diff --git a/src/librustc/hir/mod.rs b/src/librustc/hir/mod.rs
index f407be4e87b82..22312e7459be1 100644
--- a/src/librustc/hir/mod.rs
+++ b/src/librustc/hir/mod.rs
@@ -609,9 +609,9 @@ impl Generics {
         own_counts
     }
 
-    pub fn get_named(&self, name: &InternedString) -> Option<&GenericParam> {
+    pub fn get_named(&self, name: InternedString) -> Option<&GenericParam> {
         for param in &self.params {
-            if *name == param.name.ident().as_interned_str() {
+            if name == param.name.ident().as_interned_str() {
                 return Some(param);
             }
         }
diff --git a/src/librustc/infer/error_reporting/mod.rs b/src/librustc/infer/error_reporting/mod.rs
index 4b6e7da333081..e4505a240379f 100644
--- a/src/librustc/infer/error_reporting/mod.rs
+++ b/src/librustc/infer/error_reporting/mod.rs
@@ -194,20 +194,20 @@ impl<'a, 'gcx, 'tcx> TyCtxt<'a, 'gcx, 'tcx> {
                 let mut sp = cm.def_span(self.hir().span_by_hir_id(node));
                 if let Some(param) = self.hir()
                     .get_generics(scope)
-                    .and_then(|generics| generics.get_named(&br.name))
+                    .and_then(|generics| generics.get_named(br.name))
                 {
                     sp = param.span;
                 }
                 (format!("the lifetime {} as defined on", br.name), sp)
             }
             ty::ReFree(ty::FreeRegion {
-                bound_region: ty::BoundRegion::BrNamed(_, ref name),
+                bound_region: ty::BoundRegion::BrNamed(_, name),
                 ..
             }) => {
                 let mut sp = cm.def_span(self.hir().span_by_hir_id(node));
                 if let Some(param) = self.hir()
                     .get_generics(scope)
-                    .and_then(|generics| generics.get_named(&name))
+                    .and_then(|generics| generics.get_named(name))
                 {
                     sp = param.span;
                 }
diff --git a/src/librustc/infer/error_reporting/nice_region_error/util.rs b/src/librustc/infer/error_reporting/nice_region_error/util.rs
index 3ed28a1f98825..feade7a8f56f2 100644
--- a/src/librustc/infer/error_reporting/nice_region_error/util.rs
+++ b/src/librustc/infer/error_reporting/nice_region_error/util.rs
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ impl<'a, 'gcx, 'tcx> NiceRegionError<'a, 'gcx, 'tcx> {
     ) -> Option<AnonymousArgInfo<'_>> {
         let (id, bound_region) = match *anon_region {
             ty::ReFree(ref free_region) => (free_region.scope, free_region.bound_region),
-            ty::ReEarlyBound(ref ebr) => (
+            ty::ReEarlyBound(ebr) => (
                 self.tcx().parent(ebr.def_id).unwrap(),
                 ty::BoundRegion::BrNamed(ebr.def_id, ebr.name),
             ),
diff --git a/src/librustc/lint/context.rs b/src/librustc/lint/context.rs
index e713cf8d80553..7e1e751e85647 100644
--- a/src/librustc/lint/context.rs
+++ b/src/librustc/lint/context.rs
@@ -828,8 +828,8 @@ impl<'a, 'tcx> LateContext<'a, 'tcx> {
 
                 // This shouldn't ever be needed, but just in case:
                 Ok(vec![match trait_ref {
-                    Some(trait_ref) => Symbol::intern(&format!("{:?}", trait_ref)).as_str(),
-                    None => Symbol::intern(&format!("<{}>", self_ty)).as_str(),
+                    Some(trait_ref) => LocalInternedString::intern(&format!("{:?}", trait_ref)),
+                    None => LocalInternedString::intern(&format!("<{}>", self_ty)),
                 }])
             }
 
@@ -845,9 +845,10 @@ impl<'a, 'tcx> LateContext<'a, 'tcx> {
                 // This shouldn't ever be needed, but just in case:
                 path.push(match trait_ref {
                     Some(trait_ref) => {
-                        Symbol::intern(&format!("<impl {} for {}>", trait_ref, self_ty)).as_str()
+                        LocalInternedString::intern(&format!("<impl {} for {}>", trait_ref,
+                                                    self_ty))
                     },
-                    None => Symbol::intern(&format!("<impl {}>", self_ty)).as_str(),
+                    None => LocalInternedString::intern(&format!("<impl {}>", self_ty)),
                 });
 
