diff --git a/src/libfmt_macros/lib.rs b/src/libfmt_macros/lib.rs
index 9d6720810b8..66355801b6c 100644
--- a/src/libfmt_macros/lib.rs
+++ b/src/libfmt_macros/lib.rs
@@ -24,7 +24,16 @@
 use std::string;
 use std::iter;
 
-use syntax_pos::Symbol;
+use syntax_pos::{InnerSpan, Symbol};
+
+#[derive(Copy, Clone)]
+struct InnerOffset(usize);
+
+impl InnerOffset {
+    fn to(self, end: InnerOffset) -> InnerSpan {
+        InnerSpan::new(self.0, end.0)
+    }
+}
 
 /// A piece is a portion of the format string which represents the next part
 /// to emit. These are emitted as a stream by the `Parser` class.
@@ -136,9 +145,8 @@ pub struct ParseError {
     pub description: string::String,
     pub note: Option<string::String>,
     pub label: string::String,
-    pub start: SpanIndex,
-    pub end: SpanIndex,
-    pub secondary_label: Option<(string::String, SpanIndex, SpanIndex)>,
+    pub span: InnerSpan,
+    pub secondary_label: Option<(string::String, InnerSpan)>,
 }
 
 /// The parser structure for interpreting the input format string. This is
@@ -157,24 +165,15 @@ pub struct Parser<'a> {
     /// `Some(raw count)` when the string is "raw", used to position spans correctly
     style: Option<usize>,
     /// Start and end byte offset of every successfully parsed argument
-    pub arg_places: Vec<(SpanIndex, SpanIndex)>,
+    pub arg_places: Vec<InnerSpan>,
     /// Characters that need to be shifted
     skips: Vec<usize>,
-    /// Span offset of the last opening brace seen, used for error reporting
-    last_opening_brace_pos: Option<SpanIndex>,
+    /// Span of the last opening brace seen, used for error reporting
+    last_opening_brace: Option<InnerSpan>,
     /// Wether the source string is comes from `println!` as opposed to `format!` or `print!`
     append_newline: bool,
 }
 
-#[derive(Clone, Copy, Debug)]
-pub struct SpanIndex(pub usize);
-
-impl SpanIndex {
-    pub fn unwrap(self) -> usize {
-        self.0
-    }
-}
-
 impl<'a> Iterator for Parser<'a> {
     type Item = Piece<'a>;
 
@@ -182,19 +181,20 @@ fn next(&mut self) -> Option<Piece<'a>> {
         if let Some(&(pos, c)) = self.cur.peek() {
             match c {
                 '{' => {
-                    let curr_last_brace = self.last_opening_brace_pos;
-                    self.last_opening_brace_pos = Some(self.to_span_index(pos));
+                    let curr_last_brace = self.last_opening_brace;
+                    let byte_pos = self.to_span_index(pos);
+                    self.last_opening_brace = Some(byte_pos.to(byte_pos));
                     self.cur.next();
                     if self.consume('{') {
-                        self.last_opening_brace_pos = curr_last_brace;
+                        self.last_opening_brace = curr_last_brace;
 
                         Some(String(self.string(pos + 1)))
                     } else {
                         let arg = self.argument();
-                        if let Some(arg_pos) = self.must_consume('}').map(|end| {
-                            (self.to_span_index(pos), self.to_span_index(end + 1))
-                        }) {
-                            self.arg_places.push(arg_pos);
+                        if let Some(end) = self.must_consume('}') {
+                            let start = self.to_span_index(pos);
+                            let end = self.to_span_index(end + 1);
+                            self.arg_places.push(start.to(end));
                         }
                         Some(NextArgument(arg))
                     }
@@ -209,8 +209,7 @@ fn next(&mut self) -> Option<Piece<'a>> {
                             "unmatched `}` found",
                             "unmatched `}`",
                             "if you intended to print `}`, you can escape it using `}}`",
-                            err_pos,
-                            err_pos,
+                            err_pos.to(err_pos),
                         );
                         None
                     }
@@ -242,7 +241,7 @@ pub fn new(
             style,
             arg_places: vec![],
             skips,
-            last_opening_brace_pos: None,
+            last_opening_brace: None,
             append_newline,
         }
     }
@@ -254,15 +253,13 @@ fn err<S1: Into<string::String>, S2: Into<string::String>>(
         &mut self,
         description: S1,
         label: S2,
-        start: SpanIndex,
-        end: SpanIndex,
+        span: InnerSpan,
     ) {
         self.errors.push(ParseError {
             description: description.into(),
             note: None,
             label: label.into(),
-            start,
-            end,
+            span,
             secondary_label: None,
         });
     }
@@ -275,15 +272,13 @@ fn err_with_note<S1: Into<string::String>, S2: Into<string::String>, S3: Into<st
         description: S1,
         label: S2,
         note: S3,
-        start: SpanIndex,
-        end: SpanIndex,
+        span: InnerSpan,
     ) {
         self.errors.push(ParseError {
             description: description.into(),
             note: Some(note.into()),
             label: label.into(),
-            start,
-            end,
+            span,
             secondary_label: None,
         });
     }
@@ -304,7 +299,7 @@ fn consume(&mut self, c: char) -> bool {
         }
     }
 
