diff --git a/src/libarena/lib.rs b/src/libarena/lib.rs
index ec9d4eaed9e..526b72e9b86 100644
--- a/src/libarena/lib.rs
+++ b/src/libarena/lib.rs
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ use std::mem::min_align_of;
 use std::num;
 use std::ptr::read;
 use std::rc::Rc;
-use std::rt::global_heap;
+use std::rt::heap::exchange_malloc;
 
 // The way arena uses arrays is really deeply awful. The arrays are
 // allocated, and have capacities reserved, but the fill for the array
@@ -365,7 +365,7 @@ impl<T> TypedArenaChunk<T> {
         size = size.checked_add(&elems_size).unwrap();
 
         let mut chunk = unsafe {
-            let chunk = global_heap::exchange_malloc(size);
+            let chunk = exchange_malloc(size);
             let mut chunk: Box<TypedArenaChunk<T>> = cast::transmute(chunk);
             mem::move_val_init(&mut chunk.next, next);
             chunk
@@ -386,7 +386,7 @@ impl<T> TypedArenaChunk<T> {
         size = size.checked_add(&elems_size).unwrap();
 
         let mut chunk = unsafe {
-            let chunk = global_heap::exchange_malloc(size, min_align_of::<TypedArenaChunk<T>>());
+            let chunk = exchange_malloc(size, min_align_of::<TypedArenaChunk<T>>());
             let mut chunk: Box<TypedArenaChunk<T>> = cast::transmute(chunk);
             mem::move_val_init(&mut chunk.next, next);
             chunk
diff --git a/src/libcore/should_not_exist.rs b/src/libcore/should_not_exist.rs
index 74bebc921e3..f199aa051d1 100644
--- a/src/libcore/should_not_exist.rs
+++ b/src/libcore/should_not_exist.rs
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ extern {
     fn rust_malloc(size: uint) -> *u8;
     #[cfg(not(stage0))]
     fn rust_malloc(size: uint, align: uint) -> *u8;
-    fn rust_free(ptr: *u8);
+    fn rust_free(ptr: *u8, size: uint, align: uint);
 }
 
 #[cfg(stage0)]
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ unsafe fn alloc(cap: uint) -> *mut Vec<()> {
 #[cfg(not(stage0))]
 unsafe fn alloc(cap: uint) -> *mut Vec<()> {
     let cap = cap.checked_add(&mem::size_of::<Vec<()>>()).unwrap();
+    // this should use the real alignment, but the new representation will take care of that
     let ret = rust_malloc(cap, 8) as *mut Vec<()>;
     if ret.is_null() {
         intrinsics::abort();
@@ -118,7 +119,8 @@ impl FromIterator<char> for ~str {
                     ptr::copy_nonoverlapping_memory(&mut (*ptr2).data,
                                                     &(*ptr).data,
                                                     len);
-                    rust_free(ptr as *u8);
+                    // FIXME: #13994: port to the sized deallocation API when available
+                    rust_free(ptr as *u8, 0, 8);
                     cast::forget(ret);
                     ret = cast::transmute(ptr2);
                     ptr = ptr2;
@@ -188,7 +190,7 @@ impl<A: Clone> Clone for ~[A] {
                     for j in range(0, *i as int) {
                         ptr::read(&*p.offset(j));
                     }
-                    rust_free(ret as *u8);
+                    rust_free(ret as *u8, 0, 8);
                 });
             cast::transmute(ret)
         }
diff --git a/src/libstd/lib.rs b/src/libstd/lib.rs
index 0ac6f1dba4f..3f22a76c1f4 100644
--- a/src/libstd/lib.rs
+++ b/src/libstd/lib.rs
@@ -110,6 +110,7 @@
 // Don't link to std. We are std.
 #![no_std]
 
+#![allow(deprecated)]
 #![deny(missing_doc)]
 