                 Ok(path)
diff --git a/src/librustc/mir/mono.rs b/src/librustc/mir/mono.rs
index e82e90ede8c10..a26468b0fb6ce 100644
--- a/src/librustc/mir/mono.rs
+++ b/src/librustc/mir/mono.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 use crate::hir::def_id::{DefId, CrateNum, LOCAL_CRATE};
 use crate::hir::HirId;
-use syntax::symbol::{Symbol, InternedString};
+use syntax::symbol::InternedString;
 use crate::ty::{Instance, TyCtxt};
 use crate::util::nodemap::FxHashMap;
 use rustc_data_structures::base_n;
@@ -280,7 +280,7 @@ impl<'a, 'gcx: 'tcx, 'tcx: 'a> CodegenUnitNameBuilder<'a, 'gcx, 'tcx> {
             cgu_name
         } else {
             let cgu_name = &cgu_name.as_str()[..];
-            Symbol::intern(&CodegenUnit::mangle_name(cgu_name)).as_interned_str()
+            InternedString::intern(&CodegenUnit::mangle_name(cgu_name))
         }
     }
 
@@ -336,6 +336,6 @@ impl<'a, 'gcx: 'tcx, 'tcx: 'a> CodegenUnitNameBuilder<'a, 'gcx, 'tcx> {
             write!(cgu_name, ".{}", special_suffix).unwrap();
         }
 
-        Symbol::intern(&cgu_name[..]).as_interned_str()
+        InternedString::intern(&cgu_name[..])
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/librustc/traits/object_safety.rs b/src/librustc/traits/object_safety.rs
index 1c8ea5c7b9c5b..55216f644a180 100644
--- a/src/librustc/traits/object_safety.rs
+++ b/src/librustc/traits/object_safety.rs
@@ -18,7 +18,8 @@ use crate::ty::{self, Ty, TyCtxt, TypeFoldable, Predicate, ToPredicate};
 use crate::ty::subst::{Subst, InternalSubsts};
 use std::borrow::Cow;
 use std::iter::{self};
-use syntax::ast::{self, Name};
+use syntax::ast::{self};
+use syntax::symbol::InternedString;
 use syntax_pos::Span;
 
 #[derive(Copy, Clone, Debug, PartialEq, Eq, Hash)]
@@ -539,7 +540,7 @@ impl<'a, 'tcx> TyCtxt<'a, 'tcx, 'tcx> {
         // are implemented
         let unsized_self_ty: Ty<'tcx> = self.mk_ty_param(
             ::std::u32::MAX,
-            Name::intern("RustaceansAreAwesome").as_interned_str(),
+            InternedString::intern("RustaceansAreAwesome"),
         );
 
         // `Receiver[Self => U]`
diff --git a/src/librustc/traits/structural_impls.rs b/src/librustc/traits/structural_impls.rs
index 400a0f526c4ef..404fadbc78afc 100644
--- a/src/librustc/traits/structural_impls.rs
+++ b/src/librustc/traits/structural_impls.rs
@@ -312,17 +312,15 @@ impl<'tcx> TypeVisitor<'tcx> for BoundNamesCollector {
     }
 
     fn visit_ty(&mut self, t: Ty<'tcx>) -> bool {
-        use syntax::symbol::Symbol;
-
         match t.sty {
             ty::Bound(debruijn, bound_ty) if debruijn == self.binder_index => {
                 self.types.insert(
                     bound_ty.var.as_u32(),
                     match bound_ty.kind {
                         ty::BoundTyKind::Param(name) => name,
-                        ty::BoundTyKind::Anon => Symbol::intern(
-                            &format!("^{}", bound_ty.var.as_u32())
-                        ).as_interned_str(),
+                        ty::BoundTyKind::Anon =>
+                            InternedString::intern(&format!("^{}", bound_ty.var.as_u32()),
+                        ),
                     }
                 );
             }
@@ -334,8 +332,6 @@ impl<'tcx> TypeVisitor<'tcx> for BoundNamesCollector {
     }
 
