diff --git a/src/expr.rs b/src/expr.rs
index eaa7b362b7d..85ea41fb060 100644
--- a/src/expr.rs
+++ b/src/expr.rs
@@ -8,9 +8,9 @@
 // option. This file may not be copied, modified, or distributed
 // except according to those terms.
 
-use visitor::FmtVisitor;
 use utils::*;
 use lists::{write_list, ListFormatting, SeparatorTactic, ListTactic};
+use rewrite::{Rewrite, RewriteContext};
 
 use syntax::{ast, ptr};
 use syntax::codemap::{Pos, Span};
@@ -19,194 +19,239 @@ use syntax::print::pprust;
 
 use MIN_STRING;
 
-impl<'a> FmtVisitor<'a> {
-    fn rewrite_string_lit(&mut self, s: &str, span: Span, width: usize, offset: usize) -> String {
-        // FIXME I bet this stomps unicode escapes in the source string
-
-        // Check if there is anything to fix: we always try to fixup multi-line
-        // strings, or if the string is too long for the line.
-        let l_loc = self.codemap.lookup_char_pos(span.lo);
-        let r_loc = self.codemap.lookup_char_pos(span.hi);
-        if l_loc.line == r_loc.line && r_loc.col.to_usize() <= config!(max_width) {
-            return self.snippet(span);
-        }
-
-        // TODO if lo.col > IDEAL - 10, start a new line (need cur indent for that)
-
-        let s = s.escape_default();
-
-        let offset = offset + 1;
-        let indent = make_indent(offset);
-        let indent = &indent;
-
-        let mut cur_start = 0;
-        let mut result = String::with_capacity(round_up_to_power_of_two(s.len()));
-        result.push('"');
-        loop {
-            let max_chars = if cur_start == 0 {
-                // First line.
-                width - 2 // 2 = " + \
-            } else {
-                config!(max_width) - offset - 1 // 1 = either \ or ;
-            };
-
-            let mut cur_end = cur_start + max_chars;
-
-            if cur_end >= s.len() {
-                result.push_str(&s[cur_start..]);
-                break;
-            }
-
-            // Make sure we're on a char boundary.
-            cur_end = next_char(&s, cur_end);
-
-            // Push cur_end left until we reach whitespace
-            while !s.char_at(cur_end-1).is_whitespace() {
-                cur_end = prev_char(&s, cur_end);
-
-                if cur_end - cur_start < MIN_STRING {
-                    // We can't break at whitespace, fall back to splitting
-                    // anywhere that doesn't break an escape sequence
-                    cur_end = next_char(&s, cur_start + max_chars);
-                    while s.char_at(prev_char(&s, cur_end)) == '\\' {
-                        cur_end = prev_char(&s, cur_end);
+impl Rewrite for ast::Expr {
+    fn rewrite(&self, context: &RewriteContext, width: usize, offset: usize) -> Option<String> {
+        match self.node {
+            ast::Expr_::ExprLit(ref l) => {
+                match l.node {
+                    ast::Lit_::LitStr(ref is, _) => {
+                        let result = rewrite_string_lit(context, &is, l.span, width, offset);
+                        debug!("string lit: `{:?}`", result);
+                        return result;
                     }
-                    break;
+                    _ => {}
                 }
             }
-            // Make sure there is no whitespace to the right of the break.
-            while cur_end < s.len() && s.char_at(cur_end).is_whitespace() {
-                cur_end = next_char(&s, cur_end+1);
+            ast::Expr_::ExprCall(ref callee, ref args) => {
+                return rewrite_call(context, callee, args, width, offset);
             }
-            result.push_str(&s[cur_start..cur_end]);
-            result.push_str("\\\n");
-            result.push_str(indent);
-
-            cur_start = cur_end;
+            ast::Expr_::ExprParen(ref subexpr) => {
+                return rewrite_paren(context, subexpr, width, offset);
+            }
+            ast::Expr_::ExprStruct(ref path, ref fields, ref base) => {
+                return rewrite_struct_lit(context, path,
+                                               fields,
+                                               base.as_ref().map(|e| &**e),
+                                               width,
+                                               offset);
+            }
+            ast::Expr_::ExprTup(ref items) => {
+                return rewrite_tuple_lit(context, items, width, offset);
+            }
+            _ => {}
         }
-        result.push('"');
 
