diff --git a/test-suite/tests/srfi-4.test b/test-suite/tests/srfi-4.test
index ac6ce3792..da57f2ac0 100644
--- a/test-suite/tests/srfi-4.test
+++ b/test-suite/tests/srfi-4.test
@@ -20,293 +20,184 @@
 
 (use-modules (srfi srfi-4))
 
-(with-test-prefix "u8 vectors"
-
-  (pass-if "u8vector? success"
-    (u8vector? (u8vector)))
-
-  (pass-if "u8vector? failure"
-    (not (u8vector? (s8vector))))
-
-  (pass-if "u8vector-length success 1"
-    (= (u8vector-length (u8vector)) 0))
-
-  (pass-if "u8vector-length success 2"
-    (= (u8vector-length (u8vector 3)) 1))
-
-  (pass-if "u8vector-length failure"
-    (not (= (u8vector-length (u8vector 3)) 3)))
-
-  (pass-if "u8vector-ref"
-    (= (u8vector-ref (u8vector 1 2 3) 1) 2))
-  
-  (pass-if "u8vector-set!/ref"
-    (= (let ((s (make-u8vector 10 0)))
-	 (u8vector-set! s 4 33)
-	 (u8vector-ref s 4)) 33))
-
-  (pass-if "u8vector->list/list->u8vector"
-    (equal? (u8vector->list (u8vector 1 2 3 4))
-	    (u8vector->list (list->u8vector '(1 2 3 4))))))
-
-(with-test-prefix "s8 vectors"
-
-  (pass-if "s8vector? success"
-    (s8vector? (s8vector)))
-
-  (pass-if "s8vector? failure"
-    (not (s8vector? (u8vector))))
-
-  (pass-if "s8vector-length success 1"
-    (= (s8vector-length (s8vector)) 0))
-
-  (pass-if "s8vector-length success 2"
-    (= (s8vector-length (s8vector -3)) 1))
-
-  (pass-if "s8vector-length failure"
-    (not (= (s8vector-length (s8vector 3)) 3)))
-
-  (pass-if "s8vector-ref"
-    (= (s8vector-ref (s8vector 1 2 3) 1) 2))
-  
-  (pass-if "s8vector-set!/ref"
-    (= (let ((s (make-s8vector 10 0)))
-	 (s8vector-set! s 4 33)
-	 (s8vector-ref s 4)) 33))
-
-  (pass-if "s8vector->list/list->s8vector"
-    (equal? (s8vector->list (s8vector 1 2 3 4))
-	    (s8vector->list (list->s8vector '(1 2 3 4))))))
-
-
-(with-test-prefix "u16 vectors"
-
-  (pass-if "u16vector? success"
-    (u16vector? (u16vector)))
-
-  (pass-if "u16vector? failure"
-    (not (u16vector? (s16vector))))
-
-  (pass-if "u16vector-length success 1"
-    (= (u16vector-length (u16vector)) 0))
-
-  (pass-if "u16vector-length success 2"
-    (= (u16vector-length (u16vector 3)) 1))
-
-  (pass-if "u16vector-length failure"
-    (not (= (u16vector-length (u16vector 3)) 3)))
-
-  (pass-if "u16vector-ref"
-    (= (u16vector-ref (u16vector 1 2 3) 1) 2))
-  
-  (pass-if "u16vector-set!/ref"
-    (= (let ((s (make-u16vector 10 0)))
-	 (u16vector-set! s 4 33)
-	 (u16vector-ref s 4)) 33))
-
-  (pass-if "u16vector->list/list->u16vector"
-    (equal? (u16vector->list (u16vector 1 2 3 4))
-	    (u16vector->list (list->u16vector '(1 2 3 4))))))
-
-(with-test-prefix "s16 vectors"
-
-  (pass-if "s16vector? success"
-    (s16vector? (s16vector)))
-
-  (pass-if "s16vector? failure"
-    (not (s16vector? (u16vector))))
-
-  (pass-if "s16vector-length success 1"
-    (= (s16vector-length (s16vector)) 0))
-
-  (pass-if "s16vector-length success 2"
-    (= (s16vector-length (s16vector -3)) 1))
-
-  (pass-if "s16vector-length failure"
-    (not (= (s16vector-length (s16vector 3)) 3)))
-
-  (pass-if "s16vector-ref"
-    (= (s16vector-ref (s16vector 1 2 3) 1) 2))
-  
-  (pass-if "s16vector-set!/ref"
-    (= (let ((s (make-s16vector 10 0)))
-	 (s16vector-set! s 4 33)