 // When testing libstd, bring in libuv as the I/O backend so tests can print
diff --git a/src/libstd/rc.rs b/src/libstd/rc.rs
index 51ab885a85f..e0fe75fd907 100644
--- a/src/libstd/rc.rs
+++ b/src/libstd/rc.rs
@@ -32,7 +32,8 @@ use ops::{Deref, Drop};
 use option::{Option, Some, None};
 use ptr;
 use ptr::RawPtr;
-use rt::global_heap::exchange_free;
+use mem::{min_align_of, size_of};
+use rt::heap::exchange_free;
 
 struct RcBox<T> {
     value: T,
@@ -104,7 +105,8 @@ impl<T> Drop for Rc<T> {
                     self.dec_weak();
 
                     if self.weak() == 0 {
-                        exchange_free(self.ptr as *u8)
+                        exchange_free(self.ptr as *mut u8, size_of::<RcBox<T>>(),
+                                      min_align_of::<RcBox<T>>())
                     }
                 }
             }
@@ -177,7 +179,8 @@ impl<T> Drop for Weak<T> {
                 // the weak count starts at 1, and will only go to
                 // zero if all the strong pointers have disappeared.
                 if self.weak() == 0 {
-                    exchange_free(self.ptr as *u8)
+                    exchange_free(self.ptr as *mut u8, size_of::<RcBox<T>>(),
+                                  min_align_of::<RcBox<T>>())
                 }
             }
         }
diff --git a/src/libstd/rt/global_heap.rs b/src/libstd/rt/global_heap.rs
index c8808b6e821..ece51ab9989 100644
--- a/src/libstd/rt/global_heap.rs
+++ b/src/libstd/rt/global_heap.rs
@@ -14,23 +14,6 @@
 use libc::{c_void, size_t, free, malloc, realloc};
 use ptr::{RawPtr, mut_null};
 use intrinsics::abort;
-use raw;
-use mem::size_of;
-
-#[inline]
-pub fn get_box_size(body_size: uint, body_align: uint) -> uint {
-    let header_size = size_of::<raw::Box<()>>();
-    let total_size = align_to(header_size, body_align) + body_size;
-    total_size
-}
-
-// Rounds |size| to the nearest |alignment|. Invariant: |alignment| is a power
-// of two.
-#[inline]
-fn align_to(size: uint, align: uint) -> uint {
-    assert!(align != 0);
-    (size + align - 1) & !(align - 1)
-}
 
