diff --git a/clippy_lints/src/lib.rs b/clippy_lints/src/lib.rs
index 400abb5a4980..fa168eea8324 100644
--- a/clippy_lints/src/lib.rs
+++ b/clippy_lints/src/lib.rs
@@ -274,6 +274,7 @@ pub mod zero_div_zero;
 // end lints modules, do not remove this comment, it’s used in `update_lints`
 
 pub use crate::utils::conf::Conf;
+pub use crate::utils::sym::PREINTERNED_SYMBOLS;
 
 mod reexport {
     crate use syntax::ast::Name;
diff --git a/clippy_lints/src/utils/paths.rs b/clippy_lints/src/utils/paths.rs
index 46c2de74d720..f6e118d03bf2 100644
--- a/clippy_lints/src/utils/paths.rs
+++ b/clippy_lints/src/utils/paths.rs
@@ -5,90 +5,90 @@
 
 use super::sym::{self, *};
 use lazy_static::lazy_static;
-use syntax::symbol::Symbol;
+use syntax::symbol::{keywords, Symbol};
 
 lazy_static! {
-    pub static ref ANY_TRAIT: [Symbol; 3] = [*std, *any, *Any];
+    pub static ref ANY_TRAIT: [Symbol; 3] = [std, any, *Any];
     pub static ref ARC: [Symbol; 3] = [*alloc, *sync, *Arc];
-    pub static ref ASMUT_TRAIT: [Symbol; 3] = [*core, *convert, *sym::AsMut];
-    pub static ref ASREF_TRAIT: [Symbol; 3] = [*core, *convert, *sym::AsRef];
-    pub static ref BEGIN_PANIC: [Symbol; 3] = [*std, *panicking, *begin_panic];
-    pub static ref BEGIN_PANIC_FMT: [Symbol; 3] = [*std, *panicking, *begin_panic_fmt];
+    pub static ref ASMUT_TRAIT: [Symbol; 3] = [core, convert, *sym::AsMut];
+    pub static ref ASREF_TRAIT: [Symbol; 3] = [core, convert, *sym::AsRef];
+    pub static ref BEGIN_PANIC: [Symbol; 3] = [std, *panicking, *begin_panic];
+    pub static ref BEGIN_PANIC_FMT: [Symbol; 3] = [std, *panicking, *begin_panic_fmt];
     pub static ref BINARY_HEAP: [Symbol; 4] = [*alloc, *collections, *binary_heap, *BinaryHeap];
-    pub static ref BORROW_TRAIT: [Symbol; 3] = [*core, *borrow, *Borrow];
+    pub static ref BORROW_TRAIT: [Symbol; 3] = [core, *borrow, *Borrow];
     pub static ref BTREEMAP: [Symbol; 5] = [*alloc, *collections, *btree, *map, *BTreeMap];
     pub static ref BTREEMAP_ENTRY: [Symbol; 5] = [*alloc, *collections, *btree, *map, *Entry];
     pub static ref BTREESET: [Symbol; 5] = [*alloc, *collections, *btree, *set, *BTreeSet];
-    pub static ref CLONE_TRAIT: [Symbol; 3] = [*core, *clone, *sym::Clone];
-    pub static ref CLONE_TRAIT_METHOD: [Symbol; 4] = [*core, *clone, *sym::Clone, *clone];
-    pub static ref CMP_MAX: [Symbol; 3] = [*core, *cmp, *max];
-    pub static ref CMP_MIN: [Symbol; 3] = [*core, *cmp, *min];
+    pub static ref CLONE_TRAIT: [Symbol; 3] = [core, clone, *sym::Clone];
+    pub static ref CLONE_TRAIT_METHOD: [Symbol; 4] = [core, clone, *sym::Clone, clone];
+    pub static ref CMP_MAX: [Symbol; 3] = [core, *cmp, *max];
+    pub static ref CMP_MIN: [Symbol; 3] = [core, *cmp, *min];
     pub static ref COW: [Symbol; 3] = [*alloc, *borrow, *Cow];
-    pub static ref CSTRING_NEW: [Symbol; 5] = [*std, *ffi, *c_str, *CString, *new];
-    pub static ref DEFAULT_TRAIT: [Symbol; 3] = [*core, *default, *sym::Default];
-    pub static ref DEFAULT_TRAIT_METHOD: [Symbol; 4] = [*core, *default, *sym::Default, *default];
