diff --git a/lib/std/fs/File.zig b/lib/std/fs/File.zig
index 5f294b9fe9..75871dab32 100644
--- a/lib/std/fs/File.zig
+++ b/lib/std/fs/File.zig
@@ -1591,8 +1591,7 @@ pub fn writer(file: File) std.io.Writer {
     return .{
         .context = interface.handleToOpaque(file.handle),
         .vtable = &.{
-            .writev = interface.writev,
-            .splat = interface.splat,
+            .writeSplat = interface.writeSplat,
             .writeFile = interface.writeFile,
         },
     };
@@ -1610,45 +1609,20 @@ const interface = struct {
     /// vectors through the underlying write calls as possible.
     const max_buffers_len = 16;
 
-    fn writev(context: *anyopaque, data: []const []const u8) anyerror!usize {
+    fn writeSplat(context: *anyopaque, data: []const []const u8, splat: usize) anyerror!usize {
         const file = opaqueToHandle(context);
-
         if (is_windows) {
-            // TODO improve this to use WriteFileScatter
-            if (data.len == 0) return 0;
-            const first = data[0];
-            return windows.WriteFile(file, first.base[0..first.len], null);
+            if (data.len == 1 and splat == 0) return 0;
+            return windows.WriteFile(file, data[0], null);
         }
-
         var iovecs_buffer: [max_buffers_len]std.posix.iovec_const = undefined;
         const iovecs = iovecs_buffer[0..@min(iovecs_buffer.len, data.len)];
         for (iovecs, data[0..iovecs.len]) |*v, d| v.* = .{
             .base = if (d.len == 0) "" else d.ptr, // OS sadly checks ptr addr before length.
             .len = d.len,
         };
-        return std.posix.writev(file, iovecs);
-    }
-
-    fn splat(context: *anyopaque, headers: []const []const u8, pattern: []const u8, n: usize) anyerror!usize {
-        const file = opaqueToHandle(context);
-
-        if (is_windows) {
-            // TODO improve this to use WriteFileScatter
-            if (headers.len > 0) {
-                const first = headers[0];
-                return windows.WriteFile(file, first, null);
-            }
-            if (n > 0) return windows.WriteFile(file, pattern, null);
-            return 0;
-        }
-
-        var iovecs_buffer: [max_buffers_len]std.posix.iovec_const = undefined;
-        const iovecs = iovecs_buffer[0..@min(iovecs_buffer.len, headers.len)];
-        for (iovecs, headers[0..iovecs.len]) |*v, d| v.* = .{
-            .base = if (d.len == 0) "" else d.ptr, // OS sadly checks ptr addr before length.
-            .len = d.len,
-        };
-        return std.posix.writev(file, iovecs);
+        const send_iovecs = if (splat == 0) iovecs[0 .. iovecs.len - 1] else iovecs;
+        return std.posix.writev(file, send_iovecs);
     }
 
     fn writeFile(
@@ -1662,7 +1636,7 @@ const interface = struct {
         const out_fd = opaqueToHandle(context);
         const in_fd = in_file.handle;
         const len_int = switch (in_len) {
-            .zero => return interface.writev(context, headers_and_trailers),
+            .zero => return interface.writeSplat(context, headers_and_trailers, 1),
             .entire_file => 0,
             else => in_len.int(),
         };
diff --git a/lib/std/io.zig b/lib/std/io.zig
index 8d84a8a36f..239f49de41 100644
--- a/lib/std/io.zig
+++ b/lib/std/io.zig
@@ -344,22 +344,16 @@ pub const tty = @import("io/tty.zig");
 pub const null_writer: Writer = .{
     .context = undefined,
     .vtable = &.{
-        .writev = null_writev,
-        .splat = null_splat,
+        .writeSplat = null_writeSplat,
         .writeFile = null_writeFile,
     },
 };
 
