diff --git a/libguile/array-handle.h b/libguile/array-handle.h
index fa2449dea..94f368977 100644
--- a/libguile/array-handle.h
+++ b/libguile/array-handle.h
@@ -32,8 +32,8 @@
 
 struct scm_t_array_handle;
 
-typedef SCM (*scm_i_t_array_ref) (struct scm_t_array_handle *, size_t);
-typedef void (*scm_i_t_array_set) (struct scm_t_array_handle *, size_t, SCM);
+typedef SCM (*scm_i_t_array_ref) (SCM, size_t);
+typedef void (*scm_i_t_array_set) (SCM, size_t, SCM);
 
 typedef struct
 {
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ scm_array_handle_ref (scm_t_array_handle *h, ssize_t p)
     /* catch overflow */
     scm_out_of_range (NULL, scm_from_ssize_t (p));
   /* perhaps should catch overflow here too */
-  return h->impl->vref (h, h->base + p);
+  return h->impl->vref (h->array, h->base + p);
 }
 
 SCM_INLINE_IMPLEMENTATION void
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ scm_array_handle_set (scm_t_array_handle *h, ssize_t p, SCM v)
     /* catch overflow */
     scm_out_of_range (NULL, scm_from_ssize_t (p));
   /* perhaps should catch overflow here too */
-  h->impl->vset (h, h->base + p, v);
+  h->impl->vset (h->array, h->base + p, v);
 }
 
 #endif
diff --git a/libguile/array-map.c b/libguile/array-map.c
index 971df1bfd..b2c5f4bed 100644
--- a/libguile/array-map.c
+++ b/libguile/array-map.c
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ AREF (SCM v, size_t pos)
   SCM ret;
   scm_array_get_handle (v, &h);
   pos = h.base + (pos - h.dims[0].lbnd) * h.dims[0].inc;
-  ret = h.impl->vref (&h, pos);
+  ret = h.impl->vref (h.array, pos);
   scm_array_handle_release (&h);
   return ret;
 }
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ ASET (SCM v, size_t pos, SCM val)
   scm_t_array_handle h;
   scm_array_get_handle (v, &h);
   pos = h.base + (pos - h.dims[0].lbnd) * h.dims[0].inc;
-  h.impl->vset (&h, pos, val);
+  h.impl->vset (h.array, pos, val);
   scm_array_handle_release (&h);
 }
 
@@ -323,7 +323,7 @@ rafill (SCM dst, SCM fill)
   inc = SCM_I_ARRAY_DIMS (dst)->inc;
 
   for (; n-- > 0; i += inc)
-    h.impl->vset (&h, i, fill);
+    h.impl->vset (SCM_I_ARRAY_V (dst), i, fill);
 
   scm_array_handle_release (&h);
   return 1;
@@ -359,7 +359,7 @@ racp (SCM src, SCM dst)
   inc_d = SCM_I_ARRAY_DIMS (dst)->inc;
 
   for (; n-- > 0; i_s += inc_s, i_d += inc_d)
-    h_d.impl->vset (&h_d, i_d, h_s.impl->vref (&h_s, i_s));
+    h_d.impl->vset (SCM_I_ARRAY_V (dst), i_d, h_s.impl->vref (SCM_I_ARRAY_V (src), i_s));
 
   scm_array_handle_release (&h_d);
   scm_array_handle_release (&h_s);
@@ -661,7 +661,7 @@ ramap (SCM ra0, SCM proc, SCM ras)
   i0end = i0 + n*inc0;
   if (scm_is_null (ras))
     for (; i0 < i0end; i0 += inc0)
-      h0.impl->vset (&h0, i0, scm_call_0 (proc));
+      h0.impl->vset (SCM_I_ARRAY_V (ra0), i0, scm_call_0 (proc));
   else
     {
       SCM ra1 = SCM_CAR (ras);
@@ -674,7 +674,7 @@ ramap (SCM ra0, SCM proc, SCM ras)
       ras = SCM_CDR (ras);
       if (scm_is_null (ras))
           for (; i0 < i0end; i0 += inc0, i1 += inc1)
-            h0.impl->vset (&h0, i0, scm_call_1 (proc, h1.impl->vref (&h1, i1)));
+            h0.impl->vset (SCM_I_ARRAY_V (ra0), i0, scm_call_1 (proc, h1.impl->vref (SCM_I_ARRAY_V (ra1), i1)));
       else
         {
           ras = scm_vector (ras);
@@ -684,7 +684,7 @@ ramap (SCM ra0, SCM proc, SCM ras)
               unsigned long k;
               for (k = scm_c_vector_length (ras); k--;)
                 args = scm_cons (AREF (scm_c_vector_ref (ras, k), i), args);
-              h0.impl->vset (&h0, i0, scm_apply_1 (proc, h1.impl->vref (&h1, i1), args));
+              h0.impl->vset (SCM_I_ARRAY_V (ra0), i0, scm_apply_1 (proc, h1.impl->vref (SCM_I_ARRAY_V (ra1), i1), args));
             }
         }
       scm_array_handle_release (&h1);
@@ -734,7 +734,7 @@ rafe (SCM ra0, SCM proc, SCM ras)
   i0end = i0 + n*inc0;
   if (scm_is_null (ras))
     for (; i0 < i0end; i0 += inc0)
-      scm_call_1 (proc, h0.impl->vref (&h0, i0));
+      scm_call_1 (proc, h0.impl->vref (SCM_I_ARRAY_V (ra0), i0));
   else
     {
       ras = scm_vector (ras);
@@ -744,7 +744,7 @@ rafe (SCM ra0, SCM proc, SCM ras)
           unsigned long k;
           for (k = scm_c_vector_length (ras); k--;)
             args = scm_cons (AREF (scm_c_vector_ref (ras, k), i), args);
-          scm_apply_1 (proc, h0.impl->vref (&h0, i0), args);
+          scm_apply_1 (proc, h0.impl->vref (SCM_I_ARRAY_V (ra0), i0), args);
         }
     }
   scm_array_handle_release (&h0);
diff --git a/libguile/bitvectors.c b/libguile/bitvectors.c
index 2d36110d4..3a88731b2 100644
--- a/libguile/bitvectors.c
+++ b/libguile/bitvectors.c
@@ -845,24 +845,25 @@ scm_istr2bve (SCM str)
 	    goto exit;
 	  }
     }
-  
+
  exit:
   scm_array_handle_release (&handle);
   scm_remember_upto_here_1 (str);
   return res;
 }
 