-        result
+        context.codemap.span_to_snippet(self.span).ok()
+    }
+}
+
+fn rewrite_string_lit(context: &RewriteContext, s: &str, span: Span, width: usize, offset: usize) -> Option<String> {
+    // FIXME I bet this stomps unicode escapes in the source string
+
+    // Check if there is anything to fix: we always try to fixup multi-line
+    // strings, or if the string is too long for the line.
+    let l_loc = context.codemap.lookup_char_pos(span.lo);
+    let r_loc = context.codemap.lookup_char_pos(span.hi);
+    if l_loc.line == r_loc.line && r_loc.col.to_usize() <= config!(max_width) {
+        return context.codemap.span_to_snippet(span).ok();
     }
 
-    fn rewrite_call(&mut self,
-                    callee: &ast::Expr,
-                    args: &[ptr::P<ast::Expr>],
-                    width: usize,
-                    offset: usize)
-        -> String
-    {
-        debug!("rewrite_call, width: {}, offset: {}", width, offset);
+    // TODO if lo.col > IDEAL - 10, start a new line (need cur indent for that)
 
-        // TODO using byte lens instead of char lens (and probably all over the place too)
-        let callee_str = self.rewrite_expr(callee, width, offset);
-        debug!("rewrite_call, callee_str: `{}`", callee_str);
-        // 2 is for parens.
-        let remaining_width = width - callee_str.len() - 2;
-        let offset = callee_str.len() + 1 + offset;
-        let arg_count = args.len();
+    let s = s.escape_default();
 
-        let args_str = if arg_count > 0 {
-            let args: Vec<_> = args.iter().map(|e| (self.rewrite_expr(e,
-                                                                      remaining_width,
-                                                                      offset), String::new())).collect();
-            let fmt = ListFormatting {
-                tactic: ListTactic::HorizontalVertical,
-                separator: ",",
-                trailing_separator: SeparatorTactic::Never,
-                indent: offset,
-                h_width: remaining_width,
-                v_width: remaining_width,
-            };
-            write_list(&args, &fmt)
+    let offset = offset + 1;
+    let indent = make_indent(offset);
+    let indent = &indent;
+
+    let mut cur_start = 0;
+    let mut result = String::with_capacity(round_up_to_power_of_two(s.len()));
+    result.push('"');
+    loop {
+        let max_chars = if cur_start == 0 {
+            // First line.
+            width - 2 // 2 = " + \
         } else {
-            String::new()
+            config!(max_width) - offset - 1 // 1 = either \ or ;
         };
 
-        format!("{}({})", callee_str, args_str)
-    }
+        let mut cur_end = cur_start + max_chars;
 
-    fn rewrite_paren(&mut self, subexpr: &ast::Expr, width: usize, offset: usize) -> String {
-        debug!("rewrite_paren, width: {}, offset: {}", width, offset);
-        // 1 is for opening paren, 2 is for opening+closing, we want to keep the closing
-        // paren on the same line as the subexpr
-        let subexpr_str = self.rewrite_expr(subexpr, width-2, offset+1);
-        debug!("rewrite_paren, subexpr_str: `{}`", subexpr_str);
-        format!("({})", subexpr_str)
-    }
-
-    fn rewrite_struct_lit(&mut self,
-                          path: &ast::Path,
-                          fields: &[ast::Field],
-                          base: Option<&ast::Expr>,
-                          width: usize,
-                          offset: usize)
-        -> String
-    {
-        debug!("rewrite_struct_lit: width {}, offset {}", width, offset);
-        assert!(fields.len() > 0 || base.is_some());
-
-        let path_str = pprust::path_to_string(path);
-        // Foo { a: Foo } - indent is +3, width is -5.
-        let indent = offset + path_str.len() + 3;
-        let budget = width - (path_str.len() + 5);
-
-        let mut field_strs: Vec<_> =
-            fields.iter().map(|f| self.rewrite_field(f, budget, indent)).collect();
-        if let Some(expr) = base {
-            // Another 2 on the width/indent for the ..
-            field_strs.push(format!("..{}", self.rewrite_expr(expr, budget - 2, indent + 2)))
+        if cur_end >= s.len() {
+            result.push_str(&s[cur_start..]);
+            break;
         }
 
