diff --git a/src/etc/vim/syntax/rust.vim b/src/etc/vim/syntax/rust.vim
index f937fd8caa6f8..8133d9210333c 100644
--- a/src/etc/vim/syntax/rust.vim
+++ b/src/etc/vim/syntax/rust.vim
@@ -94,6 +94,7 @@ syn keyword rustTrait ImmutableEqVector ImmutableTotalOrdVector ImmutableCloneab
 syn keyword rustTrait OwnedVector OwnedCloneableVector OwnedEqVector
 syn keyword rustTrait MutableVector MutableTotalOrdVector
 syn keyword rustTrait Vector VectorVector CloneableVector ImmutableVector
+syn keyword rustTrait Vec IntoVec
 
 "syn keyword rustFunction stream
 syn keyword rustTrait Sender Receiver
diff --git a/src/libstd/path/mod.rs b/src/libstd/path/mod.rs
index 2960d55f337c7..a6dc47343f825 100644
--- a/src/libstd/path/mod.rs
+++ b/src/libstd/path/mod.rs
@@ -186,9 +186,6 @@ pub trait GenericPath: Clone + GenericPathUnsafe {
     /// Returns the path as a byte vector
     fn as_vec<'a>(&'a self) -> &'a [u8];
 
-    /// Converts the Path into an owned byte vector
-    fn into_vec(self) -> Vec<u8>;
-
     /// Returns an object that implements `Show` for printing paths
     ///
     /// This will print the equivalent of `to_display_str()` when used with a {} format parameter.
diff --git a/src/libstd/path/posix.rs b/src/libstd/path/posix.rs
index 4affea37e35b2..f986e8d092c41 100644
--- a/src/libstd/path/posix.rs
+++ b/src/libstd/path/posix.rs
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ use str;
 use str::Str;
 use slice::{CloneableVector, RevSplits, Splits, Vector, VectorVector,
             ImmutableEqVector, OwnedVector, ImmutableVector};
-use vec::Vec;
+use vec::{Vec,IntoVec};
 
 use super::{BytesContainer, GenericPath, GenericPathUnsafe};
 
@@ -181,10 +181,6 @@ impl GenericPath for Path {
         self.repr.as_slice()
     }
 
-    fn into_vec(self) -> Vec<u8> {
-        self.repr
-    }
-
     fn dirname<'a>(&'a self) -> &'a [u8] {
         match self.sepidx {
             None if bytes!("..") == self.repr.as_slice() => self.repr.as_slice(),
@@ -322,6 +318,13 @@ impl GenericPath for Path {
     }
 }
 
+impl IntoVec<u8> for Path {
+    #[inline]
+    fn into_vec(self) -> Vec<u8> {
+        self.repr
+    }
+}
+
 impl Path {
     /// Returns a new Path from a byte vector or string
     ///
diff --git a/src/libstd/path/windows.rs b/src/libstd/path/windows.rs
index 74ca8dc57859a..fc05be9449e23 100644
--- a/src/libstd/path/windows.rs
+++ b/src/libstd/path/windows.rs
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ use option::{Option, Some, None};
 use slice::{Vector, OwnedVector, ImmutableVector};
 use str::{CharSplits, Str, StrVector, StrSlice};
 use strbuf::StrBuf;
-use vec::Vec;
+use vec::{Vec,IntoVec};
 
 use super::{contains_nul, BytesContainer, GenericPath, GenericPathUnsafe};
 
@@ -332,11 +332,6 @@ impl GenericPath for Path {
         self.repr.as_bytes()
     }
 
-    #[inline]
-    fn into_vec(self) -> Vec<u8> {
-        Vec::from_slice(self.repr.as_bytes())
-    }
-
     #[inline]
     fn dirname<'a>(&'a self) -> &'a [u8] {
         self.dirname_str().unwrap().as_bytes()
@@ -590,6 +585,13 @@ impl GenericPath for Path {
     }
 }
 
