // points to either self.sess.target.target or self.sess.host, must match triple
     pub target: &'a Target,
@@ -422,7 +423,7 @@ impl<'a> Context<'a> {
         // must be loaded via -L plus some filtering.
         if self.hash.is_none() {
             self.should_match_name = false;
-            if let Some(s) = self.sess.opts.externs.get(self.crate_name) {
+            if let Some(s) = self.sess.opts.externs.get(&self.crate_name.as_str()) {
                 return self.find_commandline_library(s.iter());
             }
             self.should_match_name = true;
@@ -533,7 +534,7 @@ impl<'a> Context<'a> {
                     if let Some((ref p, _)) = lib.rlib {
                         err.note(&format!("path: {}", p.display()));
                     }
-                    note_crate_name(&mut err, &lib.metadata.get_root().name);
+                    note_crate_name(&mut err, &lib.metadata.get_root().name.as_str());
                 }
                 err.emit();
                 None
diff --git a/src/librustc_metadata/schema.rs b/src/librustc_metadata/schema.rs
index 32c8c5e2ee8..e11719dc40f 100644
--- a/src/librustc_metadata/schema.rs
+++ b/src/librustc_metadata/schema.rs
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ use rustc_back::PanicStrategy;
 
 use rustc_serialize as serialize;
 use syntax::{ast, attr};
+use syntax::symbol::Symbol;
 use syntax_pos::{self, Span};
 
 use std::marker::PhantomData;
@@ -163,10 +164,10 @@ pub enum LazyState {
 #[derive(RustcEncodable, RustcDecodable)]
 pub struct CrateRoot {
     pub rustc_version: String,
-    pub name: String,
+    pub name: Symbol,
     pub triple: String,
     pub hash: hir::svh::Svh,
-    pub disambiguator: String,
+    pub disambiguator: Symbol,
     pub panic_strategy: PanicStrategy,
     pub plugin_registrar_fn: Option<DefIndex>,
     pub macro_derive_registrar: Option<DefIndex>,
diff --git a/src/librustc_resolve/lib.rs b/src/librustc_resolve/lib.rs
index ec6e762100d..b981dfef890 100644
--- a/src/librustc_resolve/lib.rs
+++ b/src/librustc_resolve/lib.rs
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ use syntax::ext::hygiene::{Mark, SyntaxContext};
 use syntax::ast::{self, FloatTy};
 use syntax::ast::{CRATE_NODE_ID, Name, NodeId, Ident, SpannedIdent, IntTy, UintTy};
 use syntax::ext::base::SyntaxExtension;
-use syntax::symbol::{Symbol, InternedString, keywords};
+use syntax::symbol::{Symbol, keywords};
 use syntax::util::lev_distance::find_best_match_for_name;
 
 use syntax::visit::{self, FnKind, Visitor};
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ mod resolve_imports;
 
 enum SuggestionType {
     Macro(String),
-    Function(InternedString),
+    Function(Symbol),
     NotFound,
 }
 
@@ -2891,7 +2891,7 @@ impl<'a> Resolver<'a> {
                     .flat_map(|rib| rib.bindings.keys().map(|ident| &ident.name));
 
         if let Some(found) = find_best_match_for_name(names, name, None) {
-            if name != found {
+            if found != name {
                 return SuggestionType::Function(found);
             }
         } SuggestionType::NotFound
diff --git a/src/librustc_save_analysis/lib.rs b/src/librustc_save_analysis/lib.rs
index 563d87a09b8..bd5da588a86 100644
--- a/src/librustc_save_analysis/lib.rs
+++ b/src/librustc_save_analysis/lib.rs
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ impl<'l, 'tcx: 'l> SaveContext<'l, 'tcx> {
                 }
             };
             result.push(CrateData {
-                name: (&self.tcx.sess.cstore.crate_name(n)[..]).to_owned(),
+                name: self.tcx.sess.cstore.crate_name(n).to_string(),
                 number: n.as_u32(),
                 span: span,
             });
@@ -734,11 +734,11 @@ fn docs_for_attrs(attrs: &[Attribute]) -> String {
 
     for attr in attrs {
         if attr.name() == doc {
-            if let Some(ref val) = attr.value_str() {
+            if let Some(val) = attr.value_str() {
                 if attr.is_sugared_doc {
-                    result.push_str(&strip_doc_comment_decoration(val));
+                    result.push_str(&strip_doc_comment_decoration(&val.as_str()));
                 } else {
-                    result.push_str(val);
+                    result.push_str(&val.as_str());
                 }
                 result.push('\n');
             }
diff --git a/src/librustc_trans/asm.rs b/src/librustc_trans/asm.rs
index 8c704cc3299..665e12cbe87 100644
--- a/src/librustc_trans/asm.rs
+++ b/src/librustc_trans/asm.rs
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ pub fn trans_inline_asm<'blk, 'tcx>(bcx: Block<'blk, 'tcx>,
         AsmDialect::Intel => llvm::AsmDialect::Intel,
     };
 
-    let asm = CString::new(ia.asm.as_bytes()).unwrap();
+    let asm = CString::new(ia.asm.as_str().as_bytes()).unwrap();
     let constraint_cstr = CString::new(all_constraints).unwrap();
     let r = InlineAsmCall(bcx,
                           asm.as_ptr(),
diff --git a/src/librustc_trans/assert_module_sources.rs b/src/librustc_trans/assert_module_sources.rs
index e3ebb0fabfc..898e65ce391 100644
--- a/src/librustc_trans/assert_module_sources.rs
+++ b/src/librustc_trans/assert_module_sources.rs
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@
 
 use rustc::ty::TyCtxt;
 use syntax::ast;
-use syntax::symbol::Symbol;
 
 use {ModuleSource, ModuleTranslation};
 
@@ -117,7 +116,7 @@ impl<'a, 'tcx> AssertModuleSource<'a, 'tcx> {
         for item in attr.meta_item_list().unwrap_or(&[]) {
             if item.check_name(name) {
                 if let Some(value) = item.value_str() {
-                    return Symbol::intern(&value);
+                    return value;
                 } else {
                     self.tcx.sess.span_fatal(
                         item.span,
diff --git a/src/librustc_trans/back/link.rs b/src/librustc_trans/back/link.rs
index 95d63311ee6..d0339775a78 100644
--- a/src/librustc_trans/back/link.rs
+++ b/src/librustc_trans/back/link.rs
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ use std::str;
 use flate;
 use syntax::ast;
 use syntax::attr;
+use syntax::symbol::Symbol;
 use syntax_pos::Span;
 
 // RLIB LLVM-BYTECODE OBJECT LAYOUT
@@ -93,8 +94,8 @@ pub fn find_crate_name(sess: Option<&Session>,
 
     if let Some(sess) = sess {
         if let Some(ref s) = sess.opts.crate_name {
-            if let Some((attr, ref name)) = attr_crate_name {
-                if *s != &name[..] {
+            if let Some((attr, name)) = attr_crate_name {
+                if name != &**s {
                     let msg = format!("--crate-name and #[crate_name] are \
                                        required to match, but `{}` != `{}`",
                                       s, name);
@@ -130,7 +131,7 @@ pub fn build_link_meta(incremental_hashes_map: &IncrementalHashesMap,
                        name: &str)
                        -> LinkMeta {
     let r = LinkMeta {
-        crate_name: name.to_owned(),
+        crate_name: Symbol::intern(name),
         crate_hash: Svh::new(incremental_hashes_map[&DepNode::Krate].to_smaller_hash()),
     };
     info!("{:?}", r);
@@ -429,7 +430,7 @@ fn link_rlib<'a>(sess: &'a Session,
             NativeLibraryKind::NativeFramework |
             NativeLibraryKind::NativeUnknown => continue,
         }
-        ab.add_native_library(&lib.name);
+        ab.add_native_library(&lib.name.as_str());
     }
 
     // After adding all files to the archive, we need to update the
@@ -615,7 +616,7 @@ fn link_staticlib(sess: &Session, objects: &[PathBuf], out_filename: &Path,
         let skip_object_files = native_libs.iter().any(|lib| {
             lib.kind == NativeLibraryKind::NativeStatic && !relevant_lib(sess, lib)
         });
-        ab.add_rlib(path, &name, sess.lto(), skip_object_files).unwrap();
+        ab.add_rlib(path, &name.as_str(), sess.lto(), skip_object_files).unwrap();
 
         all_native_libs.extend(sess.cstore.native_libraries(cnum));
     });
@@ -934,15 +935,15 @@ fn add_local_native_libraries(cmd: &mut Linker, sess: &Session) {
         // don't otherwise explicitly reference them. This can occur for
         // libraries which are just providing bindings, libraries with generic
         // functions, etc.
-        cmd.link_whole_staticlib(&l.name, &search_path);
+        cmd.link_whole_staticlib(&l.name.as_str(), &search_path);
     }
 
     cmd.hint_dynamic();
 
     for lib in others {
         match lib.kind {
-            NativeLibraryKind::NativeUnknown => cmd.link_dylib(&lib.name),
-            NativeLibraryKind::NativeFramework => cmd.link_framework(&lib.name),
+            NativeLibraryKind::NativeUnknown => cmd.link_dylib(&lib.name.as_str()),
+            NativeLibraryKind::NativeFramework => cmd.link_framework(&lib.name.as_str()),
             NativeLibraryKind::NativeStatic => bug!(),
         }
     }
@@ -1185,8 +1186,8 @@ fn add_upstream_native_libraries(cmd: &mut Linker, sess: &Session) {
                 continue
             }
             match lib.kind {
-                NativeLibraryKind::NativeUnknown => cmd.link_dylib(&lib.name),
-                NativeLibraryKind::NativeFramework => cmd.link_framework(&lib.name),
+                NativeLibraryKind::NativeUnknown => cmd.link_dylib(&lib.name.as_str()),
+                NativeLibraryKind::NativeFramework => cmd.link_framework(&lib.name.as_str()),
 