-fn null_writev(context: *anyopaque, data: []const []const u8) anyerror!usize {
+fn null_writeSplat(context: *anyopaque, data: []const []const u8, splat: usize) anyerror!usize {
     _ = context;
-    var written: usize = 0;
-    for (data) |bytes| written += bytes.len;
-    return written;
-}
-
-fn null_splat(context: *anyopaque, headers: []const []const u8, pattern: []const u8, n: usize) anyerror!usize {
-    _ = context;
-    var written: usize = pattern.len * n;
+    const headers = data[0 .. data.len - 1];
+    const pattern = data[headers.len..];
+    var written: usize = pattern.len * splat;
     for (headers) |bytes| written += bytes.len;
     return written;
 }
diff --git a/lib/std/io/AllocatingWriter.zig b/lib/std/io/AllocatingWriter.zig
index 20cda9de19..7e624a78ac 100644
--- a/lib/std/io/AllocatingWriter.zig
+++ b/lib/std/io/AllocatingWriter.zig
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ allocator: std.mem.Allocator,
 buffered_writer: std.io.BufferedWriter,
 
 const vtable: std.io.Writer.VTable = .{
-    .writev = writev,
+    .writeSplat = writeSplat,
     .writeFile = writeFile,
 };
 
@@ -98,35 +98,37 @@ pub fn clearRetainingCapacity(aw: *AllocatingWriter) void {
     aw.written.len = 0;
 }
 
-fn writev(context: *anyopaque, data: []const []const u8) anyerror!usize {
-    return splat(context, data, &.{}, 0);
-}
-
-fn splat(context: *anyopaque, headers: []const []const u8, pattern: []const u8, n: usize) anyerror!usize {
+fn writeSplat(context: *anyopaque, data: []const []const u8, splat: usize) anyerror!usize {
     const aw: *AllocatingWriter = @alignCast(@ptrCast(context));
     const start_len = aw.written.len;
     const bw = &aw.buffered_writer;
-    assert(headers[0].ptr == aw.written.ptr + start_len);
+    const skip_first = data[0].ptr == aw.written.ptr + start_len;
+    const items_len = if (skip_first) start_len + data[0].len else start_len;
     var list: std.ArrayListUnmanaged(u8) = .{
-        .items = aw.written.ptr[0 .. start_len + headers[0].len],
+        .items = aw.written.ptr[0..items_len],
         .capacity = start_len + bw.buffer.len,
     };
     defer setArrayList(aw, list);
-    const rest = headers[1..];
-    var new_capacity: usize = list.capacity + pattern.len * n;
+    const rest = data[1 .. data.len - 1];
+    const pattern = data[data.len - 1];
+    var new_capacity: usize = list.capacity + pattern.len * splat;
     for (rest) |bytes| new_capacity += bytes.len;
     try list.ensureTotalCapacity(aw.allocator, new_capacity + 1);
     for (rest) |bytes| list.appendSliceAssumeCapacity(bytes);
-    if (pattern.len == 1) {
-        list.appendNTimesAssumeCapacity(pattern[0], n);
-    } else {
-        for (0..n) |_| list.appendSliceAssumeCapacity(pattern);
-    }
+    appendPatternAssumeCapacity(&list, pattern, splat);
     aw.written = list.items;
     bw.buffer = list.unusedCapacitySlice();
     return list.items.len - start_len;
 }
 
+fn appendPatternAssumeCapacity(list: *std.ArrayListUnmanaged(u8), pattern: []const u8, splat: usize) void {
+    if (pattern.len == 1) {
+        list.appendNTimesAssumeCapacity(pattern[0], splat);
+    } else {
+        for (0..splat) |_| list.appendSliceAssumeCapacity(pattern);
+    }
+}
+
 fn writeFile(
     context: *anyopaque,
     file: std.fs.File,
diff --git a/lib/std/io/BufferedWriter.zig b/lib/std/io/BufferedWriter.zig
index ee15da1ea8..6c3a7d5737 100644
--- a/lib/std/io/BufferedWriter.zig
+++ b/lib/std/io/BufferedWriter.zig
@@ -33,16 +33,14 @@ pub fn writer(bw: *BufferedWriter) Writer {
     return .{
         .context = bw,
         .vtable = &.{
-            .writev = passthru_writev,
-            .splat = passthru_splat,
+            .write = passthru_writeSplat,
             .writeFile = passthru_writeFile,
         },
     };
 }
 
 const fixed_vtable: Writer.VTable = .{
-    .writev = fixed_writev,
-    .splat = fixed_splat,
+    .writeSplat = fixed_writeSplat,
     .writeFile = fixed_writeFile,
 };
 