     fn visit_region(&mut self, r: ty::Region<'tcx>) -> bool {
-        use syntax::symbol::Symbol;
-
         match r {
             ty::ReLateBound(index, br) if *index == self.binder_index => {
                 match br {
@@ -344,9 +340,7 @@ impl<'tcx> TypeVisitor<'tcx> for BoundNamesCollector {
                     }
 
                     ty::BoundRegion::BrAnon(var) => {
-                        self.regions.insert(Symbol::intern(
-                            &format!("'^{}", var)
-                        ).as_interned_str());
+                        self.regions.insert(InternedString::intern(&format!("'^{}", var)));
                     }
 
                     _ => (),
diff --git a/src/librustc/ty/mod.rs b/src/librustc/ty/mod.rs
index 2f71861d4dc0d..e1c432d5b6da1 100644
--- a/src/librustc/ty/mod.rs
+++ b/src/librustc/ty/mod.rs
@@ -3405,7 +3405,7 @@ impl_stable_hash_for!(struct self::SymbolName {
 impl SymbolName {
     pub fn new(name: &str) -> SymbolName {
         SymbolName {
-            name: Symbol::intern(name).as_interned_str()
+            name: InternedString::intern(name)
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/src/librustc/ty/print/pretty.rs b/src/librustc/ty/print/pretty.rs
index 8e98d4d85b9cc..91b708d7dbe10 100644
--- a/src/librustc/ty/print/pretty.rs
+++ b/src/librustc/ty/print/pretty.rs
@@ -7,10 +7,8 @@ use crate::middle::region;
 use crate::ty::{self, DefIdTree, ParamConst, Ty, TyCtxt, TypeFoldable};
 use crate::ty::subst::{Kind, Subst, UnpackedKind};
 use crate::mir::interpret::ConstValue;
-use syntax::symbol::{keywords, Symbol};
-
 use rustc_target::spec::abi::Abi;
-use syntax::symbol::InternedString;
+use syntax::symbol::{keywords, InternedString};
 
 use std::cell::Cell;
 use std::fmt::{self, Write as _};
@@ -1285,10 +1283,10 @@ impl<F: fmt::Write> FmtPrinter<'_, 'gcx, 'tcx, F> {
     {
         fn name_by_region_index(index: usize) -> InternedString {
             match index {
-                0 => Symbol::intern("'r"),
-                1 => Symbol::intern("'s"),
-                i => Symbol::intern(&format!("'t{}", i-2)),
-            }.as_interned_str()
+                0 => InternedString::intern("'r"),
+                1 => InternedString::intern("'s"),
+                i => InternedString::intern(&format!("'t{}", i-2)),
+            }
         }
 
         // Replace any anonymous late-bound regions with named
diff --git a/src/librustc/ty/query/values.rs b/src/librustc/ty/query/values.rs
index a4b8d365a12ef..2fb318a47befd 100644
--- a/src/librustc/ty/query/values.rs
+++ b/src/librustc/ty/query/values.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 use crate::ty::{self, Ty, TyCtxt, AdtSizedConstraint};
 use crate::ty::util::NeedsDrop;
 
-use syntax::symbol::Symbol;
+use syntax::symbol::InternedString;
 
 pub(super) trait Value<'tcx>: Sized {
     fn from_cycle_error<'a>(tcx: TyCtxt<'a, 'tcx, 'tcx>) -> Self;
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ impl<'tcx> Value<'tcx> for Ty<'tcx> {
 