-    pub static ref DEREF_TRAIT_METHOD: [Symbol; 5] = [*core, *ops, *deref, *Deref, *deref];
-    pub static ref DISPLAY_FMT_METHOD: [Symbol; 4] = [*core, *fmt, *Display, *fmt];
-    pub static ref DOUBLE_ENDED_ITERATOR: [Symbol; 4] = [*core, *iter, *traits, *sym::DoubleEndedIterator];
-    pub static ref DROP: [Symbol; 3] = [*core, *mem, *drop];
-    pub static ref DROP_TRAIT: [Symbol; 4] = [*core, *ops, *drop, *sym::Drop];
-    pub static ref DURATION: [Symbol; 3] = [*core, *time, *Duration];
+    pub static ref CSTRING_NEW: [Symbol; 5] = [std, *ffi, *c_str, *CString, *new];
+    pub static ref DEFAULT_TRAIT: [Symbol; 3] = [core, *default, *sym::Default];
+    pub static ref DEFAULT_TRAIT_METHOD: [Symbol; 4] = [core, *default, *sym::Default, *default];
+    pub static ref DEREF_TRAIT_METHOD: [Symbol; 5] = [core, ops, *deref, *Deref, *deref];
+    pub static ref DISPLAY_FMT_METHOD: [Symbol; 4] = [core, *fmt, *Display, *fmt];
+    pub static ref DOUBLE_ENDED_ITERATOR: [Symbol; 4] = [core, iter, *traits, *sym::DoubleEndedIterator];
+    pub static ref DROP: [Symbol; 3] = [core, *mem, *drop];
+    pub static ref DROP_TRAIT: [Symbol; 4] = [core, ops, *drop, *sym::Drop];
+    pub static ref DURATION: [Symbol; 3] = [core, *time, *Duration];
     pub static ref EARLY_CONTEXT: [Symbol; 4] = [*rustc, *lint, *context, *EarlyContext];
-    pub static ref FMT_ARGUMENTS_NEWV1: [Symbol; 4] = [*core, *fmt, *Arguments, *new_v1];
-    pub static ref FMT_ARGUMENTS_NEWV1FORMATTED: [Symbol; 4] = [*core, *fmt, *Arguments, *new_v1_formatted];
-    pub static ref FROM_FROM: [Symbol; 4] = [*core, *convert, *sym::From, *from];
-    pub static ref FROM_TRAIT: [Symbol; 3] = [*core, *convert, *sym::From];
+    pub static ref FMT_ARGUMENTS_NEWV1: [Symbol; 4] = [core, *fmt, *Arguments, *new_v1];
+    pub static ref FMT_ARGUMENTS_NEWV1FORMATTED: [Symbol; 4] = [core, *fmt, *Arguments, *new_v1_formatted];
+    pub static ref FROM_FROM: [Symbol; 4] = [core, convert, *sym::From, from];
+    pub static ref FROM_TRAIT: [Symbol; 3] = [core, convert, *sym::From];
     pub static ref HASH: [Symbol; 2] = [*hash, *Hash];
-    pub static ref HASHMAP: [Symbol; 5] = [*std, *collections, *hash, *map, *HashMap];
-    pub static ref HASHMAP_ENTRY: [Symbol; 5] = [*std, *collections, *hash, *map, *Entry];
-    pub static ref HASHSET: [Symbol; 5] = [*std, *collections, *hash, *set, *HashSet];
-    pub static ref INDEX: [Symbol; 3] = [*core, *ops, *Index];
-    pub static ref INDEX_MUT: [Symbol; 3] = [*core, *ops, *IndexMut];
-    pub static ref INIT: [Symbol; 4] = [*core, *intrinsics, *empty_symbol, *init];
-    pub static ref INTO: [Symbol; 3] = [*core, *convert, *sym::Into];
-    pub static ref INTO_ITERATOR: [Symbol; 5] = [*core, *iter, *traits, *collect, *sym::IntoIterator];
-    pub static ref IO_READ: [Symbol; 3] = [*std, *io, *Read];
-    pub static ref IO_WRITE: [Symbol; 3] = [*std, *io, *Write];
-    pub static ref ITERATOR: [Symbol; 5] = [*core, *iter, *traits, *iterator, *sym::Iterator];