@@ -81,7 +79,7 @@ pub fn flush(bw: *BufferedWriter) anyerror!void {
 pub fn writevAll(bw: *BufferedWriter, data: []const []const u8) anyerror!void {
     var i: usize = 0;
     while (true) {
-        var n = try writev(bw, data[i..]);
+        var n = try passthru_writeSplat(bw, data[i..], 1);
         while (n >= data[i].len) {
             n -= data[i].len;
             i += 1;
@@ -91,14 +89,16 @@ pub fn writevAll(bw: *BufferedWriter, data: []const []const u8) anyerror!void {
     }
 }
 
-pub fn writev(bw: *BufferedWriter, data: []const []const u8) anyerror!usize {
-    return passthru_writev(bw, data);
+pub fn writeSplat(bw: *BufferedWriter, data: []const []const u8, splat: usize) anyerror!usize {
+    return passthru_writeSplat(bw, data, splat);
 }
 
-fn passthru_writev(context: *anyopaque, data: []const []const u8) anyerror!usize {
+fn passthru_writeSplat(context: *anyopaque, data: []const []const u8, splat: usize) anyerror!usize {
     const bw: *BufferedWriter = @alignCast(@ptrCast(context));
     const buffer = bw.buffer;
     const start_end = bw.end;
+
+    var buffers: [max_buffers_len][]const u8 = undefined;
     var end = bw.end;
     for (data, 0..) |bytes, i| {
         const new_end = end + bytes.len;
@@ -108,14 +108,28 @@ fn passthru_writev(context: *anyopaque, data: []const []const u8) anyerror!usize
             end = new_end;
             continue;
         }
-        if (end == 0) return bw.unbuffered_writer.writev(data);
-        var buffers: [max_buffers_len][]const u8 = undefined;
+        if (end == 0) return bw.unbuffered_writer.writeSplat(data, splat);
         buffers[0] = buffer[0..end];
         const remaining_data = data[i..];
         const remaining_buffers = buffers[1..];
         const len: usize = @min(remaining_data.len, remaining_buffers.len);
         @memcpy(remaining_buffers[0..len], remaining_data[0..len]);
-        const n = try bw.unbuffered_writer.writev(buffers[0 .. len + 1]);
+        const send_buffers = buffers[0 .. len + 1];
+        if (len >= remaining_data.len) {
+            @branchHint(.likely);
+            // Made it past the headers, so we can enable splatting.
+            const n = try bw.unbuffered_writer.writeSplat(send_buffers, splat);
+            if (n < end) {
+                @branchHint(.unlikely);
+                const remainder = buffer[n..end];
+                std.mem.copyForwards(u8, buffer[0..remainder.len], remainder);
+                bw.end = remainder.len;
+                return end - start_end;
+            }
+            bw.end = 0;
+            return n - start_end;
+        }
+        const n = try bw.unbuffered_writer.writeSplat(send_buffers, 1);
         if (n < end) {
             @branchHint(.unlikely);
             const remainder = buffer[n..end];
@@ -126,84 +140,47 @@ fn passthru_writev(context: *anyopaque, data: []const []const u8) anyerror!usize
         bw.end = 0;
         return n - start_end;
     }
-    bw.end = end;
-    return end - start_end;
-}
 
-fn passthru_splat(context: *anyopaque, headers: []const []const u8, pattern: []const u8, n: usize) anyerror!usize {
-    const bw: *BufferedWriter = @alignCast(@ptrCast(context));
-    const buffer = bw.buffer;
-    const start_end = bw.end;
+    const pattern = data[data.len - 1];
 