 impl<'tcx> Value<'tcx> for ty::SymbolName {
     fn from_cycle_error<'a>(_: TyCtxt<'a, 'tcx, 'tcx>) -> Self {
-        ty::SymbolName { name: Symbol::intern("<error>").as_interned_str() }
+        ty::SymbolName { name: InternedString::intern("<error>") }
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/librustc/ty/sty.rs b/src/librustc/ty/sty.rs
index 760f3d60d0571..d20840ef7cf4d 100644
--- a/src/librustc/ty/sty.rs
+++ b/src/librustc/ty/sty.rs
@@ -1136,7 +1136,7 @@ impl<'a, 'gcx, 'tcx> ParamTy {
         // FIXME(#50125): Ignoring `Self` with `index != 0` might lead to weird behavior elsewhere,
         // but this should only be possible when using `-Z continue-parse-after-error` like
         // `compile-fail/issue-36638.rs`.
-        self.name == keywords::SelfUpper.name().as_str() && self.index == 0
+        self.name.as_symbol() == keywords::SelfUpper.name() && self.index == 0
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/librustc_codegen_llvm/intrinsic.rs b/src/librustc_codegen_llvm/intrinsic.rs
index ceb08f943678b..9ae0e26196d94 100644
--- a/src/librustc_codegen_llvm/intrinsic.rs
+++ b/src/librustc_codegen_llvm/intrinsic.rs
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ use rustc::ty::layout::{self, LayoutOf, HasTyCtxt, Primitive};
 use rustc_codegen_ssa::common::{IntPredicate, TypeKind};
 use rustc::hir;
 use syntax::ast::{self, FloatTy};
-use syntax::symbol::Symbol;
+use syntax::symbol::LocalInternedString;
 
 use rustc_codegen_ssa::traits::*;
 
@@ -213,7 +213,7 @@ impl IntrinsicCallMethods<'tcx> for Builder<'a, 'll, 'tcx> {
             }
             "type_name" => {
                 let tp_ty = substs.type_at(0);
-                let ty_name = Symbol::intern(&tp_ty.to_string()).as_str();
+                let ty_name = LocalInternedString::intern(&tp_ty.to_string());
                 self.const_str_slice(ty_name)
             }
             "type_id" => {
diff --git a/src/librustc_codegen_ssa/mir/block.rs b/src/librustc_codegen_ssa/mir/block.rs
index 96b8558c1d2c4..c7dd019fc3eb8 100644
--- a/src/librustc_codegen_ssa/mir/block.rs
+++ b/src/librustc_codegen_ssa/mir/block.rs
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ use crate::traits::*;
 
 use std::borrow::Cow;
 
-use syntax::symbol::Symbol;
+use syntax::symbol::LocalInternedString;
 use syntax_pos::Pos;
 
 use super::{FunctionCx, LocalRef};
@@ -401,7 +401,7 @@ impl<'a, 'tcx: 'a, Bx: BuilderMethods<'a, 'tcx>> FunctionCx<'a, 'tcx, Bx> {
 
         // Get the location information.
         let loc = bx.sess().source_map().lookup_char_pos(span.lo());
-        let filename = Symbol::intern(&loc.file.name.to_string()).as_str();
+        let filename = LocalInternedString::intern(&loc.file.name.to_string());
         let line = bx.const_u32(loc.line as u32);
         let col = bx.const_u32(loc.col.to_usize() as u32 + 1);
 
@@ -423,7 +423,7 @@ impl<'a, 'tcx: 'a, Bx: BuilderMethods<'a, 'tcx>> FunctionCx<'a, 'tcx, Bx> {
             }
             _ => {
                 let str = msg.description();
-                let msg_str = Symbol::intern(str).as_str();
+                let msg_str = LocalInternedString::intern(str);
                 let msg_file_line_col = bx.static_panic_msg(
                     Some(msg_str),
                     filename,
@@ -535,7 +535,7 @@ impl<'a, 'tcx: 'a, Bx: BuilderMethods<'a, 'tcx>> FunctionCx<'a, 'tcx, Bx> {
             let layout = bx.layout_of(ty);
             if layout.abi.is_uninhabited() {
                 let loc = bx.sess().source_map().lookup_char_pos(span.lo());
-                let filename = Symbol::intern(&loc.file.name.to_string()).as_str();
+                let filename = LocalInternedString::intern(&loc.file.name.to_string());
                 let line = bx.const_u32(loc.line as u32);
                 let col = bx.const_u32(loc.col.to_usize() as u32 + 1);
 