-    fn to_span_index(&self, pos: usize) -> SpanIndex {
+    fn to_span_index(&self, pos: usize) -> InnerOffset {
         let mut pos = pos;
         let raw = self.style.map(|raw| raw + 1).unwrap_or(0);
         for skip in &self.skips {
@@ -316,7 +311,7 @@ fn to_span_index(&self, pos: usize) -> SpanIndex {
                 break;
             }
         }
-        SpanIndex(raw + pos + 1)
+        InnerOffset(raw + pos + 1)
     }
 
     /// Forces consumption of the specified character. If the character is not
@@ -334,8 +329,8 @@ fn must_consume(&mut self, c: char) -> Option<usize> {
                 let label = "expected `}`".to_owned();
                 let (note, secondary_label) = if c == '}' {
                     (Some("if you intended to print `{`, you can escape it using `{{`".to_owned()),
-                     self.last_opening_brace_pos.map(|pos| {
-                        ("because of this opening brace".to_owned(), pos, pos)
+                     self.last_opening_brace.map(|sp| {
+                        ("because of this opening brace".to_owned(), sp)
                      }))
                 } else {
                     (None, None)
@@ -344,8 +339,7 @@ fn must_consume(&mut self, c: char) -> Option<usize> {
                     description,
                     note,
                     label,
-                    start: pos,
-                    end: pos,
+                    span: pos.to(pos),
                     secondary_label,
                 });
                 None
@@ -359,8 +353,8 @@ fn must_consume(&mut self, c: char) -> Option<usize> {
                 let label = format!("expected `{:?}`", c);
                 let (note, secondary_label) = if c == '}' {
                     (Some("if you intended to print `{`, you can escape it using `{{`".to_owned()),
-                     self.last_opening_brace_pos.map(|pos| {
-                        ("because of this opening brace".to_owned(), pos, pos)
+                     self.last_opening_brace.map(|sp| {
+                        ("because of this opening brace".to_owned(), sp)
                      }))
                 } else {
                     (None, None)
@@ -369,12 +363,11 @@ fn must_consume(&mut self, c: char) -> Option<usize> {
                     description,
                     note,
                     label,
-                    start: pos,
-                    end: pos,
+                    span: pos.to(pos),
                     secondary_label,
                 });
             } else {
-                self.err(description, format!("expected `{:?}`", c), pos, pos);
+                self.err(description, format!("expected `{:?}`", c), pos.to(pos));
             }
             None
         }
@@ -446,8 +439,10 @@ fn position(&mut self) -> Option<Position> {
                     self.err_with_note(format!("invalid argument name `{}`", invalid_name),
                                        "invalid argument name",
                                        "argument names cannot start with an underscore",
-                                       self.to_span_index(pos),
-                                       self.to_span_index(pos + invalid_name.len()));
+                                        self.to_span_index(pos).to(
+                                            self.to_span_index(pos + invalid_name.len())
+                                        ),
+                                        );
                     Some(ArgumentNamed(Symbol::intern(invalid_name)))
                 },
 
diff --git a/src/librustdoc/passes/check_code_block_syntax.rs b/src/librustdoc/passes/check_code_block_syntax.rs
index 694843ad7f7..6d51278b4e5 100644
--- a/src/librustdoc/passes/check_code_block_syntax.rs
+++ b/src/librustdoc/passes/check_code_block_syntax.rs
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 use syntax::parse::lexer::{StringReader as Lexer};
 use syntax::parse::{ParseSess, token};
 use syntax::source_map::FilePathMapping;
-use syntax_pos::FileName;
+use syntax_pos::{InnerSpan, FileName};
 
 use crate::clean;
 use crate::core::DocContext;
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ fn check_rust_syntax(&self, item: &clean::Item, dox: &str, code_block: RustCodeB
                 }
 