                 // ignore statically included native libraries here as we've
                 // already included them when we included the rust library
diff --git a/src/librustc_trans/back/symbol_names.rs b/src/librustc_trans/back/symbol_names.rs
index 30143b335d6..ff40cfda5ff 100644
--- a/src/librustc_trans/back/symbol_names.rs
+++ b/src/librustc_trans/back/symbol_names.rs
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ use rustc::hir::map::definitions::{DefPath, DefPathData};
 use rustc::util::common::record_time;
 
 use syntax::attr;
-use syntax::symbol::{Symbol, InternedString, intern_and_get_ident};
+use syntax::symbol::{Symbol, InternedString};
 
 fn get_symbol_hash<'a, 'tcx>(scx: &SharedCrateContext<'a, 'tcx>,
 
@@ -288,7 +288,7 @@ pub fn exported_name_from_type_and_prefix<'a, 'tcx>(scx: &SharedCrateContext<'a,
         krate: LOCAL_CRATE,
     };
     let hash = get_symbol_hash(scx, &empty_def_path, t, None);
-    let path = [intern_and_get_ident(prefix)];
+    let path = [Symbol::intern(prefix).as_str()];
     mangle(path.iter().cloned(), &hash)
 }
 
diff --git a/src/librustc_trans/base.rs b/src/librustc_trans/base.rs
index 0c0b7fbf4af..78a676d3033 100644
--- a/src/librustc_trans/base.rs
+++ b/src/librustc_trans/base.rs
@@ -1128,11 +1128,11 @@ pub fn set_link_section(ccx: &CrateContext,
                         llval: ValueRef,
                         attrs: &[ast::Attribute]) {
     if let Some(sect) = attr::first_attr_value_str_by_name(attrs, "link_section") {
-        if contains_null(&sect) {
+        if contains_null(&sect.as_str()) {
             ccx.sess().fatal(&format!("Illegal null byte in link_section value: `{}`", &sect));
         }
         unsafe {
-            let buf = CString::new(sect.as_bytes()).unwrap();
+            let buf = CString::new(sect.as_str().as_bytes()).unwrap();
             llvm::LLVMSetSection(llval, buf.as_ptr());
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/librustc_trans/consts.rs b/src/librustc_trans/consts.rs
index 670a84565fa..4186721c122 100644
--- a/src/librustc_trans/consts.rs
+++ b/src/librustc_trans/consts.rs
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ pub fn get_static(ccx: &CrateContext, def_id: DefId) -> ValueRef {
                     // extern "C" fn() from being non-null, so we can't just declare a
                     // static and call it a day. Some linkages (like weak) will make it such
                     // that the static actually has a null value.
-                    let linkage = match base::llvm_linkage_by_name(&name) {
+                    let linkage = match base::llvm_linkage_by_name(&name.as_str()) {
                         Some(linkage) => linkage,
                         None => {
                             ccx.sess().span_fatal(span, "invalid linkage specified");
diff --git a/src/librustc_trans/debuginfo/metadata.rs b/src/librustc_trans/debuginfo/metadata.rs
index cecf698fdc0..6caab4340e7 100644
--- a/src/librustc_trans/debuginfo/metadata.rs
+++ b/src/librustc_trans/debuginfo/metadata.rs
@@ -808,7 +808,7 @@ pub fn compile_unit_metadata(scc: &SharedCrateContext,
     };
 
     fn fallback_path(scc: &SharedCrateContext) -> CString {
-        CString::new(scc.link_meta().crate_name.clone()).unwrap()
+        CString::new(scc.link_meta().crate_name.to_string()).unwrap()
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/librustc_trans/debuginfo/namespace.rs b/src/librustc_trans/debuginfo/namespace.rs
index 5953ec4aaed..a0477c9fc1e 100644
--- a/src/librustc_trans/debuginfo/namespace.rs
+++ b/src/librustc_trans/debuginfo/namespace.rs
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ pub fn mangled_name_of_item(ccx: &CrateContext, def_id: DefId, extra: &str) -> S
         }
 
         let name = match def_key.disambiguated_data.data {
-            DefPathData::CrateRoot => ccx.tcx().crate_name(def_id.krate),
+            DefPathData::CrateRoot => ccx.tcx().crate_name(def_id.krate).as_str(),
             data => data.as_interned_str()
         };
 
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ pub fn item_namespace(ccx: &CrateContext, def_id: DefId) -> DIScope {
     });
 
     let namespace_name = match def_key.disambiguated_data.data {
-        DefPathData::CrateRoot => ccx.tcx().crate_name(def_id.krate),
+        DefPathData::CrateRoot => ccx.tcx().crate_name(def_id.krate).as_str(),
         data => data.as_interned_str()
     };
 
diff --git a/src/librustc_trans/debuginfo/type_names.rs b/src/librustc_trans/debuginfo/type_names.rs
index 956402edc11..fce1ce56105 100644
--- a/src/librustc_trans/debuginfo/type_names.rs
+++ b/src/librustc_trans/debuginfo/type_names.rs
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ pub fn push_debuginfo_type_name<'a, 'tcx>(cx: &CrateContext<'a, 'tcx>,
                       qualified: bool,
                       output: &mut String) {
         if qualified {
-            output.push_str(&cx.tcx().crate_name(def_id.krate));
+            output.push_str(&cx.tcx().crate_name(def_id.krate).as_str());
             for path_element in cx.tcx().def_path(def_id).data {
                 output.push_str("::");
                 output.push_str(&path_element.data.as_interned_str());
diff --git a/src/librustc_trans/intrinsic.rs b/src/librustc_trans/intrinsic.rs
index 98294cb8695..caa88c91d2c 100644
--- a/src/librustc_trans/intrinsic.rs
+++ b/src/librustc_trans/intrinsic.rs
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ use rustc::ty::{self, Ty};
 use Disr;
 use rustc::hir;
 use syntax::ast;
-use syntax::symbol::intern_and_get_ident;
+use syntax::symbol::Symbol;
 
 use rustc::session::Session;
 use syntax_pos::{Span, DUMMY_SP};
@@ -208,7 +208,7 @@ pub fn trans_intrinsic_call<'a, 'blk, 'tcx>(mut bcx: Block<'blk, 'tcx>,
         }
         (_, "type_name") => {
             let tp_ty = substs.type_at(0);
-            let ty_name = intern_and_get_ident(&tp_ty.to_string());
+            let ty_name = Symbol::intern(&tp_ty.to_string()).as_str();
             C_str_slice(ccx, ty_name)
         }
         (_, "type_id") => {
diff --git a/src/librustc_trans/mir/block.rs b/src/librustc_trans/mir/block.rs
index ce1507e8181..c0000506d24 100644
--- a/src/librustc_trans/mir/block.rs
+++ b/src/librustc_trans/mir/block.rs
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ use glue;
 use type_::Type;
 
 use rustc_data_structures::fx::FxHashMap;
-use syntax::symbol::intern_and_get_ident;
+use syntax::symbol::Symbol;
 
 use super::{MirContext, LocalRef};
 use super::analyze::CleanupKind;
@@ -321,7 +321,7 @@ impl<'bcx, 'tcx> MirContext<'bcx, 'tcx> {
 
                 // Get the location information.
                 let loc = bcx.sess().codemap().lookup_char_pos(span.lo);
-                let filename = intern_and_get_ident(&loc.file.name);
+                let filename = Symbol::intern(&loc.file.name).as_str();
                 let filename = C_str_slice(bcx.ccx(), filename);
                 let line = C_u32(bcx.ccx(), loc.line as u32);
 
@@ -351,7 +351,7 @@ impl<'bcx, 'tcx> MirContext<'bcx, 'tcx> {
                          const_err)
                     }
                     mir::AssertMessage::Math(ref err) => {
-                        let msg_str = intern_and_get_ident(err.description());
+                        let msg_str = Symbol::intern(err.description()).as_str();
                         let msg_str = C_str_slice(bcx.ccx(), msg_str);
                         let msg_file_line = C_struct(bcx.ccx(),
                                                      &[msg_str, filename, line],
diff --git a/src/librustc_trans/partitioning.rs b/src/librustc_trans/partitioning.rs
index 06b6c950293..e90140ab2ca 100644
--- a/src/librustc_trans/partitioning.rs
+++ b/src/librustc_trans/partitioning.rs
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ use std::sync::Arc;
 use std::collections::hash_map::DefaultHasher;
 use symbol_map::SymbolMap;
 use syntax::ast::NodeId;
-use syntax::symbol::{InternedString, intern_and_get_ident};
+use syntax::symbol::{Symbol, InternedString};
 use trans_item::TransItem;
 use util::nodemap::{FxHashMap, FxHashSet};
 
@@ -272,7 +272,7 @@ pub fn partition<'a, 'tcx, I>(scx: &SharedCrateContext<'a, 'tcx>,
     // If the partitioning should produce a fixed count of codegen units, merge
     // until that count is reached.
     if let PartitioningStrategy::FixedUnitCount(count) = strategy {
-        merge_codegen_units(&mut initial_partitioning, count, &tcx.crate_name[..]);
+        merge_codegen_units(&mut initial_partitioning, count, &tcx.crate_name.as_str());
 
         debug_dump(scx, "POST MERGING:", initial_partitioning.codegen_units.iter());
     }
@@ -523,7 +523,7 @@ fn compute_codegen_unit_name<'a, 'tcx>(tcx: TyCtxt<'a, 'tcx, 'tcx>,
     let mut mod_path = String::with_capacity(64);
 
     let def_path = tcx.def_path(def_id);
-    mod_path.push_str(&tcx.crate_name(def_path.krate));
+    mod_path.push_str(&tcx.crate_name(def_path.krate).as_str());
 
     for part in tcx.def_path(def_id)
                    .data
@@ -542,14 +542,11 @@ fn compute_codegen_unit_name<'a, 'tcx>(tcx: TyCtxt<'a, 'tcx, 'tcx>,
         mod_path.push_str(".volatile");
     }
 
-    return intern_and_get_ident(&mod_path[..]);
+    return Symbol::intern(&mod_path[..]).as_str();
 }
 
 fn numbered_codegen_unit_name(crate_name: &str, index: usize) -> InternedString {
-    intern_and_get_ident(&format!("{}{}{}",
-        crate_name,
-        NUMBERED_CODEGEN_UNIT_MARKER,
-        index)[..])
+    Symbol::intern(&format!("{}{}{}", crate_name, NUMBERED_CODEGEN_UNIT_MARKER, index)).as_str()
 }
 
 fn debug_dump<'a, 'b, 'tcx, I>(scx: &SharedCrateContext<'a, 'tcx>,
diff --git a/src/librustc_trans/trans_item.rs b/src/librustc_trans/trans_item.rs
index 7fa59127704..f2d1e375793 100644
--- a/src/librustc_trans/trans_item.rs
+++ b/src/librustc_trans/trans_item.rs
@@ -285,7 +285,7 @@ impl<'a, 'tcx> TransItem<'tcx> {
 
         let attributes = tcx.get_attrs(def_id);
         if let Some(name) = attr::first_attr_value_str_by_name(&attributes, "linkage") {
-            if let Some(linkage) = base::llvm_linkage_by_name(&name) {
+            if let Some(linkage) = base::llvm_linkage_by_name(&name.as_str()) {
                 Some(linkage)
             } else {
                 let span = tcx.map.span_if_local(def_id);
@@ -531,7 +531,7 @@ impl<'a, 'tcx> DefPathBasedNames<'a, 'tcx> {
 
         // some_crate::
         if !(self.omit_local_crate_name && def_id.is_local()) {
-            output.push_str(&self.tcx.crate_name(def_path.krate));
+            output.push_str(&self.tcx.crate_name(def_path.krate).as_str());
             output.push_str("::");
         }
 
diff --git a/src/librustc_typeck/check/mod.rs b/src/librustc_typeck/check/mod.rs
index 7f03c51b9ea..30015c242ba 100644
--- a/src/librustc_typeck/check/mod.rs
+++ b/src/librustc_typeck/check/mod.rs
@@ -931,7 +931,8 @@ fn check_on_unimplemented<'a, 'tcx>(ccx: &CrateCtxt<'a, 'tcx>,
     if let Some(ref attr) = item.attrs.iter().find(|a| {
         a.check_name("rustc_on_unimplemented")
     }) {
-        if let Some(ref istring) = attr.value_str() {
+        if let Some(istring) = attr.value_str() {
+            let istring = istring.as_str();
             let parser = Parser::new(&istring);
             let types = &generics.types;
             for token in parser {
@@ -3027,7 +3028,7 @@ impl<'a, 'gcx, 'tcx> FnCtxt<'a, 'gcx, 'tcx> {
     fn suggest_field_name(variant: ty::VariantDef<'tcx>,
                           field: &Spanned<ast::Name>,
                           skip : Vec<InternedString>)
-                          -> Option<InternedString> {
+                          -> Option<Symbol> {
         let name = field.node.as_str();
         let names = variant.fields.iter().filter_map(|field| {
             // ignore already set fields and private fields from non-local crates
diff --git a/src/libsyntax/ast.rs b/src/libsyntax/ast.rs
index a001985ded9..8a238a11281 100644
--- a/src/libsyntax/ast.rs
+++ b/src/libsyntax/ast.rs
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ use abi::Abi;
 use ext::hygiene::SyntaxContext;
 use print::pprust;
 use ptr::P;
-use symbol::{Symbol, keywords, InternedString};
+use symbol::{Symbol, keywords};
 use tokenstream::{TokenTree};
 
 use std::collections::HashSet;
@@ -451,7 +451,7 @@ pub struct WhereEqPredicate {
 
 /// The set of MetaItems that define the compilation environment of the crate,
 /// used to drive conditional compilation
-pub type CrateConfig = HashSet<(Name, Option<InternedString>)>;
+pub type CrateConfig = HashSet<(Name, Option<Symbol>)>;
 