@@ -543,7 +543,7 @@ impl<'a, 'tcx: 'a, Bx: BuilderMethods<'a, 'tcx>> FunctionCx<'a, 'tcx, Bx> {
                     "Attempted to instantiate uninhabited type {}",
                     ty
                 );
-                let msg_str = Symbol::intern(&str).as_str();
+                let msg_str = LocalInternedString::intern(&str);
                 let msg_file_line_col = bx.static_panic_msg(
                     Some(msg_str),
                     filename,
diff --git a/src/librustc_codegen_utils/symbol_names.rs b/src/librustc_codegen_utils/symbol_names.rs
index d50a9a1607b24..6915687ceba93 100644
--- a/src/librustc_codegen_utils/symbol_names.rs
+++ b/src/librustc_codegen_utils/symbol_names.rs
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ use rustc_data_structures::stable_hasher::{HashStable, StableHasher};
 use rustc_mir::monomorphize::item::{InstantiationMode, MonoItem, MonoItemExt};
 use rustc_mir::monomorphize::Instance;
 
-use syntax_pos::symbol::{Symbol, InternedString};
+use syntax_pos::symbol::InternedString;
 
 use log::debug;
 
@@ -238,13 +238,13 @@ fn compute_symbol_name(tcx: TyCtxt<'_, 'tcx, 'tcx>, instance: Instance<'tcx>) ->
     if def_id.is_local() {
         if tcx.plugin_registrar_fn(LOCAL_CRATE) == Some(def_id) {
             let disambiguator = tcx.sess.local_crate_disambiguator();
-            return Symbol::intern(&tcx.sess.generate_plugin_registrar_symbol(disambiguator))
-                .as_interned_str();
+            return
+                InternedString::intern(&tcx.sess.generate_plugin_registrar_symbol(disambiguator));
         }
         if tcx.proc_macro_decls_static(LOCAL_CRATE) == Some(def_id) {
             let disambiguator = tcx.sess.local_crate_disambiguator();
-            return Symbol::intern(&tcx.sess.generate_proc_macro_decls_symbol(disambiguator))
-                .as_interned_str();
+            return
+                InternedString::intern(&tcx.sess.generate_proc_macro_decls_symbol(disambiguator));
         }
     }
 
@@ -322,7 +322,7 @@ fn compute_symbol_name(tcx: TyCtxt<'_, 'tcx, 'tcx>, instance: Instance<'tcx>) ->
         let _ = printer.write_str("{{vtable-shim}}");
     }
 
-    Symbol::intern(&printer.path.finish(hash)).as_interned_str()
+    InternedString::intern(&printer.path.finish(hash))
 }
 
 // Follow C++ namespace-mangling style, see
diff --git a/src/librustc_mir/borrow_check/nll/region_infer/error_reporting/region_name.rs b/src/librustc_mir/borrow_check/nll/region_infer/error_reporting/region_name.rs
index 4ced31593b1ae..4d8acd241acd8 100644
--- a/src/librustc_mir/borrow_check/nll/region_infer/error_reporting/region_name.rs
+++ b/src/librustc_mir/borrow_check/nll/region_infer/error_reporting/region_name.rs
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@ use rustc::ty::subst::{SubstsRef, UnpackedKind};
 use rustc::ty::{self, RegionKind, RegionVid, Ty, TyCtxt};
 use rustc::ty::print::RegionHighlightMode;
 use rustc_errors::DiagnosticBuilder;
-use syntax::ast::Name;
 use syntax::symbol::keywords;
 use syntax_pos::Span;
 use syntax_pos::symbol::InternedString;
@@ -60,8 +59,8 @@ impl RegionName {
     }
 
     #[allow(dead_code)]
-    crate fn name(&self) -> &InternedString {
-        &self.name
+    crate fn name(&self) -> InternedString {
+        self.name
     }
 
     crate fn highlight_region_name(
@@ -206,7 +205,7 @@ impl<'tcx> RegionInferenceContext<'tcx> {
         match error_region {
             ty::ReEarlyBound(ebr) => {
                 if ebr.has_name() {
-                    let span = self.get_named_span(tcx, error_region, &ebr.name);
+                    let span = self.get_named_span(tcx, error_region, ebr.name);
                     Some(RegionName {
                         name: ebr.name,
                         source: RegionNameSource::NamedEarlyBoundRegion(span)
@@ -223,7 +222,7 @@ impl<'tcx> RegionInferenceContext<'tcx> {
 