-    var end = bw.end;
-    for (headers, 0..) |bytes, i| {
-        const new_end = end + bytes.len;
-        if (new_end <= buffer.len) {
-            @branchHint(.likely);
-            @memcpy(buffer[end..new_end], bytes);
-            end = new_end;
-            continue;
-        }
-        if (end == 0) return bw.unbuffered_writer.splat(headers, pattern, n);
-        var buffers: [max_buffers_len][]const u8 = undefined;
-        buffers[0] = buffer[0..end];
-        const remaining_headers = headers[i..];
-        const remaining_buffers = buffers[1..];
-        const len: usize = @min(remaining_headers.len, remaining_buffers.len);
-        @memcpy(remaining_buffers[0..len], remaining_headers[0..len]);
-        const send_buffers = buffers[0 .. len + 1];
-        if (len >= remaining_headers.len) {
-            @branchHint(.likely);
-            // Made it past the headers, so we can call `splat`.
-            const written = try bw.unbuffered_writer.splat(send_buffers, pattern, n);
-            if (written < end) {
-                @branchHint(.unlikely);
-                const remainder = buffer[written..end];
-                std.mem.copyForwards(u8, buffer[0..remainder.len], remainder);
-                bw.end = remainder.len;
-                return end - start_end;
-            }
-            bw.end = 0;
-            return written - start_end;
-        }
-        const written = try bw.unbuffered_writer.writev(send_buffers);
-        if (written < end) {
-            @branchHint(.unlikely);
-            const remainder = buffer[written..end];
-            std.mem.copyForwards(u8, buffer[0..remainder.len], remainder);
-            bw.end = remainder.len;
-            return end - start_end;
-        }
-        bw.end = 0;
-        return written - start_end;
+    if (splat == 0) {
+        @branchHint(.unlikely);
+        // It was added in the loop above; undo it here.
+        end -= pattern.len;
+        bw.end = end;
+        return end - start_end;
     }
 
+    const remaining_splat = splat - 1;
+
     switch (pattern.len) {
         0 => {
             bw.end = end;
             return end - start_end;
         },
         1 => {
-            const new_end = end + n;
+            const new_end = end + remaining_splat;
             if (new_end <= buffer.len) {
                 @branchHint(.likely);
                 @memset(buffer[end..new_end], pattern[0]);
                 bw.end = new_end;
                 return end - start_end;
             }
-            const written = try bw.unbuffered_writer.splat(buffer[0..end], pattern, n);
-            if (written < end) {
+            buffers[0] = buffer[0..end];
+            buffers[1] = pattern;
+            const n = try bw.unbuffered_writer.writeSplat(buffers[0..2], remaining_splat);
+            if (n < end) {
                 @branchHint(.unlikely);
-                const remainder = buffer[written..end];
+                const remainder = buffer[n..end];
                 std.mem.copyForwards(u8, buffer[0..remainder.len], remainder);
                 bw.end = remainder.len;
                 return end - start_end;
             }
             bw.end = 0;
-            return written - start_end;
+            return n - start_end;
         },
         else => {
-            const new_end = end + pattern.len * n;
+            const new_end = end + pattern.len * remaining_splat;
             if (new_end <= buffer.len) {
                 @branchHint(.likely);
                 while (end < new_end) : (end += pattern.len) {
@@ -212,16 +189,18 @@ fn passthru_splat(context: *anyopaque, headers: []const []const u8, pattern: []c
                 bw.end = end;
                 return end - start_end;
             }
-            const written = try bw.unbuffered_writer.splat(buffer[0..end], pattern, n);
-            if (written < end) {
+            buffers[0] = buffer[0..end];
+            buffers[1] = pattern;
+            const n = try bw.unbuffered_writer.writeSplat(buffers[0..2], remaining_splat);
+            if (n < end) {
                 @branchHint(.unlikely);
-                const remainder = buffer[written..end];
+                const remainder = buffer[n..end];
                 std.mem.copyForwards(u8, buffer[0..remainder.len], remainder);
                 bw.end = remainder.len;
                 return end - start_end;
             }
             bw.end = 0;
-            return written - start_end;
+            return n - start_end;
         },
     }
 }
@@ -237,15 +216,24 @@ fn fixed_writev(context: *anyopaque, data: []const []const u8) anyerror!usize {
     return error.NoSpaceLeft;
 }
 