 /// A wrapper around libc::malloc, aborting on out-of-memory
 #[inline]
@@ -66,117 +49,3 @@ pub unsafe fn realloc_raw(ptr: *mut u8, size: uint) -> *mut u8 {
         p as *mut u8
     }
 }
-
-/// The allocator for unique pointers without contained managed pointers.
-#[cfg(not(test), stage0)]
-#[lang="exchange_malloc"]
-#[inline]
-pub unsafe fn exchange_malloc(size: uint) -> *mut u8 {
-    // The compiler never calls `exchange_free` on Box<ZeroSizeType>, so
-    // zero-size allocations can point to this `static`. It would be incorrect
-    // to use a null pointer, due to enums assuming types like unique pointers
-    // are never null.
-    static EMPTY: () = ();
-
-    if size == 0 {
-        &EMPTY as *() as *mut u8
-    } else {
-        malloc_raw(size)
-    }
-}
-
-/// The allocator for unique pointers without contained managed pointers.
-#[cfg(not(test), not(stage0))]
-#[lang="exchange_malloc"]
-#[inline]
-pub unsafe fn exchange_malloc(size: uint, _align: uint) -> *mut u8 {
-    // The compiler never calls `exchange_free` on ~ZeroSizeType, so zero-size
-    // allocations can point to this `static`. It would be incorrect to use a null
-    // pointer, due to enums assuming types like unique pointers are never null.
-    static EMPTY: () = ();
-
-    if size == 0 {
-        &EMPTY as *() as *mut u8
-    } else {
-        malloc_raw(size)
-    }
-}
-
-// FIXME: #7496
-#[cfg(not(test))]
-#[lang="closure_exchange_malloc"]
-#[inline]
-pub unsafe fn closure_exchange_malloc_(drop_glue: fn(*mut u8), size: uint, align: uint) -> *u8 {
-    closure_exchange_malloc(drop_glue, size, align)
-}
-
-#[inline]
-pub unsafe fn closure_exchange_malloc(drop_glue: fn(*mut u8), size: uint, align: uint) -> *u8 {
-    let total_size = get_box_size(size, align);
-    let p = malloc_raw(total_size);
-
-    let alloc = p as *mut raw::Box<()>;
-    (*alloc).drop_glue = drop_glue;
-
-    alloc as *u8
-}
-
-// NB: Calls to free CANNOT be allowed to fail, as throwing an exception from
-// inside a landing pad may corrupt the state of the exception handler.
-#[cfg(not(test))]
-#[lang="exchange_free"]
-#[inline]
-pub unsafe fn exchange_free_(ptr: *u8) {
-    exchange_free(ptr)
-}
-
-#[inline]
-pub unsafe fn exchange_free(ptr: *u8) {
-    free(ptr as *mut c_void);
-}
-
-// hack for libcore
-#[no_mangle]
-#[doc(hidden)]
-#[deprecated]
-#[cfg(stage0)]
-pub extern "C" fn rust_malloc(size: uint) -> *mut u8 {
-    unsafe { exchange_malloc(size) }
-}
-
-// hack for libcore
-#[no_mangle]
-#[doc(hidden)]
-#[deprecated]
-#[cfg(not(stage0))]
-pub extern "C" fn rust_malloc(size: uint, align: uint) -> *mut u8 {
-    unsafe { exchange_malloc(size, align) }
-}
-
-// hack for libcore
-#[no_mangle]
-#[doc(hidden)]
-#[deprecated]
-pub extern "C" fn rust_free(ptr: *u8) {
-    unsafe { exchange_free(ptr) }
-}
-
-#[cfg(test)]
-mod bench {
-    extern crate test;
-    use self::test::Bencher;
-
-    #[bench]
-    fn alloc_owned_small(b: &mut Bencher) {
-        b.iter(|| {
-            box 10
-        })
-    }
-
-    #[bench]
-    fn alloc_owned_big(b: &mut Bencher) {
-        b.iter(|| {
-            box [10, ..1000]
-        })
-    }
-}
diff --git a/src/libstd/rt/heap.rs b/src/libstd/rt/heap.rs
index 1b4b1e444fe..30583f76330 100644
--- a/src/libstd/rt/heap.rs
+++ b/src/libstd/rt/heap.rs
@@ -98,3 +98,125 @@ pub unsafe fn deallocate(ptr: *mut u8, size: uint, align: uint) {
 pub fn usable_size(size: uint, align: uint) -> uint {
     unsafe { je_nallocx(size as size_t, mallocx_align(align)) as uint }
 }
+