             ty::ReFree(free_region) => match free_region.bound_region {
                 ty::BoundRegion::BrNamed(_, name) => {
-                    let span = self.get_named_span(tcx, error_region, &name);
+                    let span = self.get_named_span(tcx, error_region, name);
                     Some(RegionName {
                         name,
                         source: RegionNameSource::NamedFreeRegion(span),
@@ -306,7 +305,7 @@ impl<'tcx> RegionInferenceContext<'tcx> {
         &self,
         tcx: TyCtxt<'_, '_, 'tcx>,
         error_region: &RegionKind,
-        name: &InternedString,
+        name: InternedString,
     ) -> Span {
         let scope = error_region.free_region_binding_scope(tcx);
         let node = tcx.hir().as_local_hir_id(scope).unwrap_or(hir::DUMMY_HIR_ID);
@@ -791,6 +790,6 @@ impl<'tcx> RegionInferenceContext<'tcx> {
         let c = *counter;
         *counter += 1;
 
-        Name::intern(&format!("'{:?}", c)).as_interned_str()
+        InternedString::intern(&format!("'{:?}", c))
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/librustc_mir/monomorphize/item.rs b/src/librustc_mir/monomorphize/item.rs
index 999e7402afd93..6b40245d39a8e 100644
--- a/src/librustc_mir/monomorphize/item.rs
+++ b/src/librustc_mir/monomorphize/item.rs
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ use syntax::attr::InlineAttr;
 use std::fmt::{self, Write};
 use std::iter;
 use rustc::mir::mono::Linkage;
-use syntax_pos::symbol::Symbol;
+use syntax_pos::symbol::InternedString;
 use syntax::source_map::Span;
 pub use rustc::mir::mono::MonoItem;
 
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ pub trait MonoItemExt<'a, 'tcx>: fmt::Debug {
             MonoItem::GlobalAsm(hir_id) => {
                 let def_id = tcx.hir().local_def_id_from_hir_id(hir_id);
                 ty::SymbolName {
-                    name: Symbol::intern(&format!("global_asm_{:?}", def_id)).as_interned_str()
+                    name: InternedString::intern(&format!("global_asm_{:?}", def_id))
                 }
             }
         }
diff --git a/src/librustc_mir/transform/check_unsafety.rs b/src/librustc_mir/transform/check_unsafety.rs
index fab07a2290eb5..394d1f06029cb 100644
--- a/src/librustc_mir/transform/check_unsafety.rs
+++ b/src/librustc_mir/transform/check_unsafety.rs
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ use rustc::lint::builtin::{SAFE_EXTERN_STATICS, SAFE_PACKED_BORROWS, UNUSED_UNSA
 use rustc::mir::*;
 use rustc::mir::visit::{PlaceContext, Visitor, MutatingUseContext};
 
-use syntax::symbol::{Symbol, sym};
+use syntax::symbol::{InternedString, sym};
 
 use std::ops::Bound;
 