-/* FIXME: h->array should be h->vector */
+/* FIXME: We know that bitvector is such, so can skip the checks in
+   scm_c_bitvector_... */
 static SCM
-bitvector_handle_ref (scm_t_array_handle *h, size_t pos)
+bitvector_handle_ref (SCM bitvector, size_t pos)
 {
-  return scm_c_bitvector_ref (h->array, pos);
+  return scm_c_bitvector_ref (bitvector, pos);
 }
 
 static void
-bitvector_handle_set (scm_t_array_handle *h, size_t pos, SCM val)
+bitvector_handle_set (SCM bitvector, size_t pos, SCM val)
 {
-  scm_c_bitvector_set_x (h->array, pos, val);
+  scm_c_bitvector_set_x (bitvector, pos, val);
 }
 
 static void
diff --git a/libguile/bytevectors.c b/libguile/bytevectors.c
index f197be342..ccb438cea 100644
--- a/libguile/bytevectors.c
+++ b/libguile/bytevectors.c
@@ -402,31 +402,6 @@ scm_c_bytevector_set_x (SCM bv, size_t index, scm_t_uint8 value)
 }
 #undef FUNC_NAME
 
-
-
-int
-scm_i_print_bytevector (SCM bv, SCM port, scm_print_state *pstate SCM_UNUSED)
-{
-  ssize_t ubnd, inc, i;
-  scm_t_array_handle h;
-  
-  scm_array_get_handle (bv, &h);
-
-  scm_putc_unlocked ('#', port);
-  scm_write (scm_array_handle_element_type (&h), port);
-  scm_putc_unlocked ('(', port);
-  for (i = h.dims[0].lbnd, ubnd = h.dims[0].ubnd, inc = h.dims[0].inc;
-       i <= ubnd; i += inc)
-    {
-      if (i > 0)
-	scm_putc_unlocked (' ', port);
-      scm_write (scm_array_handle_ref (&h, i), port);
-    }
-  scm_putc_unlocked (')', port);
-
-  return 1;
-}
-
 
 /* General operations.  */
 
@@ -2149,15 +2124,17 @@ bytevector_ref_fns[SCM_ARRAY_ELEMENT_TYPE_LAST + 1] =
 };
 
 static SCM
-bv_handle_ref (scm_t_array_handle *h, size_t index)
+bv_handle_ref (SCM bv, size_t index)
 {
   SCM byte_index;
   scm_t_bytevector_ref_fn ref_fn;
 
-  ref_fn = bytevector_ref_fns[SCM_BYTEVECTOR_ELEMENT_TYPE (h->array)];
+  assert (SCM_BYTEVECTOR_P (bv));
+
+  ref_fn = bytevector_ref_fns[SCM_BYTEVECTOR_ELEMENT_TYPE (bv)];
   byte_index =
-    scm_from_size_t (index * SCM_BYTEVECTOR_TYPE_SIZE (h->array));
-  return ref_fn (h->array, byte_index);
+    scm_from_size_t (index * SCM_BYTEVECTOR_TYPE_SIZE (bv));
+  return ref_fn (bv, byte_index);
 }
 
 /* Template for native modification of complex numbers of type TYPE.  */
@@ -2212,15 +2189,15 @@ const scm_t_bytevector_set_fn bytevector_set_fns[SCM_ARRAY_ELEMENT_TYPE_LAST + 1
 };
 
 static void
-bv_handle_set_x (scm_t_array_handle *h, size_t index, SCM val)
+bv_handle_set_x (SCM bytevector, size_t index, SCM val)
 {
   SCM byte_index;
   scm_t_bytevector_set_fn set_fn;
 