-	 (s16vector-ref s 4)) 33))
-
-  (pass-if "s16vector->list/list->s16vector"
-    (equal? (s16vector->list (s16vector 1 2 3 4))
-	    (s16vector->list (list->s16vector '(1 2 3 4))))))
-
-(with-test-prefix "u32 vectors"
-
-  (pass-if "u32vector? success"
-    (u32vector? (u32vector)))
-
-  (pass-if "u32vector? failure"
-    (not (u32vector? (s32vector))))
-
-  (pass-if "u32vector-length success 1"
-    (= (u32vector-length (u32vector)) 0))
-
-  (pass-if "u32vector-length success 2"
-    (= (u32vector-length (u32vector 3)) 1))
-
-  (pass-if "u32vector-length failure"
-    (not (= (u32vector-length (u32vector 3)) 3)))
-
-  (pass-if "u32vector-ref"
-    (= (u32vector-ref (u32vector 1 2 3) 1) 2))
-  
-  (pass-if "u32vector-set!/ref"
-    (= (let ((s (make-u32vector 10 0)))
-	 (u32vector-set! s 4 33)
-	 (u32vector-ref s 4)) 33))
-
-  (pass-if "u32vector->list/list->u32vector"
-    (equal? (u32vector->list (u32vector 1 2 3 4))
-	    (u32vector->list (list->u32vector '(1 2 3 4))))))
-
-(with-test-prefix "s32 vectors"
-
-  (pass-if "s32vector? success"
-    (s32vector? (s32vector)))
-
-  (pass-if "s32vector? failure"
-    (not (s32vector? (u32vector))))
-
-  (pass-if "s32vector-length success 1"
-    (= (s32vector-length (s32vector)) 0))
-
-  (pass-if "s32vector-length success 2"
-    (= (s32vector-length (s32vector -3)) 1))
-
-  (pass-if "s32vector-length failure"
-    (not (= (s32vector-length (s32vector 3)) 3)))
-
-  (pass-if "s32vector-ref"
-    (= (s32vector-ref (s32vector 1 2 3) 1) 2))
-  
-  (pass-if "s32vector-set!/ref"
-    (= (let ((s (make-s32vector 10 0)))
-	 (s32vector-set! s 4 33)
-	 (s32vector-ref s 4)) 33))
-
-  (pass-if "s32vector->list/list->s32vector"
-    (equal? (s32vector->list (s32vector 1 2 3 4))
-	    (s32vector->list (list->s32vector '(1 2 3 4))))))
-
-(with-test-prefix "u64 vectors"
-
-  (pass-if "u64vector? success"
-    (u64vector? (u64vector)))
-
-  (pass-if "u64vector? failure"
-    (not (u64vector? (s64vector))))
-
-  (pass-if "u64vector-length success 1"
-    (= (u64vector-length (u64vector)) 0))
-
-  (pass-if "u64vector-length success 2"
-    (= (u64vector-length (u64vector 3)) 1))
-
-  (pass-if "u64vector-length failure"
-    (not (= (u64vector-length (u64vector 3)) 3)))
-
-  (pass-if "u64vector-ref"
-    (= (u64vector-ref (u64vector 1 2 3) 1) 2))
-  
-  (pass-if "u64vector-set!/ref"
-    (= (let ((s (make-u64vector 10 0)))
-	 (u64vector-set! s 4 33)
-	 (u64vector-ref s 4)) 33))
-
-  (pass-if "u64vector->list/list->u64vector"
-    (equal? (u64vector->list (u64vector 1 2 3 4))
-	    (u64vector->list (list->u64vector '(1 2 3 4))))))
-
-(with-test-prefix "s64 vectors"
-
-  (pass-if "s64vector? success"
-    (s64vector? (s64vector)))
-
-  (pass-if "s64vector? failure"
-    (not (s64vector? (u64vector))))
-
-  (pass-if "s64vector-length success 1"
-    (= (s64vector-length (s64vector)) 0))
-
-  (pass-if "s64vector-length success 2"
-    (= (s64vector-length (s64vector -3)) 1))
-
-  (pass-if "s64vector-length failure"
-    (not (= (s64vector-length (s64vector 3)) 3)))
-
-  (pass-if "s64vector-ref"
-    (= (s64vector-ref (s64vector 1 2 3) 1) 2))
-  
-  (pass-if "s64vector-set!/ref"
-    (= (let ((s (make-s64vector 10 0)))
-	 (s64vector-set! s 4 33)