+    pub static ref HASHMAP: [Symbol; 5] = [std, *collections, *hash, *map, *HashMap];
+    pub static ref HASHMAP_ENTRY: [Symbol; 5] = [std, *collections, *hash, *map, *Entry];
+    pub static ref HASHSET: [Symbol; 5] = [std, *collections, *hash, *set, *HashSet];
+    pub static ref INDEX: [Symbol; 3] = [core, ops, *Index];
+    pub static ref INDEX_MUT: [Symbol; 3] = [core, ops, *IndexMut];
+    pub static ref INIT: [Symbol; 4] = [core, intrinsics, keywords::Invalid.name(), *init];
+    pub static ref INTO: [Symbol; 3] = [core, convert, *sym::Into];
+    pub static ref INTO_ITERATOR: [Symbol; 5] = [core, iter, *traits, *collect, *sym::IntoIterator];
+    pub static ref IO_READ: [Symbol; 3] = [std, *io, *Read];
+    pub static ref IO_WRITE: [Symbol; 3] = [std, *io, *Write];
+    pub static ref ITERATOR: [Symbol; 5] = [core, iter, *traits, *iterator, *sym::Iterator];
     pub static ref LATE_CONTEXT: [Symbol; 4] = [*rustc, *lint, *context, *LateContext];
     pub static ref LINKED_LIST: [Symbol; 4] = [*alloc, *collections, *linked_list, *LinkedList];
     pub static ref LINT: [Symbol; 3] = [*rustc, *lint, *Lint];
     pub static ref LINT_PASS: [Symbol; 3] = [*rustc, *lint, *LintPass];
-    pub static ref MEM_DISCRIMINANT: [Symbol; 3] = [*core, *mem, *discriminant];
-    pub static ref MEM_FORGET: [Symbol; 3] = [*core, *mem, *forget];
-    pub static ref MEM_REPLACE: [Symbol; 3] = [*core, *mem, *replace];
-    pub static ref MEM_UNINIT: [Symbol; 3] = [*core, *mem, *uninitialized];
-    pub static ref MEM_ZEROED: [Symbol; 3] = [*core, *mem, *zeroed];
-    pub static ref MUTEX: [Symbol; 4] = [*std, *sync, *mutex, *Mutex];
-    pub static ref OPEN_OPTIONS: [Symbol; 3] = [*std, *fs, *OpenOptions];
-    pub static ref OPS_MODULE: [Symbol; 2] = [*core, *ops];
-    pub static ref OPTION: [Symbol; 3] = [*core, *option, *sym::Option];
-    pub static ref OPTION_NONE: [Symbol; 4] = [*core, *option, *sym::Option, *sym::None];
-    pub static ref OPTION_SOME: [Symbol; 4] = [*core, *option, *sym::Option, *sym::Some];
-    pub static ref ORD: [Symbol; 3] = [*core, *cmp, *sym::Ord];
-    pub static ref OS_STRING: [Symbol; 4] = [*std, *ffi, *os_str, *OsString];
-    pub static ref OS_STR_TO_OS_STRING: [Symbol; 5] = [*std, *ffi, *os_str, *OsStr, *to_os_string];
-    pub static ref PARTIAL_ORD: [Symbol; 3] = [*core, *cmp, *sym::PartialOrd];
-    pub static ref PATH: [Symbol; 3] = [*std, *path, *Path];
-    pub static ref PATH_BUF: [Symbol; 3] = [*std, *path, *PathBuf];
-    pub static ref PATH_TO_PATH_BUF: [Symbol; 4] = [*std, *path, *Path, *to_path_buf];
+    pub static ref MEM_DISCRIMINANT: [Symbol; 3] = [core, *mem, *discriminant];
+    pub static ref MEM_FORGET: [Symbol; 3] = [core, *mem, *forget];
+    pub static ref MEM_REPLACE: [Symbol; 3] = [core, *mem, *replace];
+    pub static ref MEM_UNINIT: [Symbol; 3] = [core, *mem, *uninitialized];
+    pub static ref MEM_ZEROED: [Symbol; 3] = [core, *mem, *zeroed];
+    pub static ref MUTEX: [Symbol; 4] = [std, *sync, *mutex, *Mutex];
