diff --git a/builtin_complete.cpp b/builtin_complete.cpp
index 49e09f91c..79678a97a 100644
--- a/builtin_complete.cpp
+++ b/builtin_complete.cpp
@@ -45,15 +45,15 @@ static const wchar_t *temporary_buffer;
 static void	builtin_complete_add2( const wchar_t *cmd,
 								   int cmd_type,
 								   const wchar_t *short_opt,
-								   array_list_t *gnu_opt,
-								   array_list_t *old_opt, 
+								   const wcstring_list_t &gnu_opt,
+								   const wcstring_list_t &old_opt, 
 								   int result_mode, 
 								   const wchar_t *condition,
 								   const wchar_t *comp,
 								   const wchar_t *desc,
 								   int flags )
 {
-	int i;
+	size_t i;
 	const wchar_t *s;
 	
 	for( s=short_opt; *s; s++ )
@@ -70,12 +70,12 @@ static void	builtin_complete_add2( const wchar_t *cmd,
 					  flags );
 	}
 	
-	for( i=0; i<al_get_count( gnu_opt ); i++ )
+	for( i=0; i<gnu_opt.size(); i++ )
 	{
 		complete_add( cmd, 
 					  cmd_type,
 					  0,
-					  (wchar_t *)al_get(gnu_opt, i ),
+					  gnu_opt.at(i).c_str(),
 					  0,
 					  result_mode,
 					  condition,
@@ -84,12 +84,12 @@ static void	builtin_complete_add2( const wchar_t *cmd,
 					  flags );
 	}
 	
-	for( i=0; i<al_get_count( old_opt ); i++ )
+	for( i=0; i<old_opt.size(); i++ )
 	{
 		complete_add( cmd, 
 					  cmd_type,
 					  0,
-					  (wchar_t *)al_get(old_opt, i ),
+					  old_opt.at(i).c_str(),
 					  1,
 					  result_mode,
 					  condition,
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ static void	builtin_complete_add2( const wchar_t *cmd,
 					  flags );
 	}	
 
-	if( al_get_count( old_opt )+al_get_count( gnu_opt )+wcslen(short_opt) == 0 )
+	if( old_opt.size() == 0 && gnu_opt.size() == 0 && wcslen(short_opt) == 0 )
 	{
 		complete_add( cmd, 
 					  cmd_type,
@@ -116,11 +116,11 @@ static void	builtin_complete_add2( const wchar_t *cmd,
 /**
    Silly function
 */
-static void	builtin_complete_add( array_list_t *cmd, 
-								  array_list_t *path,
+static void	builtin_complete_add( const wcstring_list_t &cmd, 
+								  const wcstring_list_t &path,
 								  const wchar_t *short_opt,
-								  array_list_t *gnu_opt,
-								  array_list_t *old_opt, 
+								  wcstring_list_t &gnu_opt,
+								  wcstring_list_t &old_opt, 
 								  int result_mode, 
 								  int authoritative,
 								  const wchar_t *condition,
@@ -128,11 +128,9 @@ static void	builtin_complete_add( array_list_t *cmd,
 								  const wchar_t *desc,
 								  int flags )
 {
-	int i;
-	
-	for( i=0; i<al_get_count( cmd ); i++ )
+	for( size_t i=0; i<cmd.size(); i++ )
 	{
-		builtin_complete_add2( (const wchar_t *)al_get( cmd, i ),
+		builtin_complete_add2( cmd.at(i).c_str(),
 							   COMMAND,
 							   short_opt, 
 							   gnu_opt,
@@ -145,16 +143,16 @@ static void	builtin_complete_add( array_list_t *cmd,
 
 		if( authoritative != -1 )
 		{
-			complete_set_authoritative( (const wchar_t *)al_get( cmd, i ),
+			complete_set_authoritative( cmd.at(i).c_str(),
 									  COMMAND,
 									  authoritative );
 		}
 		
