diff --git a/compiler/rustc_data_structures/src/steal.rs b/compiler/rustc_data_structures/src/steal.rs
index 0d79d98b5d966..afa9bc36f2c5e 100644
--- a/compiler/rustc_data_structures/src/steal.rs
+++ b/compiler/rustc_data_structures/src/steal.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 use crate::stable_hasher::{HashStable, StableHasher};
-use crate::sync::{MappedReadGuard, ReadGuard, RwLock};
+use crate::sync::{MappedReadGuard, MappedWriteGuard, ReadGuard, RwLock, WriteGuard};
 
 /// The `Steal` struct is intended to used as the value for a query.
 /// Specifically, we sometimes have queries (*cough* MIR *cough*)
@@ -40,9 +40,17 @@ impl<T> Steal<T> {
         ReadGuard::map(borrow, |opt| opt.as_ref().unwrap())
     }
 
+    /// An escape hatch for rustc drivers to mutate `Steal` caches.
+    ///
+    /// Use at your own risk. This can badly break incremental compilation
+    /// and anything else that relies on the immutability of query caches.
     #[track_caller]
-    pub fn get_mut(&mut self) -> &mut T {
-        self.value.get_mut().as_mut().expect("attempt to read from stolen value")
+    pub fn risky_hack_borrow_mut(&self) -> MappedWriteGuard<'_, T> {
+        let borrow = self.value.borrow_mut();
+        if borrow.is_none() {
+            panic!("attempted to read from stolen value: {}", std::any::type_name::<T>());
+        }
+        WriteGuard::map(borrow, |opt| opt.as_mut().unwrap())
     }
 
     #[track_caller]