-fn fixed_splat(context: *anyopaque, headers: []const []const u8, pattern: []const u8, n: usize) anyerror!usize {
+/// When this function is called it means the buffer got full, so it's time
+/// to return an error. However, we still need to make sure all of the
+/// available buffer has been filled.
+fn fixed_writeSplat(context: *anyopaque, data: []const []const u8, splat: usize) anyerror!usize {
     const bw: *BufferedWriter = @alignCast(@ptrCast(context));
+    for (data) |bytes| {
+        const dest = bw.buffer[bw.end..];
+        if (dest.len == 0) return error.NoSpaceLeft;
+        const len = @min(bytes.len, dest.len);
+        @memcpy(dest[0..len], bytes[0..len]);
+        bw.end += len;
+    }
+    const pattern = data[data.len - 1];
     const dest = bw.buffer[bw.end..];
-    if (headers.len > 0) {
-        @memcpy(dest, headers[0][0..dest.len]);
-    } else switch (pattern.len) {
+    switch (pattern.len) {
         0 => unreachable,
         1 => @memset(dest, pattern[0]),
-        else => for (0..n) |i| @memcpy(dest[i * pattern.len ..][0..pattern.len], pattern),
+        else => for (0..splat - 1) |i| @memcpy(dest[i * pattern.len ..][0..pattern.len], pattern),
     }
     return error.NoSpaceLeft;
 }
@@ -329,21 +317,26 @@ pub fn splatByteAll(bw: *BufferedWriter, byte: u8, n: usize) anyerror!void {
 ///
 /// Does maximum of one underlying `Writer.VTable.writev`.
 pub fn splatByte(bw: *BufferedWriter, byte: u8, n: usize) anyerror!usize {
-    return passthru_splat(bw, &.{}, &.{byte}, n);
+    return passthru_writeSplat(bw, &.{&.{byte}}, n);
 }
 
 /// Writes the same slice many times, performing the underlying write call as
 /// many times as necessary.
-pub fn splatBytesAll(bw: *BufferedWriter, bytes: []const u8, n: usize) anyerror!void {
-    var remaining: usize = n * bytes.len;
-    while (remaining > 0) remaining -= try splatBytes(bw, bytes, remaining);
+pub fn splatBytesAll(bw: *BufferedWriter, bytes: []const u8, splat: usize) anyerror!void {
+    var remaining_bytes: usize = bytes.len * splat;
+    remaining_bytes -= try splatBytes(bw, bytes, splat);
+    while (remaining_bytes > 0) {
+        const leftover = remaining_bytes % bytes.len;
+        const buffers: [2][]const u8 = .{ bytes[bytes.len - leftover ..], bytes };
+        remaining_bytes -= try splatBytes(bw, &buffers, splat);
+    }
 }
 
 /// Writes the same slice many times, allowing short writes.
 ///
 /// Does maximum of one underlying `Writer.VTable.writev`.
 pub fn splatBytes(bw: *BufferedWriter, bytes: []const u8, n: usize) anyerror!usize {
-    return passthru_splat(bw, &.{}, bytes, n);
+    return passthru_writeSplat(bw, &.{bytes}, n);
 }
 
 /// Asserts the `buffer` was initialized with a capacity of at least `@sizeOf(T)` bytes.
diff --git a/lib/std/io/CountingWriter.zig b/lib/std/io/CountingWriter.zig
index 52a8f4f207..b37d066bcd 100644
--- a/lib/std/io/CountingWriter.zig
+++ b/lib/std/io/CountingWriter.zig
@@ -13,8 +13,7 @@ pub fn writer(cw: *CountingWriter) Writer {
     return .{
         .context = cw,
         .vtable = &.{
-            .writev = passthru_writev,
-            .splat = passthru_splat,
+            .writeSplat = passthru_writeSplat,
             .writeFile = passthru_writeFile,
         },
     };
@@ -27,18 +26,11 @@ pub fn unbufferedWriter(cw: *CountingWriter) std.io.BufferedWriter {
     };
 }
 