+/// The allocator for unique pointers.
+#[cfg(stage0)]
+#[lang="exchange_malloc"]
+#[inline(always)]
+pub unsafe fn exchange_malloc_(size: uint) -> *mut u8 {
+    exchange_malloc(size)
+}
+
+/// The allocator for unique pointers.
+#[cfg(not(test), not(stage0))]
+#[lang="exchange_malloc"]
+#[inline(always)]
+pub unsafe fn exchange_malloc_(size: uint, align: uint) -> *mut u8 {
+    exchange_malloc(size, align)
+}
+
+/// The allocator for unique pointers.
+#[cfg(stage0)]
+#[inline]
+pub unsafe fn exchange_malloc(size: uint) -> *mut u8 {
+    // The compiler never calls `exchange_free` on ~ZeroSizeType, so zero-size
+    // allocations can point to this `static`. It would be incorrect to use a null
+    // pointer, due to enums assuming types like unique pointers are never null.
+    static EMPTY: () = ();
+
+    if size == 0 {
+        &EMPTY as *() as *mut u8
+    } else {
+        allocate(size, 8)
+    }
+}
+
+/// The allocator for unique pointers.
+#[cfg(not(stage0))]
+#[inline]
+pub unsafe fn exchange_malloc(size: uint, align: uint) -> *mut u8 {
+    // The compiler never calls `exchange_free` on ~ZeroSizeType, so zero-size
+    // allocations can point to this `static`. It would be incorrect to use a null
+    // pointer, due to enums assuming types like unique pointers are never null.
+    static EMPTY: () = ();
+
+    if size == 0 {
+        &EMPTY as *() as *mut u8
+    } else {
+        allocate(size, align)
+    }
+}
+
+#[cfg(not(test))]
+#[lang="exchange_free"]
+#[inline]
+// FIXME: #13994 (rustc should pass align and size here)
+pub unsafe fn exchange_free_(ptr: *mut u8) {
+    exchange_free(ptr, 0, 8)
+}
+
+#[inline]
+pub unsafe fn exchange_free(ptr: *mut u8, size: uint, align: uint) {
+    deallocate(ptr, size, align);
+}
+
+// FIXME: #7496
+#[cfg(not(test))]
+#[lang="closure_exchange_malloc"]
+#[inline]
+unsafe fn closure_exchange_malloc(drop_glue: fn(*mut u8), size: uint, align: uint) -> *mut u8 {
+    let total_size = ::rt::util::get_box_size(size, align);
+    let p = allocate(total_size, 8);
+
+    let alloc = p as *mut ::raw::Box<()>;
+    (*alloc).drop_glue = drop_glue;
+
+    alloc as *mut u8
+}
+
+// hack for libcore
+#[no_mangle]
+#[doc(hidden)]
+#[deprecated]
+#[cfg(stage0, not(test))]
+pub extern "C" fn rust_malloc(size: uint) -> *mut u8 {
+    unsafe { exchange_malloc(size) }
+}
+
+// hack for libcore
+#[no_mangle]
+#[doc(hidden)]
+#[deprecated]
+#[cfg(not(stage0), not(test))]
+pub extern "C" fn rust_malloc(size: uint, align: uint) -> *mut u8 {
+    unsafe { exchange_malloc(size, align) }
+}
+
+// hack for libcore
+#[no_mangle]
+#[doc(hidden)]
+#[deprecated]
+#[cfg(not(test))]
+pub extern "C" fn rust_free(ptr: *mut u8, size: uint, align: uint) {
+    unsafe { exchange_free(ptr, size, align) }
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod bench {
+    extern crate test;
+    use self::test::Bencher;
+
+    #[bench]
+    fn alloc_owned_small(b: &mut Bencher) {
+        b.iter(|| {
+            box 10
+        })
+    }
+
+    #[bench]
+    fn alloc_owned_big(b: &mut Bencher) {
+        b.iter(|| {
+            box [10, ..1000]
+        })
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/libstd/rt/local_heap.rs b/src/libstd/rt/local_heap.rs
index caf0d9028c5..8795736b3f5 100644
--- a/src/libstd/rt/local_heap.rs
+++ b/src/libstd/rt/local_heap.rs
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 
 use cast;
 use iter::Iterator;
+use libc::{c_void, free};
 use mem;
 use ops::Drop;
 use option::{Option, None, Some};
@@ -58,7 +59,7 @@ impl LocalHeap {
 