+    pub static ref OPEN_OPTIONS: [Symbol; 3] = [std, *fs, *OpenOptions];
+    pub static ref OPS_MODULE: [Symbol; 2] = [core, ops];
+    pub static ref OPTION: [Symbol; 3] = [core, option, *sym::Option];
+    pub static ref OPTION_NONE: [Symbol; 4] = [core, option, *sym::Option, *sym::None];
+    pub static ref OPTION_SOME: [Symbol; 4] = [core, option, *sym::Option, *sym::Some];
+    pub static ref ORD: [Symbol; 3] = [core, *cmp, *sym::Ord];
+    pub static ref OS_STRING: [Symbol; 4] = [std, *ffi, *os_str, *OsString];
+    pub static ref OS_STR_TO_OS_STRING: [Symbol; 5] = [std, *ffi, *os_str, *OsStr, *to_os_string];
+    pub static ref PARTIAL_ORD: [Symbol; 3] = [core, *cmp, *sym::PartialOrd];
+    pub static ref PATH: [Symbol; 3] = [std, path, *Path];
+    pub static ref PATH_BUF: [Symbol; 3] = [std, path, *PathBuf];
+    pub static ref PATH_TO_PATH_BUF: [Symbol; 4] = [std, path, *Path, *to_path_buf];
     pub static ref PTR_NULL: [Symbol; 2] = [*ptr, *null];
     pub static ref PTR_NULL_MUT: [Symbol; 2] = [*ptr, *null_mut];
-    pub static ref RANGE: [Symbol; 3] = [*core, *ops, *Range];
-    pub static ref RANGE_ARGUMENT_TRAIT: [Symbol; 3] = [*core, *ops, *RangeBounds];
-    pub static ref RANGE_FROM: [Symbol; 3] = [*core, *ops, *RangeFrom];
-    pub static ref RANGE_FROM_STD: [Symbol; 3] = [*std, *ops, *RangeFrom];
-    pub static ref RANGE_FULL: [Symbol; 3] = [*core, *ops, *RangeFull];
-    pub static ref RANGE_FULL_STD: [Symbol; 3] = [*std, *ops, *RangeFull];
-    pub static ref RANGE_INCLUSIVE_NEW: [Symbol; 4] = [*core, *ops, *RangeInclusive, *new];
-    pub static ref RANGE_INCLUSIVE_STD_NEW: [Symbol; 4] = [*std, *ops, *RangeInclusive, *new];
-    pub static ref RANGE_STD: [Symbol; 3] = [*std, *ops, *Range];
-    pub static ref RANGE_TO: [Symbol; 3] = [*core, *ops, *RangeTo];
-    pub static ref RANGE_TO_INCLUSIVE: [Symbol; 3] = [*core, *ops, *RangeToInclusive];
-    pub static ref RANGE_TO_INCLUSIVE_STD: [Symbol; 3] = [*std, *ops, *RangeToInclusive];
-    pub static ref RANGE_TO_STD: [Symbol; 3] = [*std, *ops, *RangeTo];
+    pub static ref RANGE: [Symbol; 3] = [core, ops, Range];
+    pub static ref RANGE_ARGUMENT_TRAIT: [Symbol; 3] = [core, ops, *RangeBounds];
+    pub static ref RANGE_FROM: [Symbol; 3] = [core, ops, RangeFrom];
+    pub static ref RANGE_FROM_STD: [Symbol; 3] = [std, ops, RangeFrom];
+    pub static ref RANGE_FULL: [Symbol; 3] = [core, ops, RangeFull];
+    pub static ref RANGE_FULL_STD: [Symbol; 3] = [std, ops, RangeFull];
+    pub static ref RANGE_INCLUSIVE_NEW: [Symbol; 4] = [core, ops, RangeInclusive, *new];
+    pub static ref RANGE_INCLUSIVE_STD_NEW: [Symbol; 4] = [std, ops, RangeInclusive, *new];
+    pub static ref RANGE_STD: [Symbol; 3] = [std, ops, Range];
+    pub static ref RANGE_TO: [Symbol; 3] = [core, ops, RangeTo];
+    pub static ref RANGE_TO_INCLUSIVE: [Symbol; 3] = [core, ops, RangeToInclusive];
+    pub static ref RANGE_TO_INCLUSIVE_STD: [Symbol; 3] = [std, ops, RangeToInclusive];