@@ -167,9 +167,9 @@ impl<'a, 'tcx> Visitor<'tcx> for UnsafetyChecker<'a, 'tcx> {
                     (CastTy::FnPtr, CastTy::Int(_)) => {
                         self.register_violations(&[UnsafetyViolation {
                             source_info: self.source_info,
-                            description: Symbol::intern("cast of pointer to int").as_interned_str(),
-                            details: Symbol::intern("casting pointers to integers in constants")
-                                     .as_interned_str(),
+                            description: InternedString::intern("cast of pointer to int"),
+                            details: InternedString::intern(
+                                "casting pointers to integers in constants"),
                             kind: UnsafetyViolationKind::General,
                         }], &[]);
                     },
@@ -185,9 +185,8 @@ impl<'a, 'tcx> Visitor<'tcx> for UnsafetyChecker<'a, 'tcx> {
                 if let ty::RawPtr(_) | ty::FnPtr(..) = lhs.ty(self.mir, self.tcx).sty {
                     self.register_violations(&[UnsafetyViolation {
                         source_info: self.source_info,
-                        description: Symbol::intern("pointer operation").as_interned_str(),
-                        details: Symbol::intern("operations on pointers in constants")
-                                 .as_interned_str(),
+                        description: InternedString::intern("pointer operation"),
+                        details: InternedString::intern("operations on pointers in constants"),
                         kind: UnsafetyViolationKind::General,
                     }], &[]);
                 }
@@ -212,13 +211,11 @@ impl<'a, 'tcx> Visitor<'tcx> for UnsafetyChecker<'a, 'tcx> {
                             self.source_scope_local_data[source_info.scope].lint_root;
                         self.register_violations(&[UnsafetyViolation {
                             source_info,
-                            description: Symbol::intern("borrow of packed field").as_interned_str(),
-                            details:
-                                Symbol::intern("fields of packed structs might be misaligned: \
-                                                dereferencing a misaligned pointer or even just \
-                                                creating a misaligned reference is undefined \
-                                                behavior")
-                                    .as_interned_str(),
+                            description: InternedString::intern("borrow of packed field"),
+                            details: InternedString::intern(
+                                "fields of packed structs might be misaligned: dereferencing a \
+                                misaligned pointer or even just creating a misaligned reference \
+                                is undefined behavior"),
                             kind: UnsafetyViolationKind::BorrowPacked(lint_root)
                         }], &[]);
                     }
@@ -315,12 +312,10 @@ impl<'a, 'tcx> Visitor<'tcx> for UnsafetyChecker<'a, 'tcx> {
                         self.source_scope_local_data[source_info.scope].lint_root;
                     self.register_violations(&[UnsafetyViolation {
                         source_info,
-                        description: Symbol::intern("use of extern static").as_interned_str(),
-                        details:
-                            Symbol::intern("extern statics are not controlled by the Rust type \
-                                            system: invalid data, aliasing violations or data \
-                                            races will cause undefined behavior")
-                                .as_interned_str(),
+                        description: InternedString::intern("use of extern static"),
+                        details: InternedString::intern(
+                            "extern statics are not controlled by the Rust type system: invalid \
+                            data, aliasing violations or data races will cause undefined behavior"),
                         kind: UnsafetyViolationKind::ExternStatic(lint_root)
                     }], &[]);
                 }
@@ -340,8 +335,8 @@ impl<'a, 'tcx> UnsafetyChecker<'a, 'tcx> {
         let source_info = self.source_info;
         self.register_violations(&[UnsafetyViolation {
             source_info,
-            description: Symbol::intern(description).as_interned_str(),
-            details: Symbol::intern(details).as_interned_str(),
+            description: InternedString::intern(description),
+            details: InternedString::intern(details),
             kind,
         }], &[]);
     }
@@ -441,8 +436,8 @@ impl<'a, 'tcx> UnsafetyChecker<'a, 'tcx> {
                                 let source_info = self.source_info;
                                 self.register_violations(&[UnsafetyViolation {
                                     source_info,
-                                    description: Symbol::intern(description).as_interned_str(),
-                                    details: Symbol::intern(details).as_interned_str(),
+                                    description: InternedString::intern(description),
+                                    details: InternedString::intern(details),
                                     kind: UnsafetyViolationKind::GeneralAndConstFn,
                                 }], &[]);
                             }
diff --git a/src/librustc_typeck/check/intrinsic.rs b/src/librustc_typeck/check/intrinsic.rs
index 40c60caffa42d..c6191e6b579ce 100644
--- a/src/librustc_typeck/check/intrinsic.rs
+++ b/src/librustc_typeck/check/intrinsic.rs
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ use rustc::ty::subst::Subst;
 use crate::require_same_types;
 
 use rustc_target::spec::abi::Abi;
-use syntax::symbol::Symbol;
+use syntax::symbol::InternedString;
 
 use rustc::hir;
 
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ pub fn intrisic_operation_unsafety(intrinsic: &str) -> hir::Unsafety {
 /// and in libcore/intrinsics.rs
 pub fn check_intrinsic_type<'a, 'tcx>(tcx: TyCtxt<'a, 'tcx, 'tcx>,
                                       it: &hir::ForeignItem) {
-    let param = |n| tcx.mk_ty_param(n, Symbol::intern(&format!("P{}", n)).as_interned_str());
+    let param = |n| tcx.mk_ty_param(n, InternedString::intern(&format!("P{}", n)));
     let name = it.ident.as_str();
 
     let mk_va_list_ty = || {
@@ -397,7 +397,7 @@ pub fn check_intrinsic_type<'a, 'tcx>(tcx: TyCtxt<'a, 'tcx, 'tcx>,
 pub fn check_platform_intrinsic_type<'a, 'tcx>(tcx: TyCtxt<'a, 'tcx, 'tcx>,
                                                it: &hir::ForeignItem) {
     let param = |n| {
-        let name = Symbol::intern(&format!("P{}", n)).as_interned_str();
+        let name = InternedString::intern(&format!("P{}", n));
         tcx.mk_ty_param(n, name)
     };
 