-        // FIXME comments
-        let field_strs: Vec<_> = field_strs.into_iter().map(|s| (s, String::new())).collect();
+        // Make sure we're on a char boundary.
+        cur_end = next_char(&s, cur_end);
+
+        // Push cur_end left until we reach whitespace
+        while !s.char_at(cur_end-1).is_whitespace() {
+            cur_end = prev_char(&s, cur_end);
+
+            if cur_end - cur_start < MIN_STRING {
+                // We can't break at whitespace, fall back to splitting
+                // anywhere that doesn't break an escape sequence
+                cur_end = next_char(&s, cur_start + max_chars);
+                while s.char_at(prev_char(&s, cur_end)) == '\\' {
+                    cur_end = prev_char(&s, cur_end);
+                }
+                break;
+            }
+        }
+        // Make sure there is no whitespace to the right of the break.
+        while cur_end < s.len() && s.char_at(cur_end).is_whitespace() {
+            cur_end = next_char(&s, cur_end+1);
+        }
+        result.push_str(&s[cur_start..cur_end]);
+        result.push_str("\\\n");
+        result.push_str(indent);
+
+        cur_start = cur_end;
+    }
+    result.push('"');
+
+    Some(result)
+}
+
+fn rewrite_call(context: &RewriteContext,
+                callee: &ast::Expr,
+                args: &[ptr::P<ast::Expr>],
+                width: usize,
+                offset: usize)
+        -> Option<String>
+{
+    debug!("rewrite_call, width: {}, offset: {}", width, offset);
+
+    // TODO using byte lens instead of char lens (and probably all over the place too)
+    let callee_str = try_opt!(callee.rewrite(context, width, offset));
+    debug!("rewrite_call, callee_str: `{:?}`", callee_str);
+    // 2 is for parens.
+    let remaining_width = width - callee_str.len() - 2;
+    let offset = callee_str.len() + 1 + offset;
+    let arg_count = args.len();
+
+    let args_str = if arg_count > 0 {
+        let args_rewritten: Vec<_> =
+            try_opt!(args.iter()
+                         .map(|arg| arg.rewrite(context, remaining_width, offset)
+                                       .map(|arg_str| (arg_str, String::new())))
+                         .collect());
         let fmt = ListFormatting {
             tactic: ListTactic::HorizontalVertical,
             separator: ",",
-            trailing_separator: if base.is_some() {
-                    SeparatorTactic::Never
-                } else {
-                    config!(struct_lit_trailing_comma)
-                },
-            indent: indent,
-            h_width: budget,
-            v_width: budget,
+            trailing_separator: SeparatorTactic::Never,
+            indent: offset,
+            h_width: remaining_width,
+            v_width: remaining_width,
         };
-        let fields_str = write_list(&field_strs, &fmt);
-        format!("{} {{ {} }}", path_str, fields_str)
+        write_list(&args_rewritten, &fmt)
+    } else {
+        String::new()
+    };
+
+    Some(format!("{}({})", callee_str, args_str))
+}
+
+fn rewrite_paren(context: &RewriteContext, subexpr: &ast::Expr, width: usize, offset: usize) -> Option<String> {
+    debug!("rewrite_paren, width: {}, offset: {}", width, offset);
+    // 1 is for opening paren, 2 is for opening+closing, we want to keep the closing
+    // paren on the same line as the subexpr
+    let subexpr_str = subexpr.rewrite(context, width-2, offset+1);
+    debug!("rewrite_paren, subexpr_str: `{:?}`", subexpr_str);
+    subexpr_str.map(|s| format!("({})", s))
+}
+
+fn rewrite_struct_lit(context: &RewriteContext,
+                      path: &ast::Path,
+                      fields: &[ast::Field],
+                      base: Option<&ast::Expr>,
+                      width: usize,
+                      offset: usize)
+        -> Option<String>
+{
+    debug!("rewrite_struct_lit: width {}, offset {}", width, offset);
+    assert!(fields.len() > 0 || base.is_some());
+
+    let path_str = pprust::path_to_string(path);
+    // Foo { a: Foo } - indent is +3, width is -5.
+    let indent = offset + path_str.len() + 3;
+    let budget = width - (path_str.len() + 5);
+
+    let field_strs: Vec<_> =
+        try_opt!(fields.iter()
+                       .map(|field| rewrite_field(context, field, budget, indent))
+                       .chain(base.iter()
+                                  .map(|expr| expr.rewrite(context,
+                                                           // 2 = ".."
+                                                           budget - 2,
+                                                           indent + 2)
+                                                  .map(|s| format!("..{}", s))))
+                       .collect());
+    // FIXME comments
+    let field_strs: Vec<_> = field_strs.into_iter().map(|s| (s, String::new())).collect();
+    let fmt = ListFormatting {
+        tactic: ListTactic::HorizontalVertical,
+        separator: ",",
+        trailing_separator: if base.is_some() {
+            SeparatorTactic::Never
+        } else {
+            config!(struct_lit_trailing_comma)
+        },
+        indent: indent,
+        h_width: budget,
+        v_width: budget,
+    };
+    let fields_str = write_list(&field_strs, &fmt);
+    Some(format!("{} {{ {} }}", path_str, fields_str))
 
