diff --git a/src/libextra/ringbuf.rs b/src/libextra/ringbuf.rs
index ddef2f0a37a8f..a4c5038626232 100644
--- a/src/libextra/ringbuf.rs
+++ b/src/libextra/ringbuf.rs
@@ -303,7 +303,7 @@ impl<'a, T> Iterator<&'a mut T> for MutItems<'a, T> {
             &mut self.remaining2
         };
         self.nelts -= 1;
-        Some(r.mut_shift_ref().get_mut_ref())
+        Some(r.mut_shift_ref().unwrap().get_mut_ref())
     }
 
     #[inline]
@@ -325,7 +325,7 @@ impl<'a, T> DoubleEndedIterator<&'a mut T> for MutItems<'a, T> {
             &mut self.remaining1
         };
         self.nelts -= 1;
-        Some(r.mut_pop_ref().get_mut_ref())
+        Some(r.mut_pop_ref().unwrap().get_mut_ref())
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/librustc/middle/trans/cleanup.rs b/src/librustc/middle/trans/cleanup.rs
index 6e92ea9f11e51..299cf8f6aeeb4 100644
--- a/src/librustc/middle/trans/cleanup.rs
+++ b/src/librustc/middle/trans/cleanup.rs
@@ -662,7 +662,7 @@ impl<'a> CleanupHelperMethods<'a> for FunctionContext<'a> {
         // Check if a landing pad block exists; if not, create one.
         {
             let mut scopes = self.scopes.borrow_mut();
-            let last_scope = scopes.get().mut_last();
+            let last_scope = scopes.get().mut_last().unwrap();
             match last_scope.cached_landing_pad {
                 Some(llbb) => { return llbb; }
                 None => {
diff --git a/src/libstd/vec.rs b/src/libstd/vec.rs
index 467bcf075f60c..0b9820e12ebc5 100644
--- a/src/libstd/vec.rs
+++ b/src/libstd/vec.rs
@@ -999,14 +999,15 @@ pub trait ImmutableVector<'a, T> {
      * Equivalent to:
      *
      * ```
+     *     if self.len() == 0 { return None }
      *     let head = &self[0];
      *     *self = self.slice_from(1);
-     *     head
+     *     Some(head)
      * ```
      *
-     * Fails if slice is empty.
+     * Returns `None` if vector is empty
      */
-    fn shift_ref(&mut self) -> &'a T;
+    fn shift_ref(&mut self) -> Option<&'a T>;
 
     /**
      * Returns a mutable reference to the last element in this slice
@@ -1016,14 +1017,15 @@ pub trait ImmutableVector<'a, T> {
      * Equivalent to:
      *
      * ```
+     *     if self.len() == 0 { return None; }
      *     let tail = &self[self.len() - 1];
      *     *self = self.slice_to(self.len() - 1);
-     *     tail
+     *     Some(tail)
      * ```
      *
-     * Fails if slice is empty.
+     * Returns `None` if slice is empty.
      */
-    fn pop_ref(&mut self) -> &'a T;
+    fn pop_ref(&mut self) -> Option<&'a T>;
 }
 
 impl<'a,T> ImmutableVector<'a, T> for &'a [T] {
@@ -1182,17 +1184,19 @@ impl<'a,T> ImmutableVector<'a, T> for &'a [T] {
         self.iter().map(f).collect()
     }
 
-    fn shift_ref(&mut self) -> &'a T {
+    fn shift_ref(&mut self) -> Option<&'a T> {
+        if self.len() == 0 { return None; }
         unsafe {
             let s: &mut Slice<T> = cast::transmute(self);
-            &*raw::shift_ptr(s)
+            Some(&*raw::shift_ptr(s))
         }
     }
 
-    fn pop_ref(&mut self) -> &'a T {
+    fn pop_ref(&mut self) -> Option<&'a T> {
+        if self.len() == 0 { return None; }
         unsafe {
             let s: &mut Slice<T> = cast::transmute(self);
-            &*raw::pop_ptr(s)
+            Some(&*raw::pop_ptr(s))
         }
     }
 }
@@ -2027,7 +2031,7 @@ pub trait MutableVector<'a, T> {
     fn mut_iter(self) -> MutItems<'a, T>;
 
     /// Returns a mutable pointer to the last item in the vector.
-    fn mut_last(self) -> &'a mut T;
+    fn mut_last(self) -> Option<&'a mut T>;
 
     /// Returns a reversed iterator that allows modifying each value
     fn mut_rev_iter(self) -> RevMutItems<'a, T>;
@@ -2057,14 +2061,15 @@ pub trait MutableVector<'a, T> {
      * Equivalent to:
      *
      * ```
+     *     if self.len() == 0 { return None; }
      *     let head = &mut self[0];
      *     *self = self.mut_slice_from(1);
-     *     head
+     *     Some(head)
      * ```
      *
-     * Fails if slice is empty.
+     * Returns `None` if slice is empty
      */
-    fn mut_shift_ref(&mut self) -> &'a mut T;
+    fn mut_shift_ref(&mut self) -> Option<&'a mut T>;
 
     /**
      * Returns a mutable reference to the last element in this slice
@@ -2074,14 +2079,15 @@ pub trait MutableVector<'a, T> {
      * Equivalent to:
      *
      * ```
+     *     if self.len() == 0 { return None; }
      *     let tail = &mut self[self.len() - 1];
      *     *self = self.mut_slice_to(self.len() - 1);
-     *     tail
+     *     Some(tail)
      * ```
      *
-     * Fails if slice is empty.
+     * Returns `None` if slice is empty.
      */
-    fn mut_pop_ref(&mut self) -> &'a mut T;
+    fn mut_pop_ref(&mut self) -> Option<&'a mut T>;
 