diff --git a/src/librustc_typeck/collect.rs b/src/librustc_typeck/collect.rs
index 6527e8655b5ef..711d79f95f53a 100644
--- a/src/librustc_typeck/collect.rs
+++ b/src/librustc_typeck/collect.rs
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ use syntax::ast::{Ident, MetaItemKind};
 use syntax::attr::{InlineAttr, OptimizeAttr, list_contains_name, mark_used};
 use syntax::source_map::Spanned;
 use syntax::feature_gate;
-use syntax::symbol::{keywords, Symbol, sym};
+use syntax::symbol::{InternedString, keywords, Symbol, sym};
 use syntax_pos::{Span, DUMMY_SP};
 
 use rustc::hir::def::{CtorKind, Res, DefKind};
@@ -1082,7 +1082,7 @@ fn generics_of<'a, 'tcx>(tcx: TyCtxt<'a, 'tcx, 'tcx>, def_id: DefId) -> &'tcx ty
                 .enumerate()
                 .map(|(i, &arg)| ty::GenericParamDef {
                     index: type_start + i as u32,
-                    name: Symbol::intern(arg).as_interned_str(),
+                    name: InternedString::intern(arg),
                     def_id,
                     pure_wrt_drop: false,
                     kind: ty::GenericParamDefKind::Type {
@@ -1097,7 +1097,7 @@ fn generics_of<'a, 'tcx>(tcx: TyCtxt<'a, 'tcx, 'tcx>, def_id: DefId) -> &'tcx ty
             params.extend(upvars.iter().zip((dummy_args.len() as u32)..).map(|(_, i)| {
                 ty::GenericParamDef {
                     index: type_start + i,
-                    name: Symbol::intern("<upvar>").as_interned_str(),
+                    name: InternedString::intern("<upvar>"),
                     def_id,
                     pure_wrt_drop: false,
                     kind: ty::GenericParamDefKind::Type {
diff --git a/src/libsyntax_pos/symbol.rs b/src/libsyntax_pos/symbol.rs
index 97b22282668ad..aa9028d4a6bad 100644
--- a/src/libsyntax_pos/symbol.rs
+++ b/src/libsyntax_pos/symbol.rs
@@ -1036,6 +1036,17 @@ pub struct LocalInternedString {
 }
 
 impl LocalInternedString {
+    /// Maps a string to its interned representation.
+    pub fn intern(string: &str) -> Self {
+        let string = with_interner(|interner| {
+            let symbol = interner.intern(string);
+            interner.strings[symbol.0.as_usize()]
+        });
+        LocalInternedString {
+            string: unsafe { std::mem::transmute::<&str, &str>(string) }
+        }
+    }
+
     pub fn as_interned_str(self) -> InternedString {
         InternedString {
             symbol: Symbol::intern(self.string)
@@ -1112,7 +1123,7 @@ impl fmt::Display for LocalInternedString {
 
 impl Decodable for LocalInternedString {
     fn decode<D: Decoder>(d: &mut D) -> Result<LocalInternedString, D::Error> {
-        Ok(Symbol::intern(&d.read_str()?).as_str())
+        Ok(LocalInternedString::intern(&d.read_str()?))
     }
 }
 
@@ -1141,6 +1152,13 @@ pub struct InternedString {
 }
 
 impl InternedString {
+    /// Maps a string to its interned representation.
+    pub fn intern(string: &str) -> Self {
+        InternedString {
+            symbol: Symbol::intern(string)
+        }
+    }
+
     pub fn with<F: FnOnce(&str) -> R, R>(self, f: F) -> R {
         let str = with_interner(|interner| {
             interner.get(self.symbol) as *const str
@@ -1243,7 +1261,7 @@ impl fmt::Display for InternedString {
 
 impl Decodable for InternedString {
     fn decode<D: Decoder>(d: &mut D) -> Result<InternedString, D::Error> {
-        Ok(Symbol::intern(&d.read_str()?).as_interned_str())
+        Ok(InternedString::intern(&d.read_str()?))
     }
 }