 #[derive(Clone, PartialEq, Eq, RustcEncodable, RustcDecodable, Hash, Debug)]
 pub struct Crate {
@@ -1098,7 +1098,7 @@ pub enum LitIntType {
 #[derive(Clone, PartialEq, Eq, RustcEncodable, RustcDecodable, Hash, Debug)]
 pub enum LitKind {
     /// A string literal (`"foo"`)
-    Str(InternedString, StrStyle),
+    Str(Symbol, StrStyle),
     /// A byte string (`b"foo"`)
     ByteStr(Rc<Vec<u8>>),
     /// A byte char (`b'f'`)
@@ -1108,9 +1108,9 @@ pub enum LitKind {
     /// An integer literal (`1`)
     Int(u64, LitIntType),
     /// A float literal (`1f64` or `1E10f64`)
-    Float(InternedString, FloatTy),
+    Float(Symbol, FloatTy),
     /// A float literal without a suffix (`1.0 or 1.0E10`)
-    FloatUnsuffixed(InternedString),
+    FloatUnsuffixed(Symbol),
     /// A boolean literal
     Bool(bool),
 }
@@ -1442,7 +1442,7 @@ pub enum AsmDialect {
 /// E.g. `"={eax}"(result)` as in `asm!("mov eax, 2" : "={eax}"(result) : : : "intel")``
 #[derive(Clone, PartialEq, Eq, RustcEncodable, RustcDecodable, Hash, Debug)]
 pub struct InlineAsmOutput {
-    pub constraint: InternedString,
+    pub constraint: Symbol,
     pub expr: P<Expr>,
     pub is_rw: bool,
     pub is_indirect: bool,
@@ -1453,11 +1453,11 @@ pub struct InlineAsmOutput {
 /// E.g. `asm!("NOP");`
 #[derive(Clone, PartialEq, Eq, RustcEncodable, RustcDecodable, Hash, Debug)]
 pub struct InlineAsm {
-    pub asm: InternedString,
+    pub asm: Symbol,
     pub asm_str_style: StrStyle,
     pub outputs: Vec<InlineAsmOutput>,
-    pub inputs: Vec<(InternedString, P<Expr>)>,
-    pub clobbers: Vec<InternedString>,
+    pub inputs: Vec<(Symbol, P<Expr>)>,
+    pub clobbers: Vec<Symbol>,
     pub volatile: bool,
     pub alignstack: bool,
     pub dialect: AsmDialect,
diff --git a/src/libsyntax/attr.rs b/src/libsyntax/attr.rs
index 4fce739efe2..45c120e0b95 100644
--- a/src/libsyntax/attr.rs
+++ b/src/libsyntax/attr.rs
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ use feature_gate::{Features, GatedCfg};
 use parse::lexer::comments::{doc_comment_style, strip_doc_comment_decoration};
 use parse::ParseSess;
 use ptr::P;
-use symbol::{self, Symbol, InternedString};
+use symbol::Symbol;
 use util::ThinVec;
 
 use std::cell::{RefCell, Cell};
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ impl NestedMetaItem {
 
     /// Gets the string value if self is a MetaItem and the MetaItem is a
     /// MetaItemKind::NameValue variant containing a string, otherwise None.
-    pub fn value_str(&self) -> Option<InternedString> {
+    pub fn value_str(&self) -> Option<Symbol> {
         self.meta_item().and_then(|meta_item| meta_item.value_str())
     }
 
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ impl Attribute {
 
     pub fn name(&self) -> Name { self.meta().name() }
 
-    pub fn value_str(&self) -> Option<InternedString> {
+    pub fn value_str(&self) -> Option<Symbol> {
         self.meta().value_str()
     }
 
@@ -222,7 +222,7 @@ impl MetaItem {
         self.name
     }
 
-    pub fn value_str(&self) -> Option<InternedString> {
+    pub fn value_str(&self) -> Option<Symbol> {
         match self.node {
             MetaItemKind::NameValue(ref v) => {
                 match v.node {
@@ -279,8 +279,7 @@ impl Attribute {
             let comment = self.value_str().unwrap();
             let meta = mk_name_value_item_str(
                 Symbol::intern("doc"),
-                symbol::intern_and_get_ident(&strip_doc_comment_decoration(
-                        &comment)));
+                Symbol::intern(&strip_doc_comment_decoration(&comment.as_str())));
             if self.style == ast::AttrStyle::Outer {
                 f(&mk_attr_outer(self.id, meta))
             } else {
@@ -294,7 +293,7 @@ impl Attribute {
 
 /* Constructors */
 
-pub fn mk_name_value_item_str(name: Name, value: InternedString) -> MetaItem {
+pub fn mk_name_value_item_str(name: Name, value: Symbol) -> MetaItem {
     let value_lit = dummy_spanned(ast::LitKind::Str(value, ast::StrStyle::Cooked));
     mk_spanned_name_value_item(DUMMY_SP, name, value_lit)
 }
@@ -383,9 +382,9 @@ pub fn mk_doc_attr_outer(id: AttrId, item: MetaItem, is_sugared_doc: bool) -> At
     }
 }
 
-pub fn mk_sugared_doc_attr(id: AttrId, text: InternedString, lo: BytePos, hi: BytePos)
+pub fn mk_sugared_doc_attr(id: AttrId, text: Symbol, lo: BytePos, hi: BytePos)
                            -> Attribute {
-    let style = doc_comment_style(&text);
+    let style = doc_comment_style(&text.as_str());
     let lit = spanned(lo, hi, ast::LitKind::Str(text, ast::StrStyle::Cooked));
     Attribute {
         id: id,
@@ -416,14 +415,13 @@ pub fn contains_name(attrs: &[Attribute], name: &str) -> bool {
     })
 }
 
-pub fn first_attr_value_str_by_name(attrs: &[Attribute], name: &str)
-                                 -> Option<InternedString> {
+pub fn first_attr_value_str_by_name(attrs: &[Attribute], name: &str) -> Option<Symbol> {
     attrs.iter()
         .find(|at| at.check_name(name))
         .and_then(|at| at.value_str())
 }
 
-pub fn last_meta_item_value_str_by_name(items: &[MetaItem], name: &str) -> Option<InternedString> {
+pub fn last_meta_item_value_str_by_name(items: &[MetaItem], name: &str) -> Option<Symbol> {
     items.iter()
          .rev()
          .find(|mi| mi.check_name(name))
@@ -432,12 +430,12 @@ pub fn last_meta_item_value_str_by_name(items: &[MetaItem], name: &str) -> Optio
 
 /* Higher-level applications */
 
-pub fn find_crate_name(attrs: &[Attribute]) -> Option<InternedString> {
+pub fn find_crate_name(attrs: &[Attribute]) -> Option<Symbol> {
     first_attr_value_str_by_name(attrs, "crate_name")
 }
 
 /// Find the value of #[export_name=*] attribute and check its validity.
-pub fn find_export_name_attr(diag: &Handler, attrs: &[Attribute]) -> Option<InternedString> {
+pub fn find_export_name_attr(diag: &Handler, attrs: &[Attribute]) -> Option<Symbol> {
     attrs.iter().fold(None, |ia,attr| {
         if attr.check_name("export_name") {
             if let s@Some(_) = attr.value_str() {
@@ -555,7 +553,7 @@ pub fn cfg_matches(cfg: &ast::MetaItem, sess: &ParseSess, features: Option<&Feat
 #[derive(RustcEncodable, RustcDecodable, Clone, Debug, PartialEq, Eq, Hash)]
 pub struct Stability {
     pub level: StabilityLevel,
-    pub feature: InternedString,
+    pub feature: Symbol,
     pub rustc_depr: Option<RustcDeprecation>,
 }
 
@@ -563,20 +561,20 @@ pub struct Stability {
 #[derive(RustcEncodable, RustcDecodable, PartialEq, PartialOrd, Clone, Debug, Eq, Hash)]
 pub enum StabilityLevel {
     // Reason for the current stability level and the relevant rust-lang issue
-    Unstable { reason: Option<InternedString>, issue: u32 },
-    Stable { since: InternedString },
+    Unstable { reason: Option<Symbol>, issue: u32 },
+    Stable { since: Symbol },
 }
 
 #[derive(RustcEncodable, RustcDecodable, PartialEq, PartialOrd, Clone, Debug, Eq, Hash)]
 pub struct RustcDeprecation {
-    pub since: InternedString,
-    pub reason: InternedString,
+    pub since: Symbol,
+    pub reason: Symbol,
 }
 
 #[derive(RustcEncodable, RustcDecodable, PartialEq, PartialOrd, Clone, Debug, Eq, Hash)]
 pub struct Deprecation {
-    pub since: Option<InternedString>,
-    pub note: Option<InternedString>,
+    pub since: Option<Symbol>,
+    pub note: Option<Symbol>,
 }
 
 impl StabilityLevel {
@@ -602,7 +600,7 @@ fn find_stability_generic<'a, I>(diagnostic: &Handler,
         mark_used(attr);
 
         if let Some(metas) = attr.meta_item_list() {
-            let get = |meta: &MetaItem, item: &mut Option<InternedString>| {
+            let get = |meta: &MetaItem, item: &mut Option<Symbol>| {
                 if item.is_some() {
                     handle_errors(diagnostic, meta.span, AttrError::MultipleItem(meta.name()));
                     return false
@@ -693,7 +691,7 @@ fn find_stability_generic<'a, I>(diagnostic: &Handler,
                                 level: Unstable {
                                     reason: reason,
                                     issue: {
-                                        if let Ok(issue) = issue.parse() {
+                                        if let Ok(issue) = issue.as_str().parse() {
                                             issue
                                         } else {
                                             span_err!(diagnostic, attr.span(), E0545,
@@ -804,7 +802,7 @@ fn find_deprecation_generic<'a, I>(diagnostic: &Handler,
         }
 