-  set_fn = bytevector_set_fns[SCM_BYTEVECTOR_ELEMENT_TYPE (h->array)];
+  set_fn = bytevector_set_fns[SCM_BYTEVECTOR_ELEMENT_TYPE (bytevector)];
   byte_index =
-    scm_from_size_t (index * SCM_BYTEVECTOR_TYPE_SIZE (h->array));
-  set_fn (h->array, byte_index, val);
+    scm_from_size_t (index * SCM_BYTEVECTOR_TYPE_SIZE (bytevector));
+  set_fn (bytevector, byte_index, val);
 }
 
 static void
@@ -2237,6 +2214,25 @@ bytevector_get_handle (SCM v, scm_t_array_handle *h)
   h->elements = h->writable_elements = SCM_BYTEVECTOR_CONTENTS (v);
 }
 
+
+int
+scm_i_print_bytevector (SCM bv, SCM port, scm_print_state *pstate SCM_UNUSED)
+{
+  size_t len, i;
+
+  scm_putc_unlocked ('#', port);
+  scm_write (scm_i_array_element_types[SCM_BYTEVECTOR_ELEMENT_TYPE (bv)], port);
+  scm_putc_unlocked ('(', port);
+  for (i = 0, len = SCM_BYTEVECTOR_TYPED_LENGTH (bv); i < len; ++i)
+    {
+      if (i > 0)
+	scm_putc_unlocked (' ', port);
+      scm_write (bv_handle_ref (bv, i), port);
+    }
+  scm_putc_unlocked (')', port);
+  return 1;
+}
+
 
 /* Initialization.  */
 
diff --git a/libguile/strings.c b/libguile/strings.c
index 9aa6a2180..3952b205d 100644
--- a/libguile/strings.c
+++ b/libguile/strings.c
@@ -2459,17 +2459,19 @@ scm_i_get_substring_spec (size_t len,
   else
     *cend = scm_to_unsigned_integer (end, *cstart, len);
 }
-		  
+
+/* FIXME: We know that bitvector is such, so can skip the checks in
+   scm_c_string_... */
 static SCM
-string_handle_ref (scm_t_array_handle *h, size_t index)
+string_handle_ref (SCM string, size_t index)
 {
-  return scm_c_string_ref (h->array, index);
+  return scm_c_string_ref (string, index);
 }
 
 static void
-string_handle_set (scm_t_array_handle *h, size_t index, SCM val)
+string_handle_set (SCM string, size_t index, SCM val)
 {
-  scm_c_string_set_x (h->array, index, val);
+  scm_c_string_set_x (string, index, val);
 }
 
 static void
diff --git a/libguile/uniform.c b/libguile/uniform.c
index e6fcb531a..f12b5eaec 100644
--- a/libguile/uniform.c
+++ b/libguile/uniform.c
@@ -182,8 +182,9 @@ scm_c_uniform_vector_ref (SCM v, size_t pos)
   if (!scm_is_uniform_vector (v))
     scm_wrong_type_arg_msg (NULL, 0, v, "uniform vector");
 
+  /* need the handle for bitvectors only */
   scm_array_get_handle (v, &h);
-  ret = h.impl->vref (&h, pos);
+  ret = h.impl->vref (h.array, pos);
   scm_array_handle_release (&h);
   return ret;
 
@@ -207,8 +208,9 @@ scm_c_uniform_vector_set_x (SCM v, size_t pos, SCM val)
   if (!scm_is_uniform_vector (v))
     scm_wrong_type_arg_msg (NULL, 0, v, "uniform vector");
 
+  /* need the handle for bitvectors only */
   scm_array_get_handle (v, &h);
-  h.impl->vset (&h, pos, val);
+  h.impl->vset (h.array, pos, val);
   scm_array_handle_release (&h);
 }
 
diff --git a/libguile/vectors.c b/libguile/vectors.c
index 74d8a7ccb..19a0392b2 100644
--- a/libguile/vectors.c
+++ b/libguile/vectors.c
@@ -434,19 +434,19 @@ SCM_DEFINE (scm_vector_move_right_x, "vector-move-right!", 5, 0, 0,
 
 
 static SCM
-vector_handle_ref (scm_t_array_handle *h, size_t idx)
+vector_handle_ref (SCM vector, size_t idx)
 {
-  if (idx >= SCM_I_VECTOR_LENGTH (h->array))
+  if (idx >= SCM_I_VECTOR_LENGTH (vector))
     scm_out_of_range ("vector-handle-ref", scm_from_size_t (idx));
-  return SCM_I_VECTOR_WELTS(h->array)[idx];
+  return SCM_I_VECTOR_WELTS(vector)[idx];
 }
 
 static void
-vector_handle_set (scm_t_array_handle *h, size_t idx, SCM val)
+vector_handle_set (SCM vector, size_t idx, SCM val)
 {
-  if (idx >= SCM_I_VECTOR_LENGTH (h->array))
+  if (idx >= SCM_I_VECTOR_LENGTH (vector))
     scm_out_of_range ("vector-handle-set!", scm_from_size_t (idx));
-  SCM_I_VECTOR_WELTS(h->array)[idx] = val;
+  SCM_I_VECTOR_WELTS(vector)[idx] = val;
 }
 
 static void