 	}
 	
-	for( i=0; i<al_get_count( path ); i++ )
+	for( size_t i=0; i<path.size(); i++ )
 	{
-		builtin_complete_add2( (const wchar_t *)al_get( path, i ),
+		builtin_complete_add2( path.at(i).c_str(),
 							   PATH,
 							   short_opt, 
 							   gnu_opt,
@@ -167,7 +165,7 @@ static void	builtin_complete_add( array_list_t *cmd,
 
 		if( authoritative != -1 )
 		{
-			complete_set_authoritative( (const wchar_t *)al_get( path, i ),
+			complete_set_authoritative( path.at(i).c_str(),
 									  PATH,
 									  authoritative );
 		}
@@ -178,37 +176,35 @@ static void	builtin_complete_add( array_list_t *cmd,
 /**
    Silly function
 */
-static void builtin_complete_remove3( wchar_t *cmd,
+static void builtin_complete_remove3( const wchar_t *cmd,
 									  int cmd_type,
 									  wchar_t short_opt,
-									  array_list_t *long_opt )		
+									  const wcstring_list_t &long_opt )
 {
-	int i;
-	
-	for( i=0; i<al_get_count( long_opt ); i++ )
+	for( size_t i=0; i<long_opt.size(); i++ )
 	{
 		complete_remove( cmd,
 						 cmd_type,
 						 short_opt,
-						 (wchar_t *)al_get( long_opt, i ) );
+						 long_opt.at(i).c_str());
 	}	
 }
 
 /**
    Silly function
 */
-static void	builtin_complete_remove2( wchar_t *cmd,
+static void	builtin_complete_remove2( const wchar_t *cmd,
 									  int cmd_type,
 									  const wchar_t *short_opt,
-									  array_list_t *gnu_opt,
-									  array_list_t *old_opt )
+									  const wcstring_list_t &gnu_opt,
+									  const wcstring_list_t &old_opt )
 {
 	const wchar_t *s = (wchar_t *)short_opt;
 	if( *s )
 	{
 		for( ; *s; s++ )
 		{
-			if( al_get_count( old_opt) + al_get_count( gnu_opt ) == 0 )
+			if( old_opt.size() == 0 && gnu_opt.size() == 0 )
 			{
 				complete_remove(cmd,
 								cmd_type,
@@ -248,27 +244,24 @@ static void	builtin_complete_remove2( wchar_t *cmd,
 /**
    Silly function
 */
-static void	builtin_complete_remove( array_list_t *cmd, 
-									 array_list_t *path,
+static void	builtin_complete_remove( const wcstring_list_t &cmd, 
+									 const wcstring_list_t &path,
 									 const wchar_t *short_opt,
-									 array_list_t *gnu_opt,
-									 array_list_t *old_opt )
-{
-	
-	int i;
-	
-	for( i=0; i<al_get_count( cmd ); i++ )
+									 const wcstring_list_t &gnu_opt,
+									 const wcstring_list_t &old_opt )
+{	
+	for( size_t i=0; i<cmd.size(); i++ )
 	{
-		builtin_complete_remove2( (wchar_t *)al_get( cmd, i ),
+		builtin_complete_remove2( cmd.at(i).c_str(),
 								  COMMAND,
 								  short_opt, 
 								  gnu_opt,
 								  old_opt );
 	}
 	
-	for( i=0; i<al_get_count( path ); i++ )
+	for( size_t i=0; i<path.size(); i++ )
 	{
-		builtin_complete_remove2( (wchar_t *)al_get( path, i ),
+		builtin_complete_remove2( path.at(i).c_str(),
 								  PATH,
 								  short_opt, 
 								  gnu_opt,
@@ -300,21 +293,17 @@ static int builtin_complete( parser_t &parser, wchar_t **argv )
 	int flags = COMPLETE_AUTO_SPACE;
 	
 	string_buffer_t short_opt;
-	array_list_t gnu_opt, old_opt;
+	wcstring_list_t gnu_opt, old_opt;
 	const wchar_t *comp=L"", *desc=L"", *condition=L"";
 
 	const wchar_t *do_complete = 0;
 	
-	array_list_t cmd;
-	array_list_t path;
+	wcstring_list_t cmd;
+	wcstring_list_t path;
 
 	static int recursion_level=0;
 	
-	al_init( &cmd );
-	al_init( &path );
 	sb_init( &short_opt );
-	al_init( &gnu_opt );
-	al_init( &old_opt );
 	
 	argc = builtin_count_args( argv );	
 	