         depr = if let Some(metas) = attr.meta_item_list() {
-            let get = |meta: &MetaItem, item: &mut Option<InternedString>| {
+            let get = |meta: &MetaItem, item: &mut Option<Symbol>| {
                 if item.is_some() {
                     handle_errors(diagnostic, meta.span, AttrError::MultipleItem(meta.name()));
                     return false
diff --git a/src/libsyntax/diagnostics/plugin.rs b/src/libsyntax/diagnostics/plugin.rs
index aa81d7afcb3..fe5cb87ad59 100644
--- a/src/libsyntax/diagnostics/plugin.rs
+++ b/src/libsyntax/diagnostics/plugin.rs
@@ -195,11 +195,11 @@ pub fn expand_build_diagnostic_array<'cx>(ecx: &'cx mut ExtCtxt,
     let (count, expr) =
         with_registered_diagnostics(|diagnostics| {
             let descriptions: Vec<P<ast::Expr>> =
-                diagnostics.iter().filter_map(|(code, info)| {
+                diagnostics.iter().filter_map(|(&code, info)| {
                     info.description.map(|description| {
                         ecx.expr_tuple(span, vec![
-                            ecx.expr_str(span, code.as_str()),
-                            ecx.expr_str(span, description.as_str())
+                            ecx.expr_str(span, code),
+                            ecx.expr_str(span, description)
                         ])
                     })
                 }).collect();
diff --git a/src/libsyntax/ext/base.rs b/src/libsyntax/ext/base.rs
index 0fd360ba2e4..1dda5e3ba06 100644
--- a/src/libsyntax/ext/base.rs
+++ b/src/libsyntax/ext/base.rs
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ use fold::{self, Folder};
 use parse::{self, parser};
 use parse::token;
 use ptr::P;
-use symbol::{Symbol, InternedString};
+use symbol::Symbol;
 use util::small_vector::SmallVector;
 
 use std::path::PathBuf;
@@ -754,7 +754,7 @@ impl<'a> ExtCtxt<'a> {
 /// emitting `err_msg` if `expr` is not a string literal. This does not stop
 /// compilation on error, merely emits a non-fatal error and returns None.
 pub fn expr_to_spanned_string(cx: &mut ExtCtxt, expr: P<ast::Expr>, err_msg: &str)
-                              -> Option<Spanned<(InternedString, ast::StrStyle)>> {
+                              -> Option<Spanned<(Symbol, ast::StrStyle)>> {
     // Update `expr.span`'s expn_id now in case expr is an `include!` macro invocation.
     let expr = expr.map(|mut expr| {
         expr.span.expn_id = cx.backtrace();
@@ -765,7 +765,7 @@ pub fn expr_to_spanned_string(cx: &mut ExtCtxt, expr: P<ast::Expr>, err_msg: &st
     let expr = cx.expander().fold_expr(expr);
     match expr.node {
         ast::ExprKind::Lit(ref l) => match l.node {
-            ast::LitKind::Str(ref s, style) => return Some(respan(expr.span, (s.clone(), style))),
+            ast::LitKind::Str(s, style) => return Some(respan(expr.span, (s, style))),
             _ => cx.span_err(l.span, err_msg)
         },
         _ => cx.span_err(expr.span, err_msg)
@@ -774,7 +774,7 @@ pub fn expr_to_spanned_string(cx: &mut ExtCtxt, expr: P<ast::Expr>, err_msg: &st
 }
 
 pub fn expr_to_string(cx: &mut ExtCtxt, expr: P<ast::Expr>, err_msg: &str)
-                      -> Option<(InternedString, ast::StrStyle)> {
+                      -> Option<(Symbol, ast::StrStyle)> {
     expr_to_spanned_string(cx, expr, err_msg).map(|s| s.node)
 }
 
diff --git a/src/libsyntax/ext/build.rs b/src/libsyntax/ext/build.rs
index b96a4624508..324afc20051 100644
--- a/src/libsyntax/ext/build.rs
+++ b/src/libsyntax/ext/build.rs
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ use syntax_pos::{Span, DUMMY_SP, Pos};
 use codemap::{dummy_spanned, respan, Spanned};
 use ext::base::ExtCtxt;
 use ptr::P;
-use symbol::{intern_and_get_ident, keywords, InternedString};
+use symbol::{Symbol, keywords};
 
 // Transitional reexports so qquote can find the paths it is looking for
 mod syntax {
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ pub trait AstBuilder {
     fn expr_vec(&self, sp: Span, exprs: Vec<P<ast::Expr>>) -> P<ast::Expr>;
     fn expr_vec_ng(&self, sp: Span) -> P<ast::Expr>;
     fn expr_vec_slice(&self, sp: Span, exprs: Vec<P<ast::Expr>>) -> P<ast::Expr>;
-    fn expr_str(&self, sp: Span, s: InternedString) -> P<ast::Expr>;
+    fn expr_str(&self, sp: Span, s: Symbol) -> P<ast::Expr>;
 
     fn expr_some(&self, sp: Span, expr: P<ast::Expr>) -> P<ast::Expr>;
     fn expr_none(&self, sp: Span) -> P<ast::Expr>;
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ pub trait AstBuilder {
 
     fn expr_tuple(&self, sp: Span, exprs: Vec<P<ast::Expr>>) -> P<ast::Expr>;
 
-    fn expr_fail(&self, span: Span, msg: InternedString) -> P<ast::Expr>;
+    fn expr_fail(&self, span: Span, msg: Symbol) -> P<ast::Expr>;
     fn expr_unreachable(&self, span: Span) -> P<ast::Expr>;
 
     fn expr_ok(&self, span: Span, expr: P<ast::Expr>) -> P<ast::Expr>;
@@ -755,7 +755,7 @@ impl<'a> AstBuilder for ExtCtxt<'a> {
     fn expr_vec_slice(&self, sp: Span, exprs: Vec<P<ast::Expr>>) -> P<ast::Expr> {
         self.expr_addr_of(sp, self.expr_vec(sp, exprs))
     }
-    fn expr_str(&self, sp: Span, s: InternedString) -> P<ast::Expr> {
+    fn expr_str(&self, sp: Span, s: Symbol) -> P<ast::Expr> {
         self.expr_lit(sp, ast::LitKind::Str(s, ast::StrStyle::Cooked))
     }
 
@@ -785,9 +785,9 @@ impl<'a> AstBuilder for ExtCtxt<'a> {
         self.expr(sp, ast::ExprKind::Tup(exprs))
     }
 
-    fn expr_fail(&self, span: Span, msg: InternedString) -> P<ast::Expr> {
+    fn expr_fail(&self, span: Span, msg: Symbol) -> P<ast::Expr> {
         let loc = self.codemap().lookup_char_pos(span.lo);
-        let expr_file = self.expr_str(span, intern_and_get_ident(&loc.file.name));
+        let expr_file = self.expr_str(span, Symbol::intern(&loc.file.name));
         let expr_line = self.expr_u32(span, loc.line as u32);
         let expr_file_line_tuple = self.expr_tuple(span, vec![expr_file, expr_line]);
         let expr_file_line_ptr = self.expr_addr_of(span, expr_file_line_tuple);
@@ -800,9 +800,7 @@ impl<'a> AstBuilder for ExtCtxt<'a> {
     }
 
     fn expr_unreachable(&self, span: Span) -> P<ast::Expr> {
-        self.expr_fail(span,
-                       InternedString::new(
-                           "internal error: entered unreachable code"))
+        self.expr_fail(span, Symbol::intern("internal error: entered unreachable code"))
     }
 
     fn expr_ok(&self, sp: Span, expr: P<ast::Expr>) -> P<ast::Expr> {
diff --git a/src/libsyntax/ext/expand.rs b/src/libsyntax/ext/expand.rs
index f033b3400d0..844fb77e29d 100644
--- a/src/libsyntax/ext/expand.rs
+++ b/src/libsyntax/ext/expand.rs
@@ -780,7 +780,7 @@ impl<'a, 'b> Folder for InvocationCollector<'a, 'b> {
                 if inline_module {
                     if let Some(path) = attr::first_attr_value_str_by_name(&item.attrs, "path") {
                         self.cx.current_expansion.no_noninline_mod = false;
-                        module.directory.push(&*path);
+                        module.directory.push(&*path.as_str());
                     } else {
                         module.directory.push(&*item.ident.name.as_str());
                     }
diff --git a/src/libsyntax/ext/quote.rs b/src/libsyntax/ext/quote.rs
index 0bd018603d2..aa777a19a9b 100644
--- a/src/libsyntax/ext/quote.rs
+++ b/src/libsyntax/ext/quote.rs
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ pub mod rt {
     use parse::{self, token, classify};
     use ptr::P;
     use std::rc::Rc;
-    use symbol;
+    use symbol::Symbol;
 
     use tokenstream::{self, TokenTree};
 
@@ -239,8 +239,7 @@ pub mod rt {
 
     impl ToTokens for str {
         fn to_tokens(&self, cx: &ExtCtxt) -> Vec<TokenTree> {
-            let lit = ast::LitKind::Str(
-                symbol::intern_and_get_ident(self), ast::StrStyle::Cooked);
+            let lit = ast::LitKind::Str(Symbol::intern(self), ast::StrStyle::Cooked);
             dummy_spanned(lit).to_tokens(cx)
         }
     }
@@ -538,7 +537,7 @@ fn id_ext(s: &str) -> ast::Ident {
 
 // Lift an ident to the expr that evaluates to that ident.
 fn mk_ident(cx: &ExtCtxt, sp: Span, ident: ast::Ident) -> P<ast::Expr> {
-    let e_str = cx.expr_str(sp, ident.name.as_str());
+    let e_str = cx.expr_str(sp, ident.name);
     cx.expr_method_call(sp,
                         cx.expr_ident(sp, id_ext("ext_cx")),
                         id_ext("ident_of"),
@@ -547,7 +546,7 @@ fn mk_ident(cx: &ExtCtxt, sp: Span, ident: ast::Ident) -> P<ast::Expr> {
 
 // Lift a name to the expr that evaluates to that name
 fn mk_name(cx: &ExtCtxt, sp: Span, ident: ast::Ident) -> P<ast::Expr> {
-    let e_str = cx.expr_str(sp, ident.name.as_str());
+    let e_str = cx.expr_str(sp, ident.name);
     cx.expr_method_call(sp,
                         cx.expr_ident(sp, id_ext("ext_cx")),
                         id_ext("name_of"),
diff --git a/src/libsyntax/ext/source_util.rs b/src/libsyntax/ext/source_util.rs
index 7893ad839ea..320d49b6463 100644
--- a/src/libsyntax/ext/source_util.rs
+++ b/src/libsyntax/ext/source_util.rs
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ use parse::token;
 use parse;
 use print::pprust;
 use ptr::P;
-use symbol;
+use symbol::Symbol;
 use tokenstream;
 use util::small_vector::SmallVector;
 
@@ -61,14 +61,13 @@ pub fn expand_file(cx: &mut ExtCtxt, sp: Span, tts: &[tokenstream::TokenTree])
 
     let topmost = cx.expansion_cause();
     let loc = cx.codemap().lookup_char_pos(topmost.lo);
-    let filename = symbol::intern_and_get_ident(&loc.file.name);
-    base::MacEager::expr(cx.expr_str(topmost, filename))
+    base::MacEager::expr(cx.expr_str(topmost, Symbol::intern(&loc.file.name)))
 }
 
 pub fn expand_stringify(cx: &mut ExtCtxt, sp: Span, tts: &[tokenstream::TokenTree])
                         -> Box<base::MacResult+'static> {
     let s = pprust::tts_to_string(tts);
-    base::MacEager::expr(cx.expr_str(sp, symbol::intern_and_get_ident(&s)))
+    base::MacEager::expr(cx.expr_str(sp, Symbol::intern(&s)))
 }
 
 pub fn expand_mod(cx: &mut ExtCtxt, sp: Span, tts: &[tokenstream::TokenTree])
@@ -77,7 +76,7 @@ pub fn expand_mod(cx: &mut ExtCtxt, sp: Span, tts: &[tokenstream::TokenTree])
     let mod_path = &cx.current_expansion.module.mod_path;
     let string = mod_path.iter().map(|x| x.to_string()).collect::<Vec<String>>().join("::");
 
