diff --git a/src/libcollections/dlist.rs b/src/libcollections/dlist.rs
index 643da970364..0ed946aa947 100644
--- a/src/libcollections/dlist.rs
+++ b/src/libcollections/dlist.rs
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ impl<T> Rawlink<T> {
     /// Convert the `Rawlink` into an Option value
     fn resolve_immut<'a>(&self) -> Option<&'a T> {
         unsafe {
-            mem::transmute(self.p.to_option())
+            self.p.as_ref()
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/src/libcore/ptr.rs b/src/libcore/ptr.rs
index eb9bede85d8..d1bea25dded 100644
--- a/src/libcore/ptr.rs
+++ b/src/libcore/ptr.rs
@@ -256,27 +256,46 @@ pub unsafe fn position<T>(buf: *const T, f: |&T| -> bool) -> uint {
 pub trait RawPtr<T> {
     /// Returns the null pointer.
     fn null() -> Self;
+
     /// Returns true if the pointer is equal to the null pointer.
     fn is_null(&self) -> bool;
+
     /// Returns true if the pointer is not equal to the null pointer.
     fn is_not_null(&self) -> bool { !self.is_null() }
+
     /// Returns the value of this pointer (ie, the address it points to)
     fn to_uint(&self) -> uint;
-    /// Returns `None` if the pointer is null, or else returns the value wrapped
-    /// in `Some`.
+
+    /// Returns `None` if the pointer is null, or else returns a reference to the
+    /// value wrapped in `Some`.
     ///
     /// # Safety Notes
     ///
-    /// While this method is useful for null-safety, it is important to note
-    /// that this is still an unsafe operation because the returned value could
-    /// be pointing to invalid memory.
-    unsafe fn to_option(&self) -> Option<&T>;
+    /// While this method and its mutable counterpart are useful for null-safety,
+    /// it is important to note that this is still an unsafe operation because
+    /// the returned value could be pointing to invalid memory.
+    unsafe fn as_ref<'a>(&self) -> Option<&'a T>;
+
+    /// A synonym for `as_ref`, except with incorrect lifetime semantics
+    #[deprecated="Use `as_ref` instead"]
+    unsafe fn to_option<'a>(&'a self) -> Option<&'a T> {
+        mem::transmute(self.as_ref())
+    }
+
     /// Calculates the offset from a pointer. The offset *must* be in-bounds of
     /// the object, or one-byte-past-the-end.  `count` is in units of T; e.g. a
     /// `count` of 3 represents a pointer offset of `3 * sizeof::<T>()` bytes.
     unsafe fn offset(self, count: int) -> Self;
 }
 
+/// Methods on mutable raw pointers
+pub trait RawMutPtr<T>{
+    /// Returns `None` if the pointer is null, or else returns a mutable reference
+    /// to the value wrapped in `Some`. As with `as_ref`, this is unsafe because
+    /// it cannot verify the validity of the returned pointer.
+    unsafe fn as_mut<'a>(&self) -> Option<&'a mut T>;
+}
+
 impl<T> RawPtr<T> for *const T {
     #[inline]
     fn null() -> *const T { null() }
@@ -293,7 +312,7 @@ impl<T> RawPtr<T> for *const T {
     }
 
     #[inline]
-    unsafe fn to_option(&self) -> Option<&T> {
+    unsafe fn as_ref<'a>(&self) -> Option<&'a T> {
         if self.is_null() {
             None
         } else {
@@ -318,7 +337,7 @@ impl<T> RawPtr<T> for *mut T {
     }
 
     #[inline]
-    unsafe fn to_option(&self) -> Option<&T> {
+    unsafe fn as_ref<'a>(&self) -> Option<&'a T> {
         if self.is_null() {
             None
         } else {
@@ -327,6 +346,17 @@ impl<T> RawPtr<T> for *mut T {
     }
 }
 
+impl<T> RawMutPtr<T> for *mut T {
+    #[inline]
+    unsafe fn as_mut<'a>(&self) -> Option<&'a mut T> {
+        if self.is_null() {
+            None
+        } else {
+            Some(&mut **self)
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 // Equality for pointers
 impl<T> PartialEq for *const T {
     #[inline]
diff --git a/src/libcoretest/ptr.rs b/src/libcoretest/ptr.rs
index 9058ae56c45..754391a284d 100644
--- a/src/libcoretest/ptr.rs
+++ b/src/libcoretest/ptr.rs
@@ -102,19 +102,44 @@ fn test_is_null() {
 }
 
 #[test]
-fn test_to_option() {
+fn test_as_ref() {
     unsafe {
         let p: *const int = null();
-        assert_eq!(p.to_option(), None);
+        assert_eq!(p.as_ref(), None);
 
         let q: *const int = &2;
-        assert_eq!(q.to_option().unwrap(), &2);
+        assert_eq!(q.as_ref().unwrap(), &2);
 
         let p: *mut int = mut_null();
-        assert_eq!(p.to_option(), None);
+        assert_eq!(p.as_ref(), None);
 
         let q: *mut int = &mut 2;
-        assert_eq!(q.to_option().unwrap(), &2);
+        assert_eq!(q.as_ref().unwrap(), &2);
+
+        // Lifetime inference
+        let u = 2i;
+        {
+            let p: *const int = &u as *const _;
+            assert_eq!(p.as_ref().unwrap(), &2);
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn test_as_mut() {
+    unsafe {
+        let p: *mut int = mut_null();
+        assert!(p.as_mut() == None);
+
+        let q: *mut int = &mut 2;
+        assert!(q.as_mut().unwrap() == &mut 2);
+
+        // Lifetime inference
+        let mut u = 2i;
+        {
+            let p: *mut int = &mut u as *mut _;
+            assert!(p.as_mut().unwrap() == &mut 2);
+        }
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/liblog/lib.rs b/src/liblog/lib.rs
index 32222fb16ce..6461a6cf402 100644
--- a/src/liblog/lib.rs
+++ b/src/liblog/lib.rs
@@ -282,7 +282,7 @@ impl Drop for DefaultLogger {
 pub fn log(level: u32, loc: &'static LogLocation, args: &fmt::Arguments) {
     // Test the literal string from args against the current filter, if there
     // is one.
-    match unsafe { FILTER.to_option() } {
+    match unsafe { FILTER.as_ref() } {
         Some(filter) if filter.is_match(args.to_string().as_slice()) => return,
         _ => {}
     }