                 if code_block.syntax.is_none() && code_block.is_fenced {
-                    let sp = sp.from_inner_byte_pos(0, 3);
+                    let sp = sp.from_inner(InnerSpan::new(0, 3));
                     diag.span_suggestion(
                         sp,
                         "mark blocks that do not contain Rust code as text",
diff --git a/src/librustdoc/passes/mod.rs b/src/librustdoc/passes/mod.rs
index 018ab5dea60..8fc6b9fdbe6 100644
--- a/src/librustdoc/passes/mod.rs
+++ b/src/librustdoc/passes/mod.rs
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 use rustc::middle::privacy::AccessLevels;
 use rustc::util::nodemap::DefIdSet;
 use std::mem;
-use syntax_pos::{DUMMY_SP, Span};
+use syntax_pos::{DUMMY_SP, InnerSpan, Span};
 use std::ops::Range;
 
 use crate::clean::{self, GetDefId, Item};
@@ -440,10 +440,10 @@ fn add_test(&mut self, _: String, _: LangString, _: usize) {
         }
     }
 
-    let sp = span_of_attrs(attrs).from_inner_byte_pos(
+    let sp = span_of_attrs(attrs).from_inner(InnerSpan::new(
         md_range.start + start_bytes,
         md_range.end + start_bytes + end_bytes,
-    );
+    ));
 
     Some(sp)
 }
diff --git a/src/libsyntax_ext/format.rs b/src/libsyntax_ext/format.rs
index 1fdc2e6274a..85b524786b2 100644
--- a/src/libsyntax_ext/format.rs
+++ b/src/libsyntax_ext/format.rs
@@ -900,15 +900,15 @@ fn find_skips(snippet: &str, is_raw: bool) -> Vec<usize> {
 
     if !parser.errors.is_empty() {
         let err = parser.errors.remove(0);
-        let sp = fmt.span.from_inner_byte_pos(err.start.unwrap(), err.end.unwrap());
+        let sp = fmt.span.from_inner(err.span);
         let mut e = ecx.struct_span_err(sp, &format!("invalid format string: {}",
                                                      err.description));
         e.span_label(sp, err.label + " in format string");
         if let Some(note) = err.note {
             e.note(&note);
         }
-        if let Some((label, start, end)) = err.secondary_label {
-            let sp = fmt.span.from_inner_byte_pos(start.unwrap(), end.unwrap());
+        if let Some((label, span)) = err.secondary_label {
+            let sp = fmt.span.from_inner(span);
             e.span_label(sp, label);
         }
         e.emit();
@@ -916,9 +916,7 @@ fn find_skips(snippet: &str, is_raw: bool) -> Vec<usize> {
     }
 
     let arg_spans = parser.arg_places.iter()
-        .map(|&(parse::SpanIndex(start), parse::SpanIndex(end))| {
-            fmt.span.from_inner_byte_pos(start, end)
-        })
+        .map(|span| fmt.span.from_inner(*span))
         .collect();
 
     let mut cx = Context {
@@ -1065,8 +1063,8 @@ macro_rules! check_foreign {
                             show_doc_note = true;
                         }
 
-                        if let Some((start, end)) = pos {
-                            let sp = fmt_sp.from_inner_byte_pos(start, end);
+                        if let Some(inner_sp) = pos {
+                            let sp = fmt_sp.from_inner(inner_sp);
                             suggestions.push((sp, trn));
                         } else {
                             diag.help(&format!("`{}` should be written as `{}`", sub, trn));
diff --git a/src/libsyntax_ext/format_foreign.rs b/src/libsyntax_ext/format_foreign.rs
index b279dbced84..7ad5997bf2c 100644
--- a/src/libsyntax_ext/format_foreign.rs
+++ b/src/libsyntax_ext/format_foreign.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 pub mod printf {
     use super::strcursor::StrCursor as Cur;
+    use syntax_pos::InnerSpan;
 
     /// Represents a single `printf`-style substitution.
     #[derive(Clone, PartialEq, Debug)]
@@ -18,7 +19,7 @@ pub fn as_str(&self) -> &str {
             }
         }
 