-    base::MacEager::expr(cx.expr_str(sp, symbol::intern_and_get_ident(&string)))
+    base::MacEager::expr(cx.expr_str(sp, Symbol::intern(&string)))
 }
 
 /// include! : parse the given file as an expr
@@ -142,10 +141,9 @@ pub fn expand_include_str(cx: &mut ExtCtxt, sp: Span, tts: &[tokenstream::TokenT
             // Add this input file to the code map to make it available as
             // dependency information
             let filename = format!("{}", file.display());
-            let interned = symbol::intern_and_get_ident(&src);
             cx.codemap().new_filemap_and_lines(&filename, None, &src);
 
-            base::MacEager::expr(cx.expr_str(sp, interned))
+            base::MacEager::expr(cx.expr_str(sp, Symbol::intern(&src)))
         }
         Err(_) => {
             cx.span_err(sp,
diff --git a/src/libsyntax/feature_gate.rs b/src/libsyntax/feature_gate.rs
index 0f94018997c..680896e599b 100644
--- a/src/libsyntax/feature_gate.rs
+++ b/src/libsyntax/feature_gate.rs
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ use syntax_pos::Span;
 use errors::{DiagnosticBuilder, Handler};
 use visit::{self, FnKind, Visitor};
 use parse::ParseSess;
-use symbol::InternedString;
+use symbol::Symbol;
 
 use std::ascii::AsciiExt;
 use std::env;
@@ -59,9 +59,9 @@ macro_rules! declare_features {
         /// A set of features to be used by later passes.
         pub struct Features {
             /// #![feature] attrs for stable language features, for error reporting
-            pub declared_stable_lang_features: Vec<(InternedString, Span)>,
+            pub declared_stable_lang_features: Vec<(Symbol, Span)>,
             /// #![feature] attrs for non-language (library) features
-            pub declared_lib_features: Vec<(InternedString, Span)>,
+            pub declared_lib_features: Vec<(Symbol, Span)>,
             $(pub $feature: bool),+
         }
 
@@ -1121,9 +1121,8 @@ impl<'a> Visitor for PostExpansionVisitor<'a> {
     }
 
     fn visit_foreign_item(&mut self, i: &ast::ForeignItem) {
-        let links_to_llvm = match attr::first_attr_value_str_by_name(&i.attrs,
-                                                                     "link_name") {
-            Some(val) => val.starts_with("llvm."),
+        let links_to_llvm = match attr::first_attr_value_str_by_name(&i.attrs, "link_name") {
+            Some(val) => val.as_str().starts_with("llvm."),
             _ => false
         };
         if links_to_llvm {
@@ -1351,7 +1350,7 @@ pub fn get_features(span_handler: &Handler, krate_attrs: &[ast::Attribute]) -> F
             Some(list) => {
                 for mi in list {
                     let name = if let Some(word) = mi.word() {
-                        word.name().as_str()
+                        word.name()
                     } else {
                         span_err!(span_handler, mi.span, E0556,
                                   "malformed feature, expected just one word");
diff --git a/src/libsyntax/parse/attr.rs b/src/libsyntax/parse/attr.rs
index a6e40d70e2f..ded676da3c6 100644
--- a/src/libsyntax/parse/attr.rs
+++ b/src/libsyntax/parse/attr.rs
@@ -48,12 +48,8 @@ impl<'a> Parser<'a> {
                     just_parsed_doc_comment = false;
                 }
                 token::DocComment(s) => {
-                    let attr = ::attr::mk_sugared_doc_attr(
-                        attr::mk_attr_id(),
-                        self.id_to_interned_str(ast::Ident::with_empty_ctxt(s)),
-                        self.span.lo,
-                        self.span.hi
-                    );
+                    let Span { lo, hi, .. } = self.span;
+                    let attr = attr::mk_sugared_doc_attr(attr::mk_attr_id(), s, lo, hi);
                     if attr.style != ast::AttrStyle::Outer {
                         let mut err = self.fatal("expected outer doc comment");
                         err.note("inner doc comments like this (starting with \
@@ -175,8 +171,7 @@ impl<'a> Parser<'a> {
                 token::DocComment(s) => {
                     // we need to get the position of this token before we bump.
                     let Span { lo, hi, .. } = self.span;
-                    let str = self.id_to_interned_str(ast::Ident::with_empty_ctxt(s));
-                    let attr = attr::mk_sugared_doc_attr(attr::mk_attr_id(), str, lo, hi);
+                    let attr = attr::mk_sugared_doc_attr(attr::mk_attr_id(), s, lo, hi);
                     if attr.style == ast::AttrStyle::Inner {
                         attrs.push(attr);
                         self.bump();
diff --git a/src/libsyntax/parse/mod.rs b/src/libsyntax/parse/mod.rs
index a44f78b3c3a..c811514c307 100644
--- a/src/libsyntax/parse/mod.rs
+++ b/src/libsyntax/parse/mod.rs
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ use feature_gate::UnstableFeatures;
 use parse::parser::Parser;
 use ptr::P;
 use str::char_at;
-use symbol::{self, InternedString};
+use symbol::Symbol;
 use tokenstream;
 
 use std::cell::RefCell;
@@ -372,13 +372,18 @@ fn looks_like_width_suffix(first_chars: &[char], s: &str) -> bool {
         s[1..].chars().all(|c| '0' <= c && c <= '9')
 }
 
-fn filtered_float_lit(data: InternedString, suffix: Option<&str>,
-                      sd: &Handler, sp: Span) -> ast::LitKind {
+fn filtered_float_lit(data: Symbol, suffix: Option<Symbol>, sd: &Handler, sp: Span)
+                      -> ast::LitKind {
     debug!("filtered_float_lit: {}, {:?}", data, suffix);
-    match suffix.as_ref().map(|s| &**s) {
-        Some("f32") => ast::LitKind::Float(data, ast::FloatTy::F32),
-        Some("f64") => ast::LitKind::Float(data, ast::FloatTy::F64),
-        Some(suf) => {
+    let suffix = match suffix {
+        Some(suffix) => suffix,
+        None => return ast::LitKind::FloatUnsuffixed(data),
+    };
+
+    match &*suffix.as_str() {
+        "f32" => ast::LitKind::Float(data, ast::FloatTy::F32),
+        "f64" => ast::LitKind::Float(data, ast::FloatTy::F64),
+        suf => {
             if suf.len() >= 2 && looks_like_width_suffix(&['f'], suf) {
                 // if it looks like a width, lets try to be helpful.
                 sd.struct_span_err(sp, &format!("invalid width `{}` for float literal", &suf[1..]))
@@ -392,16 +397,13 @@ fn filtered_float_lit(data: InternedString, suffix: Option<&str>,
 
             ast::LitKind::FloatUnsuffixed(data)
         }
-        None => ast::LitKind::FloatUnsuffixed(data)
     }
 }
-pub fn float_lit(s: &str, suffix: Option<InternedString>,
-                 sd: &Handler, sp: Span) -> ast::LitKind {
+pub fn float_lit(s: &str, suffix: Option<Symbol>, sd: &Handler, sp: Span) -> ast::LitKind {
     debug!("float_lit: {:?}, {:?}", s, suffix);
     // FIXME #2252: bounds checking float literals is deferred until trans
     let s = s.chars().filter(|&c| c != '_').collect::<String>();
-    let data = symbol::intern_and_get_ident(&s);
-    filtered_float_lit(data, suffix.as_ref().map(|s| &**s), sd, sp)
+    filtered_float_lit(Symbol::intern(&s), suffix, sd, sp)
 }
 
 /// Parse a string representing a byte literal into its final form. Similar to `char_lit`
@@ -496,11 +498,7 @@ pub fn byte_str_lit(lit: &str) -> Rc<Vec<u8>> {
     Rc::new(res)
 }
 
-pub fn integer_lit(s: &str,
-                   suffix: Option<InternedString>,
-                   sd: &Handler,
-                   sp: Span)
-                   -> ast::LitKind {
+pub fn integer_lit(s: &str, suffix: Option<Symbol>, sd: &Handler, sp: Span) -> ast::LitKind {
     // s can only be ascii, byte indexing is fine
 
     let s2 = s.chars().filter(|&c| c != '_').collect::<String>();
@@ -522,16 +520,15 @@ pub fn integer_lit(s: &str,
     }
 
     // 1f64 and 2f32 etc. are valid float literals.
-    if let Some(ref suf) = suffix {
-        if looks_like_width_suffix(&['f'], suf) {
+    if let Some(suf) = suffix {
+        if looks_like_width_suffix(&['f'], &suf.as_str()) {
             match base {
                 16 => sd.span_err(sp, "hexadecimal float literal is not supported"),
                 8 => sd.span_err(sp, "octal float literal is not supported"),
                 2 => sd.span_err(sp, "binary float literal is not supported"),
                 _ => ()
             }
-            let ident = symbol::intern_and_get_ident(&s);
-            return filtered_float_lit(ident, Some(&suf), sd, sp)
+            return filtered_float_lit(Symbol::intern(&s), Some(suf), sd, sp)
         }
     }
 
@@ -539,9 +536,9 @@ pub fn integer_lit(s: &str,
         s = &s[2..];
     }
 
-    if let Some(ref suf) = suffix {
-        if suf.is_empty() { sd.span_bug(sp, "found empty literal suffix in Some")}
-        ty = match &**suf {
+    if let Some(suf) = suffix {
+        if suf.as_str().is_empty() { sd.span_bug(sp, "found empty literal suffix in Some")}
+        ty = match &*suf.as_str() {
             "isize" => ast::LitIntType::Signed(ast::IntTy::Is),
             "i8"  => ast::LitIntType::Signed(ast::IntTy::I8),
             "i16" => ast::LitIntType::Signed(ast::IntTy::I16),
@@ -552,7 +549,7 @@ pub fn integer_lit(s: &str,
             "u16" => ast::LitIntType::Unsigned(ast::UintTy::U16),
             "u32" => ast::LitIntType::Unsigned(ast::UintTy::U32),
             "u64" => ast::LitIntType::Unsigned(ast::UintTy::U64),
-            _ => {
+            suf => {
                 // i<digits> and u<digits> look like widths, so lets
                 // give an error message along those lines
                 if looks_like_width_suffix(&['i', 'u'], suf) {
diff --git a/src/libsyntax/parse/parser.rs b/src/libsyntax/parse/parser.rs
index 13c701795a8..be1abf9cc83 100644
--- a/src/libsyntax/parse/parser.rs
+++ b/src/libsyntax/parse/parser.rs
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ use print::pprust;
 use ptr::P;
 use parse::PResult;
 use tokenstream::{self, Delimited, SequenceRepetition, TokenTree};
-use symbol::{self, Symbol, keywords, InternedString};
+use symbol::{Symbol, keywords};
 use util::ThinVec;
 
 use std::collections::HashSet;
@@ -999,10 +999,6 @@ impl<'a> Parser<'a> {
         &self.sess.span_diagnostic
     }
 