+impl IntoVec<u8> for Path {
+    #[inline]
+    fn into_vec(self) -> Vec<u8> {
+        Vec::from_slice(self.repr.as_bytes())
+    }
+}
+
 impl Path {
     /// Returns a new Path from a byte vector or string
     ///
diff --git a/src/libstd/prelude.rs b/src/libstd/prelude.rs
index 724c4ca72ad0e..580d83da05c8b 100644
--- a/src/libstd/prelude.rs
+++ b/src/libstd/prelude.rs
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ pub use slice::{OwnedVector};
 pub use slice::{MutableVector, MutableTotalOrdVector};
 pub use slice::{Vector, VectorVector, CloneableVector, ImmutableVector};
 pub use strbuf::StrBuf;
-pub use vec::Vec;
+pub use vec::{Vec,IntoVec};
 
 // Reexported runtime types
 pub use comm::{sync_channel, channel, SyncSender, Sender, Receiver};
diff --git a/src/libstd/vec.rs b/src/libstd/vec.rs
index c5f3206d9d557..57d7f5b8836ea 100644
--- a/src/libstd/vec.rs
+++ b/src/libstd/vec.rs
@@ -1435,6 +1435,35 @@ impl<T> Drop for MoveItems<T> {
     }
 }
 
+/// A trait for types that can be converted into a Vec
+pub trait IntoVec<T> {
+    /// Convert `self` into a new Vec, copying if required.
+    fn into_vec(self) -> Vec<T>;
+}
+
+impl<'a, T: Clone> IntoVec<T> for &'a [T] {
+    fn into_vec(self) -> Vec<T> {
+        #![inline(always)]
+        Vec::from_slice(self)
+    }
+}
+
+impl<T> IntoVec<T> for Vec<T> {
+    fn into_vec(self) -> Vec<T> {
+        #![inline(always)]
+        self
+    }
+}
+
+impl<T> IntoVec<T> for ~[T] {
+    // someday this may be able to just reuse the data allocation, but for now, move
+    // all the items into the new Vec.
+    fn into_vec(self) -> Vec<T> {
+        #![inline(always)]
+        self.move_iter().collect()
+    }
+}
+
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests {
     use prelude::*;
@@ -1648,4 +1677,11 @@ mod tests {
         unsafe { v.set_len(0); }
         assert_eq!(v.mut_iter().len(), 0);
     }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_into_vec() {
+        assert_eq!([1u, 2, 3, 4].into_vec(), Vec::from_slice([1u, 2, 3, 4]));
+        assert_eq!(["a","b"].to_owned().into_vec(), Vec::from_slice(["a","b"]));
+        assert_eq!(Vec::from_slice([1u, 2]).into_vec(), Vec::from_slice([1u, 2]));
+    }
 }
diff --git a/src/libsyntax/owned_slice.rs b/src/libsyntax/owned_slice.rs
index 57529228b51f9..82509eb85d9f7 100644
--- a/src/libsyntax/owned_slice.rs
+++ b/src/libsyntax/owned_slice.rs
@@ -54,17 +54,6 @@ impl<T> OwnedSlice<T> {
         }
     }
 
-    #[inline(never)]
-    pub fn into_vec(self) -> Vec<T> {
-        // null is ok, because len == 0 in that case, as required by Vec.
-        unsafe {
-            let ret = Vec::from_raw_parts(self.len, self.len, self.data);
-            // the vector owns the allocation now
-            cast::forget(self);
-            ret
-        }
-    }
-
     pub fn as_slice<'a>(&'a self) -> &'a [T] {
         static PTR_MARKER: u8 = 0;
         let ptr = if self.data.is_null() {
@@ -95,6 +84,19 @@ impl<T> OwnedSlice<T> {
     }
 }
 
+impl<T> IntoVec<T> for OwnedSlice<T> {
+    fn into_vec(self) -> Vec<T> {
+        #![inline(never)]
+        // null is ok, because len == 0 in that case, as required by Vec.
+        unsafe {
+            let ret = Vec::from_raw_parts(self.len, self.len, self.data);
+            // the vector owns the allocation now
+            cast::forget(self);
+            ret
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 impl<T> Default for OwnedSlice<T> {
     fn default() -> OwnedSlice<T> {
         OwnedSlice::empty()