diff --git a/src/libcollections/macros.rs b/src/libcollections/macros.rs
index be3d8f8dbb63d..3c7326dbd8f04 100644
--- a/src/libcollections/macros.rs
+++ b/src/libcollections/macros.rs
@@ -84,8 +84,10 @@ macro_rules! vec {
     ($($x:expr,)*) => (vec![$($x),*])
 }
 
-// HACK: `impl [T]` is not available in cfg(test), use `::slice::into_vec`, instead of
-// `<[T]>::to_vec`
+// HACK(japaric): with cfg(test) the inherent `[T]::into_vec` method, which is required for this
+// macro definition, is not available. Instead use the `slice::into_vec`  function which is only
+// available with cfg(test)
+// NB see the slice::hack module in slice.rs for more information
 #[cfg(not(stage0))]
 #[cfg(test)]
 macro_rules! vec {
diff --git a/src/libcollections/slice.rs b/src/libcollections/slice.rs
index dafe0edbf32c7..dd9c265874467 100644
--- a/src/libcollections/slice.rs
+++ b/src/libcollections/slice.rs
@@ -1083,30 +1083,113 @@ impl<T> SliceExt for [T] {
     }
 }
 
-// HACK: With cfg(test) `impl [T]` is not available, these three functions are actually methods
-// that are in `impl [T]` but not in `core::slice::SliceExt` - this is only need for testing
+// HACK(japaric) needed for the implementation of `vec!` macro during testing
+// NB see the hack module in this file for more details
+#[cfg(not(stage0))]
 #[cfg(test)]
-pub fn into_vec<T>(mut b: Box<[T]>) -> Vec<T> {
-    unsafe {
-        let xs = Vec::from_raw_parts(b.as_mut_ptr(), b.len(), b.len());
-        mem::forget(b);
-        xs
-    }
-}
+pub use self::hack::into_vec;
 
+// HACK(japaric) needed for the implementation of `Vec::clone` during testing
+// NB see the hack module in this file for more details
+#[cfg(not(stage0))]
 #[cfg(test)]
-pub fn permutations<T>(s: &[T]) -> Permutations<T> where T: Clone {
-    Permutations{
-        swaps: ElementSwaps::new(s.len()),
-        v: ::slice::to_vec(s),
+pub use self::hack::to_vec;
+
+// HACK(japaric): With cfg(test) `impl [T]` is not available, these three functions are actually
+// methods that are in `impl [T]` but not in `core::slice::SliceExt` - we need to supply these
+// functions for the `test_permutations` test
+#[cfg(not(stage0))]
+mod hack {
+    use alloc::boxed::Box;
+    use core::clone::Clone;
+    #[cfg(test)]
+    use core::iter::{Iterator, IteratorExt};
+    use core::mem;
+    #[cfg(test)]
+    use core::option::Option::{Some, None};
+
+    #[cfg(test)]
+    use string::ToString;
+    use vec::Vec;
+
+    use super::{ElementSwaps, Permutations};
+
+    pub fn into_vec<T>(mut b: Box<[T]>) -> Vec<T> {
+        unsafe {
+            let xs = Vec::from_raw_parts(b.as_mut_ptr(), b.len(), b.len());
+            mem::forget(b);
+            xs
+        }
     }
-}
 