     #[inline]
     pub fn alloc(&mut self, drop_glue: fn(*mut u8), size: uint, align: uint) -> *mut Box {
-        let total_size = global_heap::get_box_size(size, align);
+        let total_size = ::rt::util::get_box_size(size, align);
         let alloc = self.memory_region.malloc(total_size);
         {
             // Make sure that we can't use `mybox` outside of this scope
@@ -226,7 +227,7 @@ impl MemoryRegion {
             self.release(cast::transmute(alloc));
             rtassert!(self.live_allocations > 0);
             self.live_allocations -= 1;
-            global_heap::exchange_free(alloc as *u8)
+            free(alloc as *mut c_void)
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/src/libstd/rt/util.rs b/src/libstd/rt/util.rs
index 84284ca1faf..e8b1acb1024 100644
--- a/src/libstd/rt/util.rs
+++ b/src/libstd/rt/util.rs
@@ -26,6 +26,23 @@ use slice::ImmutableVector;
 // FIXME: Once the runtime matures remove the `true` below to turn off rtassert, etc.
 pub static ENFORCE_SANITY: bool = true || !cfg!(rtopt) || cfg!(rtdebug) || cfg!(rtassert);
 
+#[deprecated]
+#[doc(hidden)]
+#[inline]
+pub fn get_box_size(body_size: uint, body_align: uint) -> uint {
+    let header_size = ::mem::size_of::<::raw::Box<()>>();
+    let total_size = align_to(header_size, body_align) + body_size;
+    total_size
+}
+
+// Rounds |size| to the nearest |alignment|. Invariant: |alignment| is a power
+// of two.
+#[inline]
+fn align_to(size: uint, align: uint) -> uint {
+    assert!(align != 0);
+    (size + align - 1) & !(align - 1)
+}
+
 /// Get the number of cores available
 pub fn num_cpus() -> uint {
     unsafe {
diff --git a/src/libstd/slice.rs b/src/libstd/slice.rs
index 21084407b8d..b97c55ad701 100644
--- a/src/libstd/slice.rs
+++ b/src/libstd/slice.rs
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ use ops::Drop;
 use option::{None, Option, Some};
 use ptr::RawPtr;
 use ptr;
-use rt::global_heap::{exchange_free};
+use rt::heap::{exchange_malloc, exchange_free};
 use unstable::finally::try_finally;
 use vec::Vec;
 
@@ -292,9 +292,9 @@ pub trait CloneableVector<T> {
 impl<'a, T: Clone> CloneableVector<T> for &'a [T] {
     /// Returns a copy of `v`.
     #[inline]
+    #[cfg(stage0)]
     fn to_owned(&self) -> ~[T] {
         use RawVec = core::raw::Vec;
-        use rt::global_heap::{malloc_raw, exchange_free};
         use num::{CheckedAdd, CheckedMul};
         use option::Expect;
 
@@ -305,7 +305,8 @@ impl<'a, T: Clone> CloneableVector<T> for &'a [T] {
         let size = size.expect("overflow in to_owned()");
 
         unsafe {
-            let ret = malloc_raw(size) as *mut RawVec<()>;
+            // this should pass the real required alignment
+            let ret = exchange_malloc(size) as *mut RawVec<()>;
 