         // FIXME if the usual multi-line layout is too wide, we should fall back to
         // Foo {
         //     a: ...,
         // }
-    }
+}
 
-    fn rewrite_field(&mut self, field: &ast::Field, width: usize, offset: usize) -> String {
-        let name = &token::get_ident(field.ident.node);
-        let overhead = name.len() + 2;
-        let expr = self.rewrite_expr(&field.expr, width - overhead, offset + overhead);
-        format!("{}: {}", name, expr)
-    }
+fn rewrite_field(context: &RewriteContext, field: &ast::Field, width: usize, offset: usize) -> Option<String> {
+    let name = &token::get_ident(field.ident.node);
+    let overhead = name.len() + 2;
+    let expr = field.expr.rewrite(context, width - overhead, offset + overhead);
+    expr.map(|s| format!("{}: {}", name, s))
+}
 
-    fn rewrite_tuple_lit(&mut self, items: &[ptr::P<ast::Expr>], width: usize, offset: usize)
-        -> String {
+fn rewrite_tuple_lit(context: &RewriteContext,
+                     items: &[ptr::P<ast::Expr>],
+                     width: usize,
+                     offset: usize)
+    -> Option<String> {
         // opening paren
         let indent = offset + 1;
         // In case of length 1, need a trailing comma
         if items.len() == 1 {
-            return format!("({},)", self.rewrite_expr(&*items[0], width - 3, indent));
+            return items[0].rewrite(context, width - 3, indent).map(|s| format!("({},)", s));
         }
         // Only last line has width-1 as budget, other may take max_width
         let item_strs: Vec<_> =
-            items.iter()
-                 .enumerate()
-                 .map(|(i, item)| self.rewrite_expr(
-                    item,
-                    // last line : given width (minus "("+")"), other lines : max_width
-                    // (minus "("+","))
-                    if i == items.len() - 1 { width - 2 } else { config!(max_width) - indent - 2 },
-                    indent))
-                 .collect();
+            try_opt!(items.iter()
+                          .enumerate()
+                          .map(|(i, item)| {
+                              let rem_width = if i == items.len() - 1 {
+                                  width - 2
+                              } else {
+                                  config!(max_width) - indent - 2
+                              };
+                              item.rewrite(context, rem_width, indent)
+                          })
+                          .collect());
         let tactics = if item_strs.iter().any(|s| s.contains('\n')) {
             ListTactic::Vertical
         } else {
@@ -223,41 +268,5 @@ impl<'a> FmtVisitor<'a> {
             v_width: width - 2,
         };
         let item_str = write_list(&item_strs, &fmt);
-        format!("({})", item_str)
+        Some(format!("({})", item_str))
     }
-
-
-    pub fn rewrite_expr(&mut self, expr: &ast::Expr, width: usize, offset: usize) -> String {
-        match expr.node {
-            ast::Expr_::ExprLit(ref l) => {
-                match l.node {
-                    ast::Lit_::LitStr(ref is, _) => {
-                        let result = self.rewrite_string_lit(&is, l.span, width, offset);
-                        debug!("string lit: `{}`", result);
-                        return result;
-                    }
-                    _ => {}
-                }
-            }
-            ast::Expr_::ExprCall(ref callee, ref args) => {
-                return self.rewrite_call(callee, args, width, offset);
-            }
-            ast::Expr_::ExprParen(ref subexpr) => {
-                return self.rewrite_paren(subexpr, width, offset);
-            }
-            ast::Expr_::ExprStruct(ref path, ref fields, ref base) => {
-                return self.rewrite_struct_lit(path,
-                                               fields,
-                                               base.as_ref().map(|e| &**e),
-                                               width,
-                                               offset);
-            }
-            ast::Expr_::ExprTup(ref items) => {
-                return self.rewrite_tuple_lit(items, width, offset);
-            }
-            _ => {}
-        }
-
-        self.snippet(expr.span)
-    }
-}
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index a07d31bd87d..1b360433e94 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ mod types;
 mod expr;
 mod imports;
 mod issues;
+mod rewrite;
 