-    pub fn id_to_interned_str(&mut self, id: Ident) -> InternedString {
-        id.name.as_str()
-    }
-
     /// Is the current token one of the keywords that signals a bare function
     /// type?
     pub fn token_is_bare_fn_keyword(&mut self) -> bool {
@@ -1524,34 +1520,28 @@ impl<'a> Parser<'a> {
                     // float literals, so all the handling is done
                     // internally.
                     token::Integer(s) => {
-                        (false, parse::integer_lit(&s.as_str(),
-                                                   suf.as_ref().map(|s| s.as_str()),
-                                                   &self.sess.span_diagnostic,
-                                                   self.span))
+                        let diag = &self.sess.span_diagnostic;
+                        (false, parse::integer_lit(&s.as_str(), suf, diag, self.span))
                     }
                     token::Float(s) => {
-                        (false, parse::float_lit(&s.as_str(),
-                                                 suf.as_ref().map(|s| s.as_str()),
-                                                  &self.sess.span_diagnostic,
-                                                 self.span))
+                        let diag = &self.sess.span_diagnostic;
+                        (false, parse::float_lit(&s.as_str(), suf, diag, self.span))
                     }
 
                     token::Str_(s) => {
-                        (true,
-                         LitKind::Str(symbol::intern_and_get_ident(&parse::str_lit(&s.as_str())),
-                                      ast::StrStyle::Cooked))
+                        let s = Symbol::intern(&parse::str_lit(&s.as_str()));
+                        (true, LitKind::Str(s, ast::StrStyle::Cooked))
                     }
                     token::StrRaw(s, n) => {
-                        (true,
-                         LitKind::Str(
-                            symbol::intern_and_get_ident(&parse::raw_str_lit(&s.as_str())),
-                            ast::StrStyle::Raw(n)))
+                        let s = Symbol::intern(&parse::raw_str_lit(&s.as_str()));
+                        (true, LitKind::Str(s, ast::StrStyle::Raw(n)))
+                    }
+                    token::ByteStr(i) => {
+                        (true, LitKind::ByteStr(parse::byte_str_lit(&i.as_str())))
+                    }
+                    token::ByteStrRaw(i, _) => {
+                        (true, LitKind::ByteStr(Rc::new(i.to_string().into_bytes())))
                     }
-                    token::ByteStr(i) =>
-                        (true, LitKind::ByteStr(parse::byte_str_lit(&i.as_str()))),
-                    token::ByteStrRaw(i, _) =>
-                        (true,
-                         LitKind::ByteStr(Rc::new(i.to_string().into_bytes()))),
                 };
 
                 if suffix_illegal {
@@ -5303,17 +5293,16 @@ impl<'a> Parser<'a> {
 
     fn push_directory(&mut self, id: Ident, attrs: &[Attribute]) -> Restrictions {
         if let Some(path) = ::attr::first_attr_value_str_by_name(attrs, "path") {
-            self.directory.push(&*path);
+            self.directory.push(&*path.as_str());
             self.restrictions - Restrictions::NO_NONINLINE_MOD
         } else {
-            let default_path = self.id_to_interned_str(id);
-            self.directory.push(&*default_path);
+            self.directory.push(&*id.name.as_str());
             self.restrictions
         }
     }
 
     pub fn submod_path_from_attr(attrs: &[ast::Attribute], dir_path: &Path) -> Option<PathBuf> {
-        ::attr::first_attr_value_str_by_name(attrs, "path").map(|d| dir_path.join(&*d))
+        ::attr::first_attr_value_str_by_name(attrs, "path").map(|d| dir_path.join(&*d.as_str()))
     }
 
     /// Returns either a path to a module, or .
@@ -6127,26 +6116,17 @@ impl<'a> Parser<'a> {
         })
     }
 
-    pub fn parse_optional_str(&mut self)
-                              -> Option<(InternedString,
-                                         ast::StrStyle,
-                                         Option<ast::Name>)> {
+    pub fn parse_optional_str(&mut self) -> Option<(Symbol, ast::StrStyle, Option<ast::Name>)> {
         let ret = match self.token {
-            token::Literal(token::Str_(s), suf) => {
-                let s = self.id_to_interned_str(ast::Ident::with_empty_ctxt(s));
-                (s, ast::StrStyle::Cooked, suf)
-            }
-            token::Literal(token::StrRaw(s, n), suf) => {
-                let s = self.id_to_interned_str(ast::Ident::with_empty_ctxt(s));
-                (s, ast::StrStyle::Raw(n), suf)
-            }
+            token::Literal(token::Str_(s), suf) => (s, ast::StrStyle::Cooked, suf),
+            token::Literal(token::StrRaw(s, n), suf) => (s, ast::StrStyle::Raw(n), suf),
             _ => return None
         };
         self.bump();
         Some(ret)
     }
 
-    pub fn parse_str(&mut self) -> PResult<'a, (InternedString, StrStyle)> {
+    pub fn parse_str(&mut self) -> PResult<'a, (Symbol, StrStyle)> {
         match self.parse_optional_str() {
             Some((s, style, suf)) => {
                 let sp = self.prev_span;
diff --git a/src/libsyntax/print/pprust.rs b/src/libsyntax/print/pprust.rs
index 52ff17d1c12..544b431e61c 100644
--- a/src/libsyntax/print/pprust.rs
+++ b/src/libsyntax/print/pprust.rs
@@ -630,7 +630,7 @@ pub trait PrintState<'a> {
             _ => ()
         }
         match lit.node {
-            ast::LitKind::Str(ref st, style) => self.print_string(&st, style),
+            ast::LitKind::Str(st, style) => self.print_string(&st.as_str(), style),
             ast::LitKind::Byte(byte) => {
                 let mut res = String::from("b'");
                 res.extend(ascii::escape_default(byte).map(|c| c as char));
@@ -664,7 +664,7 @@ pub trait PrintState<'a> {
                          &f,
                          t.ty_to_string()))
             }
-            ast::LitKind::FloatUnsuffixed(ref f) => word(self.writer(), &f[..]),
+            ast::LitKind::FloatUnsuffixed(ref f) => word(self.writer(), &f.as_str()),
             ast::LitKind::Bool(val) => {
                 if val { word(self.writer(), "true") } else { word(self.writer(), "false") }
             }
@@ -752,7 +752,7 @@ pub trait PrintState<'a> {
         }
         try!(self.maybe_print_comment(attr.span.lo));
         if attr.is_sugared_doc {
-            try!(word(self.writer(), &attr.value_str().unwrap()));
+            try!(word(self.writer(), &attr.value_str().unwrap().as_str()));
             hardbreak(self.writer())
         } else {
             match attr.style {
@@ -2220,19 +2220,18 @@ impl<'a> State<'a> {
             ast::ExprKind::InlineAsm(ref a) => {
                 try!(word(&mut self.s, "asm!"));
                 try!(self.popen());
-                try!(self.print_string(&a.asm, a.asm_str_style));
+                try!(self.print_string(&a.asm.as_str(), a.asm_str_style));
                 try!(self.word_space(":"));
 
-                try!(self.commasep(Inconsistent, &a.outputs,
-                                   |s, out| {
-                    let mut ch = out.constraint.chars();
+                try!(self.commasep(Inconsistent, &a.outputs, |s, out| {
+                    let constraint = out.constraint.as_str();
+                    let mut ch = constraint.chars();
                     match ch.next() {
                         Some('=') if out.is_rw => {
                             try!(s.print_string(&format!("+{}", ch.as_str()),
                                            ast::StrStyle::Cooked))
                         }
-                        _ => try!(s.print_string(&out.constraint,
-                                            ast::StrStyle::Cooked))
+                        _ => try!(s.print_string(&constraint, ast::StrStyle::Cooked))
                     }
                     try!(s.popen());
                     try!(s.print_expr(&out.expr));
@@ -2242,9 +2241,8 @@ impl<'a> State<'a> {
                 try!(space(&mut self.s));
                 try!(self.word_space(":"));
 
-                try!(self.commasep(Inconsistent, &a.inputs,
-                                   |s, &(ref co, ref o)| {
-                    try!(s.print_string(&co, ast::StrStyle::Cooked));
+                try!(self.commasep(Inconsistent, &a.inputs, |s, &(co, ref o)| {
+                    try!(s.print_string(&co.as_str(), ast::StrStyle::Cooked));
                     try!(s.popen());
                     try!(s.print_expr(&o));
                     try!(s.pclose());
@@ -2255,7 +2253,7 @@ impl<'a> State<'a> {
 
                 try!(self.commasep(Inconsistent, &a.clobbers,
                                    |s, co| {
-                    try!(s.print_string(&co, ast::StrStyle::Cooked));
+                    try!(s.print_string(&co.as_str(), ast::StrStyle::Cooked));
                     Ok(())
                 }));
 
diff --git a/src/libsyntax/symbol.rs b/src/libsyntax/symbol.rs
index 9620b8412b4..4095845f8d9 100644
--- a/src/libsyntax/symbol.rs
+++ b/src/libsyntax/symbol.rs
@@ -305,13 +305,6 @@ impl Encodable for InternedString {
     }
 }
 
-/// Interns and returns the string contents of an identifier, using the
-/// thread-local interner.
-#[inline]
-pub fn intern_and_get_ident(s: &str) -> InternedString {
-    Symbol::intern(s).as_str()
-}
-
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests {
     use super::*;
diff --git a/src/libsyntax/test.rs b/src/libsyntax/test.rs
index 271de16e7ac..4de3baf7d14 100644
--- a/src/libsyntax/test.rs
+++ b/src/libsyntax/test.rs
@@ -38,12 +38,12 @@ use parse::{token, ParseSess};
 use print::pprust;
 use ast::{self, Ident};
 use ptr::P;
-use symbol::{self, Symbol, keywords, InternedString};
+use symbol::{self, Symbol, keywords};
 use util::small_vector::SmallVector;
 
 enum ShouldPanic {
     No,
-    Yes(Option<InternedString>),
+    Yes(Option<Symbol>),
 }
 
 struct Test {
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ struct TestCtxt<'a> {
     path: Vec<Ident>,
     ext_cx: ExtCtxt<'a>,
     testfns: Vec<Test>,
-    reexport_test_harness_main: Option<InternedString>,
+    reexport_test_harness_main: Option<Symbol>,
     is_test_crate: bool,
 
     // top-level re-export submodule, filled out after folding is finished
@@ -267,7 +267,7 @@ fn mk_reexport_mod(cx: &mut TestCtxt,
 
 fn generate_test_harness(sess: &ParseSess,
                          resolver: &mut Resolver,
-                         reexport_test_harness_main: Option<InternedString>,
+                         reexport_test_harness_main: Option<Symbol>,
                          krate: ast::Crate,
                          sd: &errors::Handler) -> ast::Crate {
     // Remove the entry points
@@ -548,9 +548,9 @@ fn mk_test_module(cx: &mut TestCtxt) -> (P<ast::Item>, Option<P<ast::Item>>) {
         vis: ast::Visibility::Public,
         span: DUMMY_SP,
     })).pop().unwrap();
-    let reexport = cx.reexport_test_harness_main.as_ref().map(|s| {
+    let reexport = cx.reexport_test_harness_main.map(|s| {
         // building `use <ident> = __test::main`
-        let reexport_ident = Ident::from_str(&s);
+        let reexport_ident = Ident::with_empty_ctxt(s);
 
         let use_path =
             nospan(ast::ViewPathSimple(reexport_ident,
@@ -618,7 +618,7 @@ fn mk_tests(cx: &TestCtxt) -> P<ast::Item> {
 
 fn is_test_crate(krate: &ast::Crate) -> bool {
     match attr::find_crate_name(&krate.attrs) {
-        Some(ref s) if "test" == &s[..] => true,
+        Some(s) if "test" == &*s.as_str() => true,
         _ => false
     }
 }
@@ -664,7 +664,7 @@ fn mk_test_desc_and_fn_rec(cx: &TestCtxt, test: &Test) -> P<ast::Expr> {
 