             (*ret).fill = len * mem::nonzero_size_of::<T>();
             (*ret).alloc = len * mem::nonzero_size_of::<T>();
@@ -329,7 +330,55 @@ impl<'a, T: Clone> CloneableVector<T> for &'a [T] {
                     for j in range(0, *i as int) {
                         ptr::read(&*p.offset(j));
                     }
-                    exchange_free(ret as *u8);
+                    // FIXME: #13994 (should pass align and size here)
+                    exchange_free(ret as *mut u8, 0, 8);
+                });
+            cast::transmute(ret)
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// Returns a copy of `v`.
+    #[inline]
+    #[cfg(not(stage0))]
+    fn to_owned(&self) -> ~[T] {
+        use RawVec = core::raw::Vec;
+        use num::{CheckedAdd, CheckedMul};
+        use option::Expect;
+
+        let len = self.len();
+        let data_size = len.checked_mul(&mem::size_of::<T>());
+        let data_size = data_size.expect("overflow in to_owned()");
+        let size = mem::size_of::<RawVec<()>>().checked_add(&data_size);
+        let size = size.expect("overflow in to_owned()");
+
+        unsafe {
+            // this should pass the real required alignment
+            let ret = exchange_malloc(size, 8) as *mut RawVec<()>;
+
+            (*ret).fill = len * mem::nonzero_size_of::<T>();
+            (*ret).alloc = len * mem::nonzero_size_of::<T>();
+
+            // Be careful with the following loop. We want it to be optimized
+            // to a memcpy (or something similarly fast) when T is Copy. LLVM
+            // is easily confused, so any extra operations during the loop can
+            // prevent this optimization.
+            let mut i = 0;
+            let p = &mut (*ret).data as *mut _ as *mut T;
+            try_finally(
+                &mut i, (),
+                |i, ()| while *i < len {
+                    mem::move_val_init(
+                        &mut(*p.offset(*i as int)),
+                        self.unsafe_ref(*i).clone());
+                    *i += 1;
+                },
+                |i| if *i < len {
+                    // we must be failing, clean up after ourselves
+                    for j in range(0, *i as int) {
+                        ptr::read(&*p.offset(j));
+                    }
+                    // FIXME: #13994 (should pass align and size here)
+                    exchange_free(ret as *mut u8, 0, 8);
                 });
             cast::transmute(ret)
         }
@@ -768,7 +817,8 @@ impl<T> Drop for MoveItems<T> {
         // destroy the remaining elements
         for _x in *self {}
         unsafe {
-            exchange_free(self.allocation as *u8)
+            // FIXME: #13994 (should pass align and size here)
+            exchange_free(self.allocation, 0, 8)
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/libstd/vec.rs b/src/libstd/vec.rs
index 28035c32f8e..31b4112f1e7 100644
--- a/src/libstd/vec.rs
+++ b/src/libstd/vec.rs
@@ -1512,7 +1512,7 @@ impl<T> FromVec<T> for ~[T] {
         let vp = v.as_mut_ptr();
 
         unsafe {
-            let ret = malloc_raw(size) as *mut RawVec<()>;
+            let ret = allocate(size, 8) as *mut RawVec<()>;
 
             (*ret).fill = len * mem::nonzero_size_of::<T>();
             (*ret).alloc = len * mem::nonzero_size_of::<T>();
diff --git a/src/libsync/arc.rs b/src/libsync/arc.rs
index f5369ec862f..226eb7afb5f 100644
--- a/src/libsync/arc.rs
+++ b/src/libsync/arc.rs
@@ -15,8 +15,9 @@
 
 use std::cast;
 use std::ptr;
-use std::rt::global_heap;
+use std::rt::heap::exchange_free;
 use std::sync::atomics;
+use std::mem::{min_align_of, size_of};
 
 /// An atomically reference counted wrapper for shared state.
 ///
@@ -190,7 +191,8 @@ impl<T: Share + Send> Drop for Arc<T> {
 
         if self.inner().weak.fetch_sub(1, atomics::Release) == 1 {
             atomics::fence(atomics::Acquire);
-            unsafe { global_heap::exchange_free(self.x as *u8) }
+            unsafe { exchange_free(self.x as *mut u8, size_of::<ArcInner<T>>(),
+                                   min_align_of::<ArcInner<T>>()) }
         }
     }
 }
@@ -240,7 +242,8 @@ impl<T: Share + Send> Drop for Weak<T> {
         // the memory orderings
         if self.inner().weak.fetch_sub(1, atomics::Release) == 1 {
             atomics::fence(atomics::Acquire);
-            unsafe { global_heap::exchange_free(self.x as *u8) }
+            unsafe { exchange_free(self.x as *mut u8, size_of::<ArcInner<T>>(),
+                                   min_align_of::<ArcInner<T>>()) }
         }
     }
 }