 const MIN_STRING: usize = 10;
 // When we get scoped annotations, we should have rustfmt::skip.
diff --git a/src/rewrite.rs b/src/rewrite.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..354e9b17061
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/rewrite.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+// Copyright 2015 The Rust Project Developers. See the COPYRIGHT
+// file at the top-level directory of this distribution and at
+// http://rust-lang.org/COPYRIGHT.
+//
+// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 <LICENSE-APACHE or
+// http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0> or the MIT license
+// <LICENSE-MIT or http://opensource.org/licenses/MIT>, at your
+// option. This file may not be copied, modified, or distributed
+// except according to those terms.
+
+// A generic trait to abstract the rewriting of an element (of the AST).
+
+use syntax::codemap::CodeMap;
+
+pub trait Rewrite {
+    /// Rewrite self into offset and width.
+    /// `offset` is the indentation of the first line. The next lines
+    /// should begin with a least `offset` spaces (except backwards
+    /// indentation). The first line should not begin with indentation.
+    /// `width` is the maximum number of characters on the last line
+    /// (excluding offset). The width of other lines is not limited by
+    /// `width`.
+    fn rewrite(&self, context: &RewriteContext, width: usize, offset: usize) -> Option<String>;
+}
+
+pub struct RewriteContext<'a> {
+    pub codemap: &'a CodeMap,
+}
diff --git a/src/utils.rs b/src/utils.rs
index 5bcf16ea36b..795c0d98309 100644
--- a/src/utils.rs
+++ b/src/utils.rs
@@ -159,6 +159,15 @@ macro_rules! impl_enum_decodable {
     };
 }
 
+// Same as try!, but for Option
+#[macro_export]
+macro_rules! try_opt {
+    ($expr:expr) => (match $expr {
+        Some(val) => val,
+        None => { return None; }
+    })
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn power_rounding() {
     assert_eq!(0, round_up_to_power_of_two(0));
diff --git a/src/visitor.rs b/src/visitor.rs
index 3c9f3ac1b23..0b9a9cfa46b 100644
--- a/src/visitor.rs
+++ b/src/visitor.rs
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ use utils;
 
 use SKIP_ANNOTATION;
 use changes::ChangeSet;
+use rewrite::{Rewrite, RewriteContext};
 
 pub struct FmtVisitor<'a> {
     pub codemap: &'a CodeMap,
@@ -32,9 +33,15 @@ impl<'a, 'v> visit::Visitor<'v> for FmtVisitor<'a> {
                self.codemap.lookup_char_pos(ex.span.hi));
         self.format_missing(ex.span.lo);
         let offset = self.changes.cur_offset_span(ex.span);
-        let new_str = self.rewrite_expr(ex, config!(max_width) - offset, offset);
-        self.changes.push_str_span(ex.span, &new_str);
-        self.last_pos = ex.span.hi;
+        match ex.rewrite(&RewriteContext { codemap: self.codemap },
+                         config!(max_width) - offset,
+                         offset) {
+            Some(new_str) => {
+                self.changes.push_str_span(ex.span, &new_str);
+                self.last_pos = ex.span.hi;
+            }
+            None => { self.last_pos = ex.span.lo; }
+        }
     }
 
     fn visit_stmt(&mut self, stmt: &'v ast::Stmt) {