     // path to the #[test] function: "foo::bar::baz"
     let path_string = path_name_i(&path[..]);
-    let name_expr = ecx.expr_str(span, symbol::intern_and_get_ident(&path_string[..]));
+    let name_expr = ecx.expr_str(span, Symbol::intern(&path_string));
 
     // self::test::StaticTestName($name_expr)
     let name_expr = ecx.expr_call(span,
@@ -677,10 +677,10 @@ fn mk_test_desc_and_fn_rec(cx: &TestCtxt, test: &Test) -> P<ast::Expr> {
     };
     let fail_expr = match test.should_panic {
         ShouldPanic::No => ecx.expr_path(should_panic_path("No")),
-        ShouldPanic::Yes(ref msg) => {
-            match *msg {
-                Some(ref msg) => {
-                    let msg = ecx.expr_str(span, msg.clone());
+        ShouldPanic::Yes(msg) => {
+            match msg {
+                Some(msg) => {
+                    let msg = ecx.expr_str(span, msg);
                     let path = should_panic_path("YesWithMessage");
                     ecx.expr_call(span, ecx.expr_path(path), vec![msg])
                 }
diff --git a/src/libsyntax/tokenstream.rs b/src/libsyntax/tokenstream.rs
index 7ca4650a3ae..ee0c2f80891 100644
--- a/src/libsyntax/tokenstream.rs
+++ b/src/libsyntax/tokenstream.rs
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ use parse::lexer;
 use parse;
 use parse::token::{self, Token, Lit, Nonterminal};
 use print::pprust;
-use symbol::{self, Symbol};
+use symbol::Symbol;
 
 use std::fmt;
 use std::iter::*;
@@ -296,7 +296,7 @@ impl TokenTree {
     pub fn maybe_str(&self) -> Option<ast::Lit> {
         match *self {
             TokenTree::Token(sp, Token::Literal(Lit::Str_(s), _)) => {
-                let l = LitKind::Str(symbol::intern_and_get_ident(&parse::str_lit(&s.as_str())),
+                let l = LitKind::Str(Symbol::intern(&parse::str_lit(&s.as_str())),
                                      ast::StrStyle::Cooked);
                 Some(Spanned {
                     node: l,
@@ -304,7 +304,7 @@ impl TokenTree {
                 })
             }
             TokenTree::Token(sp, Token::Literal(Lit::StrRaw(s, n), _)) => {
-                let l = LitKind::Str(symbol::intern_and_get_ident(&parse::raw_str_lit(&s.as_str())),
+                let l = LitKind::Str(Symbol::intern(&parse::raw_str_lit(&s.as_str())),
                                      ast::StrStyle::Raw(n));
                 Some(Spanned {
                     node: l,
diff --git a/src/libsyntax/util/lev_distance.rs b/src/libsyntax/util/lev_distance.rs
index 0d6df2cfcb6..a6fff2d7074 100644
--- a/src/libsyntax/util/lev_distance.rs
+++ b/src/libsyntax/util/lev_distance.rs
@@ -8,9 +8,8 @@
 // option. This file may not be copied, modified, or distributed
 // except according to those terms.
 
-use ast::Name;
 use std::cmp;
-use symbol::InternedString;
+use symbol::Symbol;
 
 /// To find the Levenshtein distance between two strings
 pub fn lev_distance(a: &str, b: &str) -> usize {
@@ -48,14 +47,14 @@ pub fn lev_distance(a: &str, b: &str) -> usize {
 /// to one-third of the given word
 pub fn find_best_match_for_name<'a, T>(iter_names: T,
                                        lookup: &str,
-                                       dist: Option<usize>) -> Option<InternedString>
-    where T: Iterator<Item = &'a Name> {
+                                       dist: Option<usize>) -> Option<Symbol>
+    where T: Iterator<Item = &'a Symbol> {
     let max_dist = dist.map_or_else(|| cmp::max(lookup.len(), 3) / 3, |d| d);
     iter_names
-    .filter_map(|name| {
+    .filter_map(|&name| {
         let dist = lev_distance(lookup, &name.as_str());
         match dist <= max_dist {    // filter the unwanted cases
-            true => Some((name.as_str(), dist)),
+            true => Some((name, dist)),
             false => None,
         }
     })
diff --git a/src/libsyntax_ext/asm.rs b/src/libsyntax_ext/asm.rs
index 58fd83e17e1..a5e083f926a 100644
--- a/src/libsyntax_ext/asm.rs
+++ b/src/libsyntax_ext/asm.rs
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ use syntax::ext::base::*;
 use syntax::feature_gate;
 use syntax::parse::{self, token};
 use syntax::ptr::P;
-use syntax::symbol::{self, Symbol, InternedString};
+use syntax::symbol::Symbol;
 use syntax::ast::AsmDialect;
 use syntax_pos::Span;
 use syntax::tokenstream;
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ pub fn expand_asm<'cx>(cx: &'cx mut ExtCtxt,
         })
         .unwrap_or(tts.len());
     let mut p = cx.new_parser_from_tts(&tts[first_colon..]);
-    let mut asm = InternedString::new("");
+    let mut asm = Symbol::intern("");
     let mut asm_str_style = None;
     let mut outputs = Vec::new();
     let mut inputs = Vec::new();
@@ -135,11 +135,12 @@ pub fn expand_asm<'cx>(cx: &'cx mut ExtCtxt,
                     // It's the opposite of '=&' which means that the memory
                     // cannot be shared with any other operand (usually when
                     // a register is clobbered early.)
-                    let mut ch = constraint.chars();
+                    let constraint_str = constraint.as_str();
+                    let mut ch = constraint_str.chars();
                     let output = match ch.next() {
                         Some('=') => None,
                         Some('+') => {
-                            Some(symbol::intern_and_get_ident(&format!("={}", ch.as_str())))
+                            Some(Symbol::intern(&format!("={}", ch.as_str())))
                         }
                         _ => {
                             cx.span_err(span, "output operand constraint lacks '=' or '+'");
@@ -148,9 +149,9 @@ pub fn expand_asm<'cx>(cx: &'cx mut ExtCtxt,
                     };
 
                     let is_rw = output.is_some();
-                    let is_indirect = constraint.contains("*");
+                    let is_indirect = constraint_str.contains("*");
                     outputs.push(ast::InlineAsmOutput {
-                        constraint: output.unwrap_or(constraint.clone()),
+                        constraint: output.unwrap_or(constraint),
                         expr: out,
                         is_rw: is_rw,
                         is_indirect: is_indirect,
@@ -166,9 +167,9 @@ pub fn expand_asm<'cx>(cx: &'cx mut ExtCtxt,
 
                     let (constraint, _str_style) = panictry!(p.parse_str());
 
-                    if constraint.starts_with("=") {
+                    if constraint.as_str().starts_with("=") {
                         cx.span_err(p.prev_span, "input operand constraint contains '='");
-                    } else if constraint.starts_with("+") {
+                    } else if constraint.as_str().starts_with("+") {
                         cx.span_err(p.prev_span, "input operand constraint contains '+'");
                     }
 
@@ -190,7 +191,7 @@ pub fn expand_asm<'cx>(cx: &'cx mut ExtCtxt,
 
                     if OPTIONS.iter().any(|&opt| s == opt) {
                         cx.span_warn(p.prev_span, "expected a clobber, found an option");
-                    } else if s.starts_with("{") || s.ends_with("}") {
+                    } else if s.as_str().starts_with("{") || s.as_str().ends_with("}") {
                         cx.span_err(p.prev_span, "clobber should not be surrounded by braces");
                     }
 
@@ -251,7 +252,7 @@ pub fn expand_asm<'cx>(cx: &'cx mut ExtCtxt,
     MacEager::expr(P(ast::Expr {
         id: ast::DUMMY_NODE_ID,
         node: ast::ExprKind::InlineAsm(P(ast::InlineAsm {
-            asm: symbol::intern_and_get_ident(&asm),
+            asm: asm,
             asm_str_style: asm_str_style.unwrap(),
             outputs: outputs,
             inputs: inputs,
diff --git a/src/libsyntax_ext/concat.rs b/src/libsyntax_ext/concat.rs
index 45df1ace985..bfe18dc4060 100644
--- a/src/libsyntax_ext/concat.rs
+++ b/src/libsyntax_ext/concat.rs
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 use syntax::ast;
 use syntax::ext::base;
 use syntax::ext::build::AstBuilder;
-use syntax::symbol::intern_and_get_ident;
+use syntax::symbol::Symbol;
 use syntax_pos;
 use syntax::tokenstream;
 
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ pub fn expand_syntax_ext(cx: &mut base::ExtCtxt,
                     ast::LitKind::Str(ref s, _) |
                     ast::LitKind::Float(ref s, _) |
                     ast::LitKind::FloatUnsuffixed(ref s) => {
-                        accumulator.push_str(&s);
+                        accumulator.push_str(&s.as_str());
                     }
                     ast::LitKind::Char(c) => {
                         accumulator.push(c);
@@ -57,5 +57,5 @@ pub fn expand_syntax_ext(cx: &mut base::ExtCtxt,
             }
         }
     }
-    base::MacEager::expr(cx.expr_str(sp, intern_and_get_ident(&accumulator[..])))
+    base::MacEager::expr(cx.expr_str(sp, Symbol::intern(&accumulator)))
 }
diff --git a/src/libsyntax_ext/deriving/debug.rs b/src/libsyntax_ext/deriving/debug.rs
index 4d181052d40..a767716466c 100644
--- a/src/libsyntax_ext/deriving/debug.rs
+++ b/src/libsyntax_ext/deriving/debug.rs
@@ -68,8 +68,7 @@ fn show_substructure(cx: &mut ExtCtxt, span: Span, substr: &Substructure) -> P<E
 
     // We want to make sure we have the expn_id set so that we can use unstable methods
     let span = Span { expn_id: cx.backtrace(), ..span };
-    let name = cx.expr_lit(span,
-                           ast::LitKind::Str(ident.name.as_str(), ast::StrStyle::Cooked));
+    let name = cx.expr_lit(span, ast::LitKind::Str(ident.name, ast::StrStyle::Cooked));
     let builder = Ident::from_str("builder");
     let builder_expr = cx.expr_ident(span, builder.clone());
 
@@ -107,7 +106,7 @@ fn show_substructure(cx: &mut ExtCtxt, span: Span, substr: &Substructure) -> P<E
 
                 for field in fields {
                     let name = cx.expr_lit(field.span,
-                                           ast::LitKind::Str(field.name.unwrap().name.as_str(),
+                                           ast::LitKind::Str(field.name.unwrap().name,
                                                              ast::StrStyle::Cooked));
 