@@ -438,7 +427,10 @@ static int builtin_complete( parser_t &parser, wchar_t **argv )
 				wchar_t *a = unescape( woptarg, 1);
 				if( a )
 				{
-					al_push( (opt=='p'?&path:&cmd), a );
+                    if (opt=='p')
+                        path.push_back(a);
+                    else
+                        cmd.push_back(a);
 				}
 				else
 				{
@@ -465,11 +457,11 @@ static int builtin_complete( parser_t &parser, wchar_t **argv )
 				break;
 					
 			case 'l':
-				al_push( &gnu_opt, woptarg );
+                gnu_opt.push_back(woptarg);
 				break;
 				
 			case 'o':
-				al_push( &old_opt, woptarg );
+                old_opt.push_back(woptarg);
 				break;
 
 			case 'a':
@@ -598,7 +590,7 @@ static int builtin_complete( parser_t &parser, wchar_t **argv )
 
 			res = 1;
 		}
-		else if( (al_get_count( &cmd) == 0 ) && (al_get_count( &path) == 0 ) )
+		else if( cmd.empty() && path.empty() )
 		{
 			/* No arguments specified, meaning we print the definitions of
 			 * all specified completions to stdout.*/
@@ -608,19 +600,19 @@ static int builtin_complete( parser_t &parser, wchar_t **argv )
 		{
 			if( remove )
 			{
-				builtin_complete_remove( &cmd,
-										 &path,
+				builtin_complete_remove( cmd,
+										 path,
 										 (wchar_t *)short_opt.buff,
-										 &gnu_opt,
-										 &old_opt );									 
+										 gnu_opt,
+										 old_opt );									 
 			}
 			else
 			{
-				builtin_complete_add( &cmd, 
-									  &path,
+				builtin_complete_add( cmd, 
+									  path,
 									  (wchar_t *)short_opt.buff,
-									  &gnu_opt,
-									  &old_opt, 
+									  gnu_opt,
+									  old_opt, 
 									  result_mode, 
 									  authoritative,
 									  condition,
@@ -632,14 +624,5 @@ static int builtin_complete( parser_t &parser, wchar_t **argv )
 		}	
 	}
 	
-	al_foreach( &cmd, &free );
-	al_foreach( &path, &free );
-
-	al_destroy( &cmd );
-	al_destroy( &path );
-	sb_destroy( &short_opt );
-	al_destroy( &gnu_opt );
-	al_destroy( &old_opt );
-
 	return res;
 }
diff --git a/expand.cpp b/expand.cpp
index 2f3af4f13..de76da794 100644
--- a/expand.cpp
+++ b/expand.cpp
@@ -118,35 +118,6 @@ parameter expansion.
 */
 #define UNCLEAN L"$*?\\\"'({})"
 
-/* An adapter class for calling functions that expect a wchar_t * and array_list_t */
-class wcstring_adapter
-{
-private:
-    std::vector<wcstring> *outputs;
-public:
-    wchar_t *str;
-    array_list_t lst;
-    
-    wcstring_adapter(const wcstring &in, std::vector<wcstring> &outs)
-    {
-        outputs = &outs;
-        str = wcsdup(in.c_str());
-        al_init(&lst);
-    }
-    
-    ~wcstring_adapter()
-    {
-        int i, max = al_get_count(&lst);
-        for (i=0; i < max; i++) {
-            wchar_t *tmp = (wchar_t *)al_get(&lst, i);
-            outputs->push_back(tmp);
-            free(tmp);
-        }
-        al_destroy(&lst);
-        //str is free'd by the function we called
-    }
-};
-
 int expand_is_clean( const wchar_t *in )
 {
 
@@ -688,13 +659,6 @@ static int expand_pid( const wcstring &instr,
 	return 1;
 }
 
-/*
-static int expand_pid2( const wcstring &in, int flags, std::vector<completion_t> &outputs )
-{
-    wcstring_adapter adapter(in, outputs);
-    return expand_pid(adapter.str, flags, &adapter.lst);
-}
-*/
 
 void expand_variable_error( parser_t &parser, const wchar_t *token, int token_pos, int error_pos )
 {
@@ -1194,13 +1158,6 @@ static int expand_brackets(parser_t &parser, const wchar_t *in, int flags, std::
 	return 1;
 }
 
-/*
-static int expand_brackets2( parser_t &parser, const wcstring &in, int flags, std::vector<wcstring> &outputs )
-{
-    wcstring_adapter adapter(in, outputs);
-    return expand_brackets(parser, adapter.str, flags, &adapter.lst);
-}
-*/
 /**
  Perform cmdsubst expansion
  */
diff --git a/fish_tests.cpp b/fish_tests.cpp
index e329120fe..95ce0d318 100644
--- a/fish_tests.cpp
+++ b/fish_tests.cpp
@@ -108,53 +108,6 @@ static void err( const wchar_t *blah, ... )
 	wprintf( L"\n" );
 }
 