     /// Swaps two elements in a vector.
     ///
@@ -2292,10 +2298,10 @@ impl<'a,T> MutableVector<'a, T> for &'a mut [T] {
     }
 
     #[inline]
-    fn mut_last(self) -> &'a mut T {
+    fn mut_last(self) -> Option<&'a mut T> {
         let len = self.len();
-        if len == 0 { fail!("mut_last: empty vector") }
-        &mut self[len - 1]
+        if len == 0 { return None; }
+        Some(&mut self[len - 1])
     }
 
     #[inline]
@@ -2314,17 +2320,19 @@ impl<'a,T> MutableVector<'a, T> for &'a mut [T] {
         MutChunks { v: self, chunk_size: chunk_size }
     }
 
-    fn mut_shift_ref(&mut self) -> &'a mut T {
+    fn mut_shift_ref(&mut self) -> Option<&'a mut T> {
+        if self.len() == 0 { return None; }
         unsafe {
             let s: &mut Slice<T> = cast::transmute(self);
-            cast::transmute_mut(&*raw::shift_ptr(s))
+            Some(cast::transmute_mut(&*raw::shift_ptr(s)))
         }
     }
 
-    fn mut_pop_ref(&mut self) -> &'a mut T {
+    fn mut_pop_ref(&mut self) -> Option<&'a mut T> {
+        if self.len() == 0 { return None; }
         unsafe {
             let s: &mut Slice<T> = cast::transmute(self);
-            cast::transmute_mut(&*raw::pop_ptr(s))
+            Some(cast::transmute_mut(&*raw::pop_ptr(s)))
         }
     }
 
@@ -4194,34 +4202,26 @@ mod tests {
     fn test_shift_ref() {
         let mut x: &[int] = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5];
         let h = x.shift_ref();
-        assert_eq!(*h, 1);
+        assert_eq!(*h.unwrap(), 1);
         assert_eq!(x.len(), 4);
         assert_eq!(x[0], 2);
         assert_eq!(x[3], 5);
-    }
 
-    #[test]
-    #[should_fail]
-    fn test_shift_ref_empty() {
-        let mut x: &[int] = [];
-        x.shift_ref();
+        let mut y: &[int] = [];
+        assert_eq!(y.shift_ref(), None);
     }
 
     #[test]
     fn test_pop_ref() {
         let mut x: &[int] = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5];
         let h = x.pop_ref();
-        assert_eq!(*h, 5);
+        assert_eq!(*h.unwrap(), 5);
         assert_eq!(x.len(), 4);
         assert_eq!(x[0], 1);
         assert_eq!(x[3], 4);
-    }
 
-    #[test]
-    #[should_fail]
-    fn test_pop_ref_empty() {
-        let mut x: &[int] = [];
-        x.pop_ref();
+        let mut y: &[int] = [];
+        assert!(y.pop_ref().is_none());
     }
 
     #[test]
@@ -4284,34 +4284,36 @@ mod tests {
     fn test_mut_shift_ref() {
         let mut x: &mut [int] = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5];
         let h = x.mut_shift_ref();
-        assert_eq!(*h, 1);
+        assert_eq!(*h.unwrap(), 1);
         assert_eq!(x.len(), 4);
         assert_eq!(x[0], 2);
         assert_eq!(x[3], 5);
-    }
 
-    #[test]
-    #[should_fail]
-    fn test_mut_shift_ref_empty() {
-        let mut x: &mut [int] = [];
-        x.mut_shift_ref();
+        let mut y: &mut [int] = [];
+        assert!(y.mut_shift_ref().is_none());
     }
 
     #[test]
     fn test_mut_pop_ref() {
         let mut x: &mut [int] = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5];
         let h = x.mut_pop_ref();
-        assert_eq!(*h, 5);
+        assert_eq!(*h.unwrap(), 5);
         assert_eq!(x.len(), 4);
         assert_eq!(x[0], 1);
         assert_eq!(x[3], 4);
+
+        let mut y: &mut [int] = [];
+        assert!(y.mut_pop_ref().is_none());
     }
 
     #[test]
-    #[should_fail]
-    fn test_mut_pop_ref_empty() {
-        let mut x: &mut [int] = [];
-        x.mut_pop_ref();
+    fn test_mut_last() {
+        let mut x = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5];
+        let h = x.mut_last();
+        assert_eq!(*h.unwrap(), 5);
+
+        let mut y: &mut [int] = [];
+        assert!(y.mut_last().is_none());
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/libsyntax/opt_vec.rs b/src/libsyntax/opt_vec.rs
index ce3042cb9cde5..c575e170bef45 100644
--- a/src/libsyntax/opt_vec.rs
+++ b/src/libsyntax/opt_vec.rs
@@ -62,10 +62,10 @@ impl<T> OptVec<T> {
         }
     }
 
-    pub fn mut_last<'a>(&'a mut self) -> &'a mut T {
+    pub fn mut_last<'a>(&'a mut self) -> Option<&'a mut T> {
         match *self {
             Vec(ref mut v) => v.mut_last(),
-            Empty => fail!("mut_last on empty opt_vec")
+            Empty => None
         }
     }