+    pub static ref RANGE_TO_STD: [Symbol; 3] = [std, ops, RangeTo];
     pub static ref RC: [Symbol; 3] = [*alloc, *rc, *Rc];
-    pub static ref RECEIVER: [Symbol; 4] = [*std, *sync, *mpsc, *Receiver];
+    pub static ref RECEIVER: [Symbol; 4] = [std, *sync, *mpsc, *Receiver];
     pub static ref REGEX: [Symbol; 3] = [*regex, *re_unicode, *Regex];
     pub static ref REGEX_BUILDER_NEW: [Symbol; 5] = [*regex, *re_builder, *unicode, *RegexBuilder, *new];
     pub static ref REGEX_BYTES_BUILDER_NEW: [Symbol; 5] = [*regex, *re_builder, *bytes, *RegexBuilder, *new];
@@ -96,25 +96,25 @@ lazy_static! {
     pub static ref REGEX_BYTES_SET_NEW: [Symbol; 5] = [*regex, *re_set, *bytes, *RegexSet, *new];
     pub static ref REGEX_NEW: [Symbol; 4] = [*regex, *re_unicode, *Regex, *new];
     pub static ref REGEX_SET_NEW: [Symbol; 5] = [*regex, *re_set, *unicode, *RegexSet, *new];
-    pub static ref REPEAT: [Symbol; 3] = [*core, *iter, *repeat];
-    pub static ref RESULT: [Symbol; 3] = [*core, *result, *sym::Result];
-    pub static ref RESULT_ERR: [Symbol; 4] = [*core, *result, *sym::Result, *sym::Err];
-    pub static ref RESULT_OK: [Symbol; 4] = [*core, *result, *sym::Result, *sym::Ok];
+    pub static ref REPEAT: [Symbol; 3] = [core, iter, *repeat];
+    pub static ref RESULT: [Symbol; 3] = [core, result, *sym::Result];
+    pub static ref RESULT_ERR: [Symbol; 4] = [core, result, *sym::Result, *sym::Err];
+    pub static ref RESULT_OK: [Symbol; 4] = [core, result, *sym::Result, *sym::Ok];
     pub static ref SERDE_DE_VISITOR: [Symbol; 3] = [*serde, *de, *Visitor];
     pub static ref SLICE_INTO_VEC: [Symbol; 4] = [*alloc, *slice, *impl_slice_t, *into_vec];
-    pub static ref SLICE_ITER: [Symbol; 3] = [*core, *slice, *Iter];
-    pub static ref STD_MEM_TRANSMUTE: [Symbol; 3] = [*std, *mem, *transmute];
-    pub static ref STD_PTR_NULL: [Symbol; 3] = [*std, *ptr, *null];
-    pub static ref STDERR: [Symbol; 4] = [*std, *io, *stdio, *stderr];
-    pub static ref STDOUT: [Symbol; 4] = [*std, *io, *stdio, *stdout];
+    pub static ref SLICE_ITER: [Symbol; 3] = [core, *slice, *Iter];
+    pub static ref STD_MEM_TRANSMUTE: [Symbol; 3] = [std, *mem, transmute];
+    pub static ref STD_PTR_NULL: [Symbol; 3] = [std, *ptr, *null];
+    pub static ref STDERR: [Symbol; 4] = [std, *io, *stdio, *stderr];
+    pub static ref STDOUT: [Symbol; 4] = [std, *io, *stdio, *stdout];
     pub static ref STRING: [Symbol; 3] = [*alloc, *string, *sym::String];
     pub static ref TO_OWNED: [Symbol; 3] = [*alloc, *borrow, *sym::ToOwned];
     pub static ref TO_OWNED_METHOD: [Symbol; 4] = [*alloc, *borrow, *sym::ToOwned, *to_owned];
     pub static ref TO_STRING: [Symbol; 3] = [*alloc, *string, *sym::ToString];
     pub static ref TO_STRING_METHOD: [Symbol; 4] = [*alloc, *string, *sym::ToString, *to_string];
-    pub static ref TRANSMUTE: [Symbol; 4] = [*core, *intrinsics, *empty_symbol, *transmute];
-    pub static ref TRY_INTO_RESULT: [Symbol; 4] = [*std, *ops, *Try, *into_result];
-    pub static ref UNINIT: [Symbol; 4] = [*core, *intrinsics, *empty_symbol, *uninit];