-        pub fn position(&self) -> Option<(usize, usize)> {
+        pub fn position(&self) -> Option<InnerSpan> {
             match *self {
                 Substitution::Format(ref fmt) => Some(fmt.position),
                 _ => None,
@@ -28,7 +29,7 @@ pub fn position(&self) -> Option<(usize, usize)> {
         pub fn set_position(&mut self, start: usize, end: usize) {
             match self {
                 Substitution::Format(ref mut fmt) => {
-                    fmt.position = (start, end);
+                    fmt.position = InnerSpan::new(start, end);
                 }
                 _ => {}
             }
@@ -65,7 +66,7 @@ pub struct Format<'a> {
         /// Type of parameter being converted.
         pub type_: &'a str,
         /// Byte offset for the start and end of this formatting directive.
-        pub position: (usize, usize),
+        pub position: InnerSpan,
     }
 
     impl Format<'_> {
@@ -282,9 +283,9 @@ fn next(&mut self) -> Option<Self::Item> {
             let (mut sub, tail) = parse_next_substitution(self.s)?;
             self.s = tail;
             match sub {
-                Substitution::Format(_) => if let Some((start, end)) = sub.position() {
-                    sub.set_position(start + self.pos, end + self.pos);
-                    self.pos += end;
+                Substitution::Format(_) => if let Some(inner_span) = sub.position() {
+                    sub.set_position(inner_span.start + self.pos, inner_span.end + self.pos);
+                    self.pos += inner_span.end;
                 }
                 Substitution::Escape => self.pos += 2,
             }
@@ -373,7 +374,7 @@ macro_rules! move_to {
                     precision: None,
                     length: None,
                     type_: at.slice_between(next).unwrap(),
-                    position: (start.at, next.at),
+                    position: InnerSpan::new(start.at, next.at),
                 }),
                 next.slice_after()
             ));
@@ -560,7 +561,7 @@ macro_rules! move_to {
         drop(next);
 
         end = at;
-        let position = (start.at, end.at);
+        let position = InnerSpan::new(start.at, end.at);
 
         let f = Format {
             span: start.slice_between(end).unwrap(),
@@ -650,7 +651,7 @@ macro_rules! assert_pns_eq_sub {
                                 precision: $prec,
                                 length: $len,
                                 type_: $type_,
-                                position: $pos,
+                                position: syntax_pos::InnerSpan::new($pos.0, $pos.1),
                             }),
                             "!"
                         ))
@@ -761,6 +762,7 @@ fn test_translation() {
 
 pub mod shell {
     use super::strcursor::StrCursor as Cur;
+    use syntax_pos::InnerSpan;
 
     #[derive(Clone, PartialEq, Debug)]
     pub enum Substitution<'a> {
@@ -778,11 +780,11 @@ pub fn as_str(&self) -> String {
             }
         }
 
-        pub fn position(&self) -> Option<(usize, usize)> {
+        pub fn position(&self) -> Option<InnerSpan> {
             match self {
                 Substitution::Ordinal(_, pos) |
                 Substitution::Name(_, pos) |
-                Substitution::Escape(pos) => Some(*pos),
+                Substitution::Escape(pos) => Some(InnerSpan::new(pos.0, pos.1)),
             }
         }
 
@@ -823,7 +825,7 @@ fn next(&mut self) -> Option<Self::Item> {
             match parse_next_substitution(self.s) {
                 Some((mut sub, tail)) => {
                     self.s = tail;
-                    if let Some((start, end)) = sub.position() {
+                    if let Some(InnerSpan { start, end }) = sub.position() {
                         sub.set_position(start + self.pos, end + self.pos);
                         self.pos += end;
                     }
diff --git a/src/libsyntax_pos/lib.rs b/src/libsyntax_pos/lib.rs
index 8f5595968a7..bf0ab5fae4e 100644
--- a/src/libsyntax_pos/lib.rs
+++ b/src/libsyntax_pos/lib.rs
@@ -504,10 +504,10 @@ pub fn until(self, end: Span) -> Span {
         )
     }
 
-    pub fn from_inner_byte_pos(self, start: usize, end: usize) -> Span {
+    pub fn from_inner(self, inner: InnerSpan) -> Span {
         let span = self.data();
-        Span::new(span.lo + BytePos::from_usize(start),
-                  span.lo + BytePos::from_usize(end),
+        Span::new(span.lo + BytePos::from_usize(inner.start),
+                  span.lo + BytePos::from_usize(inner.end),
                   span.ctxt)
     }
 
@@ -1395,6 +1395,18 @@ pub struct MalformedSourceMapPositions {
     pub end_pos: BytePos
 }
 
+#[derive(Copy, Clone, PartialEq, Eq, Debug)]
+pub struct InnerSpan {
+    pub start: usize,
+    pub end: usize,
+}
+
+impl InnerSpan {
+    pub fn new(start: usize, end: usize) -> InnerSpan {
+        InnerSpan { start, end }
+    }
+}
+
 // Given a slice of line start positions and a position, returns the index of
 // the line the position is on. Returns -1 if the position is located before
 // the first line.