-	 (s64vector-ref s 4)) 33))
-
-  (pass-if "s64vector->list/list->s64vector"
-    (equal? (s64vector->list (s64vector 1 2 3 4))
-	    (s64vector->list (list->s64vector '(1 2 3 4))))))
-
-(with-test-prefix "f32 vectors"
-
-  (pass-if "f32vector? success"
-    (f32vector? (f32vector)))
-
-  (pass-if "f32vector? failure"
-    (not (f32vector? (s8vector))))
-
-  (pass-if "f32vector-length success 1"
-    (= (f32vector-length (f32vector)) 0))
-
-  (pass-if "f32vector-length success 2"
-    (= (f32vector-length (f32vector -3)) 1))
-
-  (pass-if "f32vector-length failure"
-    (not (= (f32vector-length (f32vector 3)) 3)))
-
-  (pass-if "f32vector-ref"
-    (= (f32vector-ref (f32vector 1 2 3) 1) 2))
-  
-  (pass-if "f32vector-set!/ref"
-    (= (let ((s (make-f32vector 10 0)))
-	 (f32vector-set! s 4 33)
-	 (f32vector-ref s 4)) 33))
-
-  (pass-if "f32vector->list/list->f32vector"
-    (equal? (f32vector->list (f32vector 1 2 3 4))
-	    (f32vector->list (list->f32vector '(1 2 3 4))))))
-
-(with-test-prefix "f64 vectors"
-
-  (pass-if "f64vector? success"
-    (f64vector? (f64vector)))
-
-  (pass-if "f64vector? failure"
-    (not (f64vector? (f32vector))))
-
-  (pass-if "f64vector-length success 1"
-    (= (f64vector-length (f64vector)) 0))
-
-  (pass-if "f64vector-length success 2"
-    (= (f64vector-length (f64vector -3)) 1))
-
-  (pass-if "f64vector-length failure"
-    (not (= (f64vector-length (f64vector 3)) 3)))
-
-  (pass-if "f64vector-ref"
-    (= (f64vector-ref (f64vector 1 2 3) 1) 2))
-  
-  (pass-if "f64vector-set!/ref"
-    (= (let ((s (make-f64vector 10 0)))
-	 (f64vector-set! s 4 33)
-	 (f64vector-ref s 4)) 33))
-
-  (pass-if "f64vector->list/list->f64vector"
-    (equal? (f64vector->list (f64vector 1 2 3 4))
-	    (f64vector->list (list->f64vector '(1 2 3 4))))))
+(define (test-uvector kind u? uconstruct umake uset uref ulen
+                      uvec->list list->uvec
+                      low high)
+
+  (define (test-passthrough-write umake value)
+    (pass-if (string-append kind " vector write->read idempotency")
+      (let* ((v (umake 5 value))
+             (str-rep (object->string v))
+             (read-v (with-input-from-string str-rep read)))
+        (equal? v read-v))))
+
+  (with-test-prefix (string-append kind " vector")
+    
+    (pass-if (string-append kind "vector? success")
+      (u? (umake 0)))
+      
+    (pass-if (string-append kind "vector? failure")
+      (not (u? 0)))
+    
+    (pass-if (string-append kind "vector-length success 1")
+      (= (ulen (uconstruct)) 0))
+    
+    (pass-if (string-append kind "vector-length success 2")
+      (= (ulen (uconstruct 3)) 1))
+    
+    (pass-if (string-append kind "vector-length failure")
+      (not (= (ulen (uconstruct 3)) 3)))
+    
+    (pass-if (string-append kind "vector-ref")
+      (= (uref (uconstruct 1 2 3) 1) 2))
+    
+    (pass-if (string-append kind "vector->list/list->vector")
+      (equal? (uvec->list (uconstruct 1 2 3 4))
+              (uvec->list (list->uvec '(1 2 3 4)))))
+
+    (test-passthrough-write umake 0)
+    (test-passthrough-write umake 1)
+    
+    (if (and low high)
+        ;; make sure we can store and retrieve values, including limits.