+    pub static ref TRANSMUTE: [Symbol; 4] = [core, intrinsics, keywords::Invalid.name(), transmute];
+    pub static ref TRY_INTO_RESULT: [Symbol; 4] = [std, ops, Try, into_result];
+    pub static ref UNINIT: [Symbol; 4] = [core, intrinsics, keywords::Invalid.name(), *uninit];
     pub static ref VEC: [Symbol; 3] = [*alloc, *vec, *sym::Vec];
     pub static ref VEC_DEQUE: [Symbol; 4] = [*alloc, *collections, *vec_deque, *VecDeque];
     pub static ref VEC_FROM_ELEM: [Symbol; 3] = [*alloc, *vec, *from_elem];
diff --git a/clippy_lints/src/utils/sym.rs b/clippy_lints/src/utils/sym.rs
index 263d2d42ff4f..548033674d15 100644
--- a/clippy_lints/src/utils/sym.rs
+++ b/clippy_lints/src/utils/sym.rs
@@ -1,23 +1,31 @@
 #![allow(default_hash_types, non_upper_case_globals)]
 
 use lazy_static::lazy_static;
-use syntax::symbol::Symbol;
+use syntax::symbol::{Interner, Symbol};
+// this import is very important! otherwise we may redefine symbols that already exist in rustc
+// and thus cause two equal symbols to differ
+pub use syntax::symbol::sym::*;
 
 macro_rules! symbols_simple {
     ($($ident:ident,)*) => {
-        $(
-            lazy_static! {
-                pub(crate) static ref $ident: Symbol = Symbol::intern(stringify!($ident));
-            }
-        )*
-    };
-}
+        pub const PREINTERNED_SYMBOLS: &[&str] = &[
+            "<impl [T]>",
+            $(stringify!($ident)),*
+        ];
 
-macro_rules! symbols_init {
-    ($($ident:ident: $expr:expr,)*) => {
+        lazy_static! {
+            pub(crate) static ref impl_slice_t: Symbol = {
+                let sym = Symbol::intern("<impl [T]>");
+                assert_eq!(sym.as_u32(), Interner::FIRST_DRIVER_INDEX);
+                sym
+            };
+        }
         $(
             lazy_static! {
-                pub(crate) static ref $ident: Symbol = Symbol::intern($expr);
+                // we can keep using `from_str` here, because it'll fetch the preinterned symbol id
+                // and that will be stable across reruns of clippy even if the global table gets
+                // nuked.
+                pub(crate) static ref $ident: Symbol = Symbol::intern(stringify!($ident));
             }
         )*
     };
@@ -386,8 +394,3 @@ symbols_simple! {
     zeroed,
     zip,
 }
-
-symbols_init! {
-    impl_slice_t: "<impl [T]>",
-    empty_symbol: "",
-}
diff --git a/src/driver.rs b/src/driver.rs
index f4a656722b9d..1a41274f941d 100644
--- a/src/driver.rs
+++ b/src/driver.rs
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ pub fn main() {
             let callbacks: &mut (dyn rustc_driver::Callbacks + Send) =
                 if clippy_enabled { &mut clippy } else { &mut default };
             let args = args;
-            rustc_driver::run_compiler(&args, callbacks, None, None)
+            rustc_driver::run_compiler(&args, clippy_lints::PREINTERNED_SYMBOLS, callbacks, None, None)
         })
         .and_then(|result| result)
         .is_err() as i32,