-#[cfg(test)]
-pub fn to_vec<T>(s: &[T]) -> Vec<T> where T: Clone {
-    let mut vector = Vec::with_capacity(s.len());
-    vector.push_all(s);
-    vector
+    pub fn permutations<T>(s: &[T]) -> Permutations<T> where T: Clone {
+        Permutations{
+            swaps: ElementSwaps::new(s.len()),
+            v: to_vec(s),
+        }
+    }
+
+    #[inline]
+    pub fn to_vec<T>(s: &[T]) -> Vec<T> where T: Clone {
+        let mut vector = Vec::with_capacity(s.len());
+        vector.push_all(s);
+        vector
+    }
+
+    // NB we can remove this hack if we move this test to libcollectionstest - but that can't be
+    // done right now because the test needs access to the private fields of Permutations
+    #[test]
+    fn test_permutations() {
+        {
+            let v: [i32; 0] = [];
+            let mut it = permutations(&v);
+            let (min_size, max_opt) = it.size_hint();
+            assert_eq!(min_size, 1);
+            assert_eq!(max_opt.unwrap(), 1);
+            assert_eq!(it.next(), Some(to_vec(&v)));
+            assert_eq!(it.next(), None);
+        }
+        {
+            let v = ["Hello".to_string()];
+            let mut it = permutations(&v);
+            let (min_size, max_opt) = it.size_hint();
+            assert_eq!(min_size, 1);
+            assert_eq!(max_opt.unwrap(), 1);
+            assert_eq!(it.next(), Some(to_vec(&v)));
+            assert_eq!(it.next(), None);
+        }
+        {
+            let v = [1, 2, 3];
+            let mut it = permutations(&v);
+            let (min_size, max_opt) = it.size_hint();
+            assert_eq!(min_size, 3*2);
+            assert_eq!(max_opt.unwrap(), 3*2);
+            assert_eq!(it.next().unwrap(), [1,2,3]);
+            assert_eq!(it.next().unwrap(), [1,3,2]);
+            assert_eq!(it.next().unwrap(), [3,1,2]);
+            let (min_size, max_opt) = it.size_hint();
+            assert_eq!(min_size, 3);
+            assert_eq!(max_opt.unwrap(), 3);
+            assert_eq!(it.next().unwrap(), [3,2,1]);
+            assert_eq!(it.next().unwrap(), [2,3,1]);
+            assert_eq!(it.next().unwrap(), [2,1,3]);
+            assert_eq!(it.next(), None);
+        }
+        {
+            // check that we have N! permutations
+            let v = ['A', 'B', 'C', 'D', 'E', 'F'];
+            let mut amt = 0;
+            let mut it = permutations(&v);
+            let (min_size, max_opt) = it.size_hint();
+            for _perm in it.by_ref() {
+                amt += 1;
+            }
+            assert_eq!(amt, it.swaps.swaps_made);
+            assert_eq!(amt, min_size);
+            assert_eq!(amt, 2 * 3 * 4 * 5 * 6);
+            assert_eq!(amt, max_opt.unwrap());
+        }
+    }
 }
 
 #[cfg(not(stage0))]
@@ -1715,9 +1798,8 @@ impl<T> [T] {
     #[stable(feature = "rust1", since = "1.0.0")]
     #[inline]
     pub fn to_vec(&self) -> Vec<T> where T: Clone {
-        let mut vector = Vec::with_capacity(self.len());
-        vector.push_all(self);
-        vector
+        // NB see hack module in this file
+        hack::to_vec(self)
     }
 
     /// Creates an iterator that yields every possible permutation of the
@@ -1745,11 +1827,10 @@ impl<T> [T] {
     /// assert_eq!(Some(vec![3, 1, 2]), perms.next());
     /// ```
     #[unstable(feature = "collections")]
+    #[inline]
     pub fn permutations(&self) -> Permutations<T> where T: Clone {
-        Permutations{
-            swaps: ElementSwaps::new(self.len()),
-            v: self.to_vec(),
-        }
+        // NB see hack module in this file
+        hack::permutations(self)
     }
 
     /// Copies as many elements from `src` as it can into `self` (the
@@ -1931,12 +2012,10 @@ impl<T> [T] {
 
     /// Convert `self` into a vector without clones or allocation.
     #[stable(feature = "rust1", since = "1.0.0")]
-    pub fn into_vec(mut self: Box<Self>) -> Vec<T> {
-        unsafe {
-            let xs = Vec::from_raw_parts(self.as_mut_ptr(), self.len(), self.len());
-            mem::forget(self);
-            xs
-        }
+    #[inline]
+    pub fn into_vec(self: Box<Self>) -> Vec<T> {
+        // NB see hack module in this file
+        hack::into_vec(self)
     }
 }
 
@@ -2052,10 +2131,12 @@ impl<T: Clone> ToOwned for [T] {
     #[cfg(not(test))]
     fn to_owned(&self) -> Vec<T> { self.to_vec() }
 
-    // HACK: `impl [T]` is not available in cfg(test), use `::slice::to_vec` instead of
-    // `<[T]>::to_vec`
+    // HACK(japaric): with cfg(test) the inherent `[T]::to_vec`, which is required for this method
+    // definition, is not available. Since we don't require this method for testing purposes, I'll
+    // just stub it
+    // NB see the slice::hack module in slice.rs for more information
     #[cfg(test)]
-    fn to_owned(&self) -> Vec<T> { ::slice::to_vec(self) }
+    fn to_owned(&self) -> Vec<T> { panic!("not available with cfg(test)") }
 }
 