-
-/**
-   Test stack functionality
-*/
-static int stack_test( int elements )
-{
-	long i;
-
-	int res=1;
-	
-	array_list_t s;
-
-	al_init( &s );	
-
-	for( i=0; i<elements; i++ )
-	{
-		long foo;
-
-		al_push_long( &s, i);
-		al_push_long( &s, i);
-		
-		if( (foo=al_pop_long( &s )) != i )
-		{
-			err( L"Unexpected data" );
-			res = 0;			
-			break;
-		}
-	}
-
-	for( i=0; i<elements; i++ )
-	{
-		long foo;
-		
-		if( (foo=al_pop_long( &s )) != (elements-i-1) )
-		{
-			err( L"Unexpected data" );
-			res = 0;
-			break;
-		}		
-	}
-
-
-	al_destroy( &s );
-	
-	return res;
-}
-
 /**
    Hash function for pointers
 */
@@ -252,40 +205,6 @@ static int hash_test( long elements )
 	
 }
 
-/**
-   Arraylist test
-*/
-static void al_test( int sz)
-{
-	long i;	
-	array_list_t l;
-
-	
-
-	al_init( &l );
-	
-	al_set_long( &l, 1, 7L );
-	al_set_long( &l, sz, 7L );
-	
-	if( al_get_count( &l ) != maxi( sz+1, 2 ) )
-		err( L"Wrong number of elements in array list" );
-	
-	for( i=0; i<al_get_count( &l ); i++ )
-	{
-		long val = al_get_long( &l, i );
-		if( (i == 1) || (i==sz))
-		{
-			if( val != 7 )
-				err( L"Canary changed to %d at index %d", val, i );
-		}
-		else
-		{
-			if( val != 0 )
-				err( L"False canary %d found at index %d", val, i );
-		}
-	}
-}
-
 /**
    Stringbuffer test
 */
@@ -333,7 +252,6 @@ static void test_util()
 	for( i=0; i<18; i++ )
 	{
 		long t1, t2;
-		stack_test( 1<<i );
 		t1 = get_time();
 		hash_test( 1<<i );
 		t2 = get_time();
@@ -341,7 +259,6 @@ static void test_util()
 			say( L"Hashtable uses %f microseconds per element at size %d",
 				 ((double)(t2-t1))/(1<<i),
 				1<<i );
-		al_test( 1<<i );
 	}
 
 	sb_test();
diff --git a/highlight.cpp b/highlight.cpp
index af8b7c9fd..1864a2867 100644
--- a/highlight.cpp
+++ b/highlight.cpp
@@ -1043,9 +1043,7 @@ static void highlight_universal_internal( const wchar_t * buff,
 		*/
 		if( (buff[pos] == L'\'') || (buff[pos] == L'\"') )
 		{
-
-			array_list_t l;
-			al_init( &l );
+			std::deque<long> lst;
 		
 			int level=0;
 			wchar_t prev_q=0;
@@ -1066,7 +1064,7 @@ static void highlight_universal_internal( const wchar_t * buff,
 						if( level == 0 )
 						{
 							level++;
-							al_push_long( &l, (long)(str-buff) );
+                            lst.push_back((long)(str-buff));
 							prev_q = *str;
 						}
 						else
@@ -1076,7 +1074,7 @@ static void highlight_universal_internal( const wchar_t * buff,
 								long pos1, pos2;
 							
 								level--;
-								pos1 = al_pop_long( &l );
+                                pos1 = lst.back();
 								pos2 = str-buff;
 								if( pos1==pos || pos2==pos )
 								{
@@ -1090,7 +1088,7 @@ static void highlight_universal_internal( const wchar_t * buff,
 							else
 							{
 								level++;
-								al_push_long( &l, (long)(str-buff) );
+                                lst.push_back((long)(str-buff));
 								prev_q = *str;
 							}
 						}
@@ -1102,8 +1100,6 @@ static void highlight_universal_internal( const wchar_t * buff,
 
 				str++;
 			}
-
-			al_destroy( &l );
 		
 			if( !match_found )
 				color[pos] = HIGHLIGHT_ERROR<<16;