                     // Use double indirection to make sure this works for unsized types
diff --git a/src/libsyntax_ext/deriving/decodable.rs b/src/libsyntax_ext/deriving/decodable.rs
index 4ce4edef282..e2634c60dca 100644
--- a/src/libsyntax_ext/deriving/decodable.rs
+++ b/src/libsyntax_ext/deriving/decodable.rs
@@ -19,8 +19,7 @@ use syntax::ast::{Expr, MetaItem, Mutability};
 use syntax::ext::base::{Annotatable, ExtCtxt};
 use syntax::ext::build::AstBuilder;
 use syntax::ptr::P;
-use syntax::symbol::InternedString;
-use syntax::symbol::intern_and_get_ident;
+use syntax::symbol::Symbol;
 use syntax_pos::Span;
 
 pub fn expand_deriving_rustc_decodable(cx: &mut ExtCtxt,
@@ -131,7 +130,7 @@ fn decodable_substructure(cx: &mut ExtCtxt,
             cx.expr_method_call(trait_span,
                                 decoder,
                                 cx.ident_of("read_struct"),
-                                vec![cx.expr_str(trait_span, substr.type_ident.name.as_str()),
+                                vec![cx.expr_str(trait_span, substr.type_ident.name),
                                      cx.expr_usize(trait_span, nfields),
                                      cx.lambda1(trait_span, result, blkarg)])
         }
@@ -143,7 +142,7 @@ fn decodable_substructure(cx: &mut ExtCtxt,
             let rvariant_arg = cx.ident_of("read_enum_variant_arg");
 
             for (i, &(ident, v_span, ref parts)) in fields.iter().enumerate() {
-                variants.push(cx.expr_str(v_span, ident.name.as_str()));
+                variants.push(cx.expr_str(v_span, ident.name));
 
                 let path = cx.path(trait_span, vec![substr.type_ident, ident]);
                 let decoded = decode_static_fields(cx, v_span, path, parts, |cx, span, _, field| {
@@ -175,7 +174,7 @@ fn decodable_substructure(cx: &mut ExtCtxt,
             cx.expr_method_call(trait_span,
                                 decoder,
                                 cx.ident_of("read_enum"),
-                                vec![cx.expr_str(trait_span, substr.type_ident.name.as_str()),
+                                vec![cx.expr_str(trait_span, substr.type_ident.name),
                                      cx.lambda1(trait_span, result, blkarg)])
         }
         _ => cx.bug("expected StaticEnum or StaticStruct in derive(Decodable)"),
@@ -191,7 +190,7 @@ fn decode_static_fields<F>(cx: &mut ExtCtxt,
                            fields: &StaticFields,
                            mut getarg: F)
                            -> P<Expr>
-    where F: FnMut(&mut ExtCtxt, Span, InternedString, usize) -> P<Expr>
+    where F: FnMut(&mut ExtCtxt, Span, Symbol, usize) -> P<Expr>
 {
     match *fields {
         Unnamed(ref fields, is_tuple) => {
@@ -202,7 +201,7 @@ fn decode_static_fields<F>(cx: &mut ExtCtxt,
                 let fields = fields.iter()
                     .enumerate()
                     .map(|(i, &span)| {
-                        getarg(cx, span, intern_and_get_ident(&format!("_field{}", i)), i)
+                        getarg(cx, span, Symbol::intern(&format!("_field{}", i)), i)
                     })
                     .collect();
 
@@ -214,7 +213,7 @@ fn decode_static_fields<F>(cx: &mut ExtCtxt,
             let fields = fields.iter()
                 .enumerate()
                 .map(|(i, &(ident, span))| {
-                    let arg = getarg(cx, span, ident.name.as_str(), i);
+                    let arg = getarg(cx, span, ident.name, i);
                     cx.field_imm(span, ident, arg)
                 })
                 .collect();
diff --git a/src/libsyntax_ext/deriving/encodable.rs b/src/libsyntax_ext/deriving/encodable.rs
index 0a139778483..092738ab8a0 100644
--- a/src/libsyntax_ext/deriving/encodable.rs
+++ b/src/libsyntax_ext/deriving/encodable.rs
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ use syntax::ast::{Expr, ExprKind, MetaItem, Mutability};
 use syntax::ext::base::{Annotatable, ExtCtxt};
 use syntax::ext::build::AstBuilder;
 use syntax::ptr::P;
-use syntax::symbol::intern_and_get_ident;
+use syntax::symbol::Symbol;
 use syntax_pos::Span;
 
 pub fn expand_deriving_rustc_encodable(cx: &mut ExtCtxt,
@@ -192,8 +192,8 @@ fn encodable_substructure(cx: &mut ExtCtxt,
             let mut stmts = Vec::new();
             for (i, &FieldInfo { name, ref self_, span, .. }) in fields.iter().enumerate() {
                 let name = match name {
-                    Some(id) => id.name.as_str(),
-                    None => intern_and_get_ident(&format!("_field{}", i)),
+                    Some(id) => id.name,
+                    None => Symbol::intern(&format!("_field{}", i)),
                 };
                 let self_ref = cx.expr_addr_of(span, self_.clone());
                 let enc = cx.expr_call(span, fn_path.clone(), vec![self_ref, blkencoder.clone()]);
@@ -226,7 +226,7 @@ fn encodable_substructure(cx: &mut ExtCtxt,
             cx.expr_method_call(trait_span,
                                 encoder,
                                 cx.ident_of("emit_struct"),
-                                vec![cx.expr_str(trait_span, substr.type_ident.name.as_str()),
+                                vec![cx.expr_str(trait_span, substr.type_ident.name),
                                      cx.expr_usize(trait_span, fields.len()),
                                      blk])
         }
@@ -265,7 +265,7 @@ fn encodable_substructure(cx: &mut ExtCtxt,
             }
 
             let blk = cx.lambda_stmts_1(trait_span, stmts, blkarg);
-            let name = cx.expr_str(trait_span, variant.node.name.name.as_str());
+            let name = cx.expr_str(trait_span, variant.node.name.name);
             let call = cx.expr_method_call(trait_span,
                                            blkencoder,
                                            cx.ident_of("emit_enum_variant"),
@@ -277,8 +277,7 @@ fn encodable_substructure(cx: &mut ExtCtxt,
             let ret = cx.expr_method_call(trait_span,
                                           encoder,
                                           cx.ident_of("emit_enum"),
-                                          vec![cx.expr_str(trait_span,
-                                                           substr.type_ident.name.as_str()),
+                                          vec![cx.expr_str(trait_span ,substr.type_ident.name),
                                                blk]);
             cx.expr_block(cx.block(trait_span, vec![me, cx.stmt_expr(ret)]))
         }
diff --git a/src/libsyntax_ext/env.rs b/src/libsyntax_ext/env.rs
index f0cefe70ead..ecf0a8f377e 100644
--- a/src/libsyntax_ext/env.rs
+++ b/src/libsyntax_ext/env.rs
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ use syntax::ast;
 use syntax::ext::base::*;
 use syntax::ext::base;
 use syntax::ext::build::AstBuilder;
-use syntax::symbol::intern_and_get_ident;
+use syntax::symbol::Symbol;
 use syntax_pos::Span;
 use syntax::tokenstream;
 
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ pub fn expand_option_env<'cx>(cx: &'cx mut ExtCtxt,
         Some(v) => v,
     };
 
-    let e = match env::var(&var[..]) {
+    let e = match env::var(&*var.as_str()) {
         Err(..) => {
             cx.expr_path(cx.path_all(sp,
                                      true,
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ pub fn expand_option_env<'cx>(cx: &'cx mut ExtCtxt,
         Ok(s) => {
             cx.expr_call_global(sp,
                                 cx.std_path(&["option", "Option", "Some"]),
-                                vec![cx.expr_str(sp, intern_and_get_ident(&s[..]))])
+                                vec![cx.expr_str(sp, Symbol::intern(&s))])
         }
     };
     MacEager::expr(e)
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ pub fn expand_env<'cx>(cx: &'cx mut ExtCtxt,
         Some((v, _style)) => v,
     };
     let msg = match exprs.next() {
-        None => intern_and_get_ident(&format!("environment variable `{}` not defined", var)),
+        None => Symbol::intern(&format!("environment variable `{}` not defined", var)),
         Some(second) => {
             match expr_to_string(cx, second, "expected string literal") {
                 None => return DummyResult::expr(sp),
@@ -87,12 +87,12 @@ pub fn expand_env<'cx>(cx: &'cx mut ExtCtxt,
         return DummyResult::expr(sp);
     }
 
-    let e = match env::var(&var[..]) {
+    let e = match env::var(&*var.as_str()) {
         Err(_) => {
-            cx.span_err(sp, &msg);
+            cx.span_err(sp, &msg.as_str());
             cx.expr_usize(sp, 0)
         }
-        Ok(s) => cx.expr_str(sp, intern_and_get_ident(&s)),
+        Ok(s) => cx.expr_str(sp, Symbol::intern(&s)),
     };
     MacEager::expr(e)
 }
diff --git a/src/libsyntax_ext/format.rs b/src/libsyntax_ext/format.rs
index ed3271f01e7..d2afa08cada 100644
--- a/src/libsyntax_ext/format.rs
+++ b/src/libsyntax_ext/format.rs
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ use syntax::ext::base;
 use syntax::ext::build::AstBuilder;
 use syntax::parse::token;
 use syntax::ptr::P;
-use syntax::symbol::{self, keywords};
+use syntax::symbol::{Symbol, keywords};
 use syntax_pos::{Span, DUMMY_SP};
 use syntax::tokenstream;
 
@@ -370,7 +370,7 @@ impl<'a, 'b> Context<'a, 'b> {
     /// Translate the accumulated string literals to a literal expression
     fn trans_literal_string(&mut self) -> P<ast::Expr> {
         let sp = self.fmtsp;
-        let s = symbol::intern_and_get_ident(&self.literal);
+        let s = Symbol::intern(&self.literal);
         self.literal.clear();
         self.ecx.expr_str(sp, s)
     }
@@ -728,7 +728,8 @@ pub fn expand_preparsed_format_args(ecx: &mut ExtCtxt,
         fmtsp: fmt.span,
     };
 
-    let mut parser = parse::Parser::new(&fmt.node.0);
+    let fmt_str = &*fmt.node.0.as_str();
+    let mut parser = parse::Parser::new(fmt_str);
     let mut pieces = vec![];
 
     loop {
@@ -809,7 +810,6 @@ pub fn expand_preparsed_format_args(ecx: &mut ExtCtxt,
         // Decide if we want to look for foreign formatting directives.
         if args_used < args_unused {
             use super::format_foreign as foreign;
-            let fmt_str = &fmt.node.0[..];
 
             // The set of foreign substitutions we've explained.  This prevents spamming the user
             // with `%d should be written as {}` over and over again.
diff --git a/src/libsyntax_ext/proc_macro_registrar.rs b/src/libsyntax_ext/proc_macro_registrar.rs
index f9843cf7294..bbdbda701ae 100644
--- a/src/libsyntax_ext/proc_macro_registrar.rs
+++ b/src/libsyntax_ext/proc_macro_registrar.rs
@@ -290,10 +290,10 @@ fn mk_registrar(cx: &mut ExtCtxt,
     let register_custom_derive = Ident::from_str("register_custom_derive");
     let stmts = custom_derives.iter().map(|cd| {
         let path = cx.path_global(cd.span, vec![cd.function_name]);
-        let trait_name = cx.expr_str(cd.span, cd.trait_name.as_str());
+        let trait_name = cx.expr_str(cd.span, cd.trait_name);
         let attrs = cx.expr_vec_slice(
             span,
-            cd.attrs.iter().map(|s| cx.expr_str(cd.span, s.as_str())).collect::<Vec<_>>()
+            cd.attrs.iter().map(|&s| cx.expr_str(cd.span, s)).collect::<Vec<_>>()
         );
         (path, trait_name, attrs)
     }).map(|(path, trait_name, attrs)| {