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
@@ -2372,63 +2453,3 @@ fn merge_sort<T, F>(v: &mut [T], mut compare: F) where F: FnMut(&T, &T) -> Order
         old
     }
 }
-
-#[cfg(test)]
-mod test {
-    use core::iter::{Iterator, IteratorExt};
-    use core::option::Option::{None, Some};
-    use string::ToString;
-
-    #[test]
-    fn test_permutations() {
-        {
-            let v: [i32; 0] = [];
-            let mut it = ::slice::permutations(&v);
-            let (min_size, max_opt) = it.size_hint();
-            assert_eq!(min_size, 1);
-            assert_eq!(max_opt.unwrap(), 1);
-            assert_eq!(it.next(), Some(::slice::to_vec(&v)));
-            assert_eq!(it.next(), None);
-        }
-        {
-            let v = ["Hello".to_string()];
-            let mut it = ::slice::permutations(&v);
-            let (min_size, max_opt) = it.size_hint();
-            assert_eq!(min_size, 1);
-            assert_eq!(max_opt.unwrap(), 1);
-            assert_eq!(it.next(), Some(::slice::to_vec(&v)));
-            assert_eq!(it.next(), None);
-        }
-        {
-            let v = [1, 2, 3];
-            let mut it = ::slice::permutations(&v);
-            let (min_size, max_opt) = it.size_hint();
-            assert_eq!(min_size, 3*2);
-            assert_eq!(max_opt.unwrap(), 3*2);
-            assert_eq!(it.next().unwrap(), [1,2,3]);
-            assert_eq!(it.next().unwrap(), [1,3,2]);
-            assert_eq!(it.next().unwrap(), [3,1,2]);
-            let (min_size, max_opt) = it.size_hint();
-            assert_eq!(min_size, 3);
-            assert_eq!(max_opt.unwrap(), 3);
-            assert_eq!(it.next().unwrap(), [3,2,1]);
-            assert_eq!(it.next().unwrap(), [2,3,1]);
-            assert_eq!(it.next().unwrap(), [2,1,3]);
-            assert_eq!(it.next(), None);
-        }
-        {
-            // check that we have N! permutations
-            let v = ['A', 'B', 'C', 'D', 'E', 'F'];
-            let mut amt = 0;
-            let mut it = ::slice::permutations(&v);
-            let (min_size, max_opt) = it.size_hint();
-            for _perm in it.by_ref() {
-                amt += 1;
-            }
-            assert_eq!(amt, it.swaps.swaps_made);
-            assert_eq!(amt, min_size);
-            assert_eq!(amt, 2 * 3 * 4 * 5 * 6);
-            assert_eq!(amt, max_opt.unwrap());
-        }
-    }
-}
diff --git a/src/libcollections/string.rs b/src/libcollections/string.rs
index fdc7cf993b118..9d178eb5413c3 100644
--- a/src/libcollections/string.rs
+++ b/src/libcollections/string.rs
@@ -118,12 +118,14 @@ impl String {
         String { vec: <[_]>::to_vec(string.as_bytes()) }
     }
 
-    // HACK: `impl [T]` is not available in cfg(test), use `::slice::to_vec` instead of
-    // `<[T]>::to_vec`
+    // HACK(japaric): with cfg(test) the inherent `[T]::to_vec` method, which is required for this
+    // method definition, is not available. Since we don't require this method for testing
+    // purposes, I'll just stub it
+    // NB see the slice::hack module in slice.rs for more information
     #[inline]
     #[cfg(test)]
-    pub fn from_str(string: &str) -> String {
-        String { vec: ::slice::to_vec(string.as_bytes()) }
+    pub fn from_str(_: &str) -> String {
+        panic!("not available with cfg(test)");
     }
 
     /// Returns the vector as a string buffer, if possible, taking care not to
diff --git a/src/libcollections/vec.rs b/src/libcollections/vec.rs
index 6aaebe08f5c26..3bd57cc362448 100644
--- a/src/libcollections/vec.rs
+++ b/src/libcollections/vec.rs
@@ -1290,10 +1290,15 @@ impl<T:Clone> Clone for Vec<T> {
     #[cfg(not(test))]
     fn clone(&self) -> Vec<T> { <[T]>::to_vec(&**self) }
 
-    // HACK: `impl [T]` not available in cfg(test), use `::slice::to_vec` instead of `<[T]>::to_vec`
+    // HACK(japaric): with cfg(test) the inherent `[T]::to_vec` method, which is required for this
+    // method definition, is not available. Instead use the `slice::to_vec`  function which is only
+    // available with cfg(test)
+    // NB see the slice::hack module in slice.rs for more information
     #[cfg(not(stage0))]
     #[cfg(test)]
-    fn clone(&self) -> Vec<T> { ::slice::to_vec(&**self) }
+    fn clone(&self) -> Vec<T> {
+        ::slice::to_vec(&**self)
+    }
 
     fn clone_from(&mut self, other: &Vec<T>) {
         // drop anything in self that will not be overwritten