+        (let ((testvals `(("0" 0)
+                          ("low" ,low)
+                          ("high" ,high))))      
+
+          (test-passthrough-write umake low)
+          (test-passthrough-write umake high)
+
+          (for-each
+           (lambda (test)
+             (pass-if (string-append (string-append "fill " (car test)))
+               (= (cadr test) (uref (umake 1 (cadr test)) 0)))
+             (pass-if (string-append "set " (car test))
+               (let ((vec (umake 1)))
+                 (uset vec 0 (cadr test))
+                 (= (cadr test) (uref vec 0)))))
+           testvals)))
+    
+    (if (and low high)
+        ;; make sure we can't store and retrieve values outside the limits
+        (let ((testvals `(("(- low 1)" ,(- low 1))
+                          ("(+ high 1)" ,(+ high 1)))))
+          
+          (for-each
+           (lambda (test)
+             (pass-if-exception (string-append "fill " (car test))
+                 exception:out-of-range
+               (umake 1 (cadr test)))
+             (pass-if-exception (string-append "set " (car test))
+                 exception:out-of-range
+               (uset (umake 1) 0 (cadr test))))
+           testvals)))))
+
+(test-uvector "u8"
+              u8vector?
+              u8vector
+              make-u8vector
+              u8vector-set!
+              u8vector-ref
+              u8vector-length
+              u8vector->list
+              list->u8vector
+              0 255)
+
+(test-uvector "s8"
+              s8vector?
+              s8vector
+              make-s8vector
+              s8vector-set!
+              s8vector-ref
+              s8vector-length
+              s8vector->list
+              list->s8vector
+              -128 127)
+
+(test-uvector "u16"
+              u16vector?
+              u16vector
+              make-u16vector
+              u16vector-set!
+              u16vector-ref
+              u16vector-length
+              u16vector->list
+              list->u16vector
+              0 65535)
+
+(test-uvector "s16"
+              s16vector?
+              s16vector
+              make-s16vector
+              s16vector-set!
+              s16vector-ref
+              s16vector-length
+              s16vector->list
+              list->s16vector
+              -32768 32767)
+
+(test-uvector "u32"
+              u32vector?
+              u32vector
+              make-u32vector
+              u32vector-set!
+              u32vector-ref
+              u32vector-length
+              u32vector->list
+              list->u32vector
+              0 (- (expt 2 32) 1))
+
+(test-uvector "s32"
+              s32vector?
+              s32vector
+              make-s32vector
+              s32vector-set!
+              s32vector-ref
+              s32vector-length
+              s32vector->list
+              list->s32vector
+              (- (expt 2 31)) (- (expt 2 31) 1))
+
+(test-uvector "u64"
+              u64vector?
+              u64vector
+              make-u64vector
+              u64vector-set!
+              u64vector-ref
+              u64vector-length
+              u64vector->list
+              list->u64vector
+              0 (- (expt 2 64) 1))
+
+(test-uvector "s64"
+              s64vector?
+              s64vector
+              make-s64vector
+              s64vector-set!
+              s64vector-ref
+              s64vector-length
+              s64vector->list
+              list->s64vector
+              (- (expt 2 63)) (- (expt 2 63) 1))
+
+(test-uvector "f32"
+              f32vector?
+              f32vector
+              make-f32vector
+              f32vector-set!
+              f32vector-ref
+              f32vector-length
+              f32vector->list
+              list->f32vector
+              #f #f)
+
+(test-uvector "f64"
+              f64vector?
+              f64vector
+              make-f64vector
+              f64vector-set!
+              f64vector-ref
+              f64vector-length
+              f64vector->list
+              list->f64vector
+              #f #f)