-fn passthru_writev(context: *anyopaque, data: []const []const u8) anyerror!usize {
+fn passthru_writeSplat(context: *anyopaque, data: []const []const u8, splat: usize) anyerror!usize {
     const cw: *CountingWriter = @alignCast(@ptrCast(context));
-    const written = try cw.child_writer.writev(data);
-    cw.bytes_written += written;
-    return written;
-}
-
-fn passthru_splat(context: *anyopaque, header: []const u8, pattern: []const u8, n: usize) anyerror!usize {
-    const cw: *CountingWriter = @alignCast(@ptrCast(context));
-    const written = try cw.child_writer.splat(header, pattern, n);
-    cw.bytes_written += written;
-    return written;
+    const n = try cw.child_writer.writeSplat(data, splat);
+    cw.bytes_written += n;
+    return n;
 }
 
 fn passthru_writeFile(
@@ -50,9 +42,9 @@ fn passthru_writeFile(
     headers_len: usize,
 ) anyerror!usize {
     const cw: *CountingWriter = @alignCast(@ptrCast(context));
-    const written = try cw.child_writer.writeFile(file, offset, len, headers_and_trailers, headers_len);
-    cw.bytes_written += written;
-    return written;
+    const n = try cw.child_writer.writeFile(file, offset, len, headers_and_trailers, headers_len);
+    cw.bytes_written += n;
+    return n;
 }
 
 test CountingWriter {
diff --git a/lib/std/io/Writer.zig b/lib/std/io/Writer.zig
index cd05eb5672..5f52cc9050 100644
--- a/lib/std/io/Writer.zig
+++ b/lib/std/io/Writer.zig
@@ -8,25 +8,16 @@ vtable: *const VTable,
 pub const VTable = struct {
     /// Each slice in `data` is written in order.
     ///
-    /// Number of bytes actually written is returned.
-    ///
-    /// Number of bytes returned may be zero, which does not mean
-    /// end-of-stream. A subsequent call may return nonzero, or may signal end
-    /// of stream via an error.
-    writev: *const fn (context: *anyopaque, data: []const []const u8) anyerror!usize,
-
-    /// `headers_and_pattern` must have length of at least one. The last slice
-    /// is `pattern` which is the byte sequence to repeat `n` times. The rest
-    /// of the slices are headers to write before the pattern.
-    ///
-    /// When `n == 1`, this is equivalent to `writev`.
+    /// `data.len` must be greater than zero, and the last element of `data` is
+    /// special. It is repeated as necessary so that it is written `splat`
+    /// number of times.
     ///
     /// Number of bytes actually written is returned.
     ///
     /// Number of bytes returned may be zero, which does not mean
     /// end-of-stream. A subsequent call may return nonzero, or may signal end
     /// of stream via an error.
-    splat: *const fn (context: *anyopaque, headers_and_pattern: []const []const u8, n: usize) anyerror!usize,
+    writeSplat: *const fn (context: *anyopaque, data: []const []const u8, splat: usize) anyerror!usize,
 
     /// Writes contents from an open file. `headers` are written first, then `len`
     /// bytes of `file` starting from `offset`, then `trailers`.
@@ -67,7 +58,11 @@ pub const VTable = struct {
 };
 
 pub fn writev(w: Writer, data: []const []const u8) anyerror!usize {
-    return w.vtable.writev(w.context, data);
+    return w.vtable.writeSplat(w.context, data, 1);
+}
+
+pub fn writeSplat(w: Writer, data: []const []const u8, splat: usize) anyerror!usize {
+    return w.vtable.writeSplat(w.context, data, splat);
 }
 
 pub fn writeFile(
@@ -83,12 +78,12 @@ pub fn writeFile(
 
 pub fn write(w: Writer, bytes: []const u8) anyerror!usize {
     const single: [1][]const u8 = .{bytes};
-    return w.vtable.writev(w.context, &single);
+    return w.vtable.writeSplat(w.context, &single, 1);
 }
 
 pub fn writeAll(w: Writer, bytes: []const u8) anyerror!void {
     var index: usize = 0;
-    while (index < bytes.len) index += try write(w, bytes[index..]);
+    while (index < bytes.len) index += try w.vtable.writeSplat(w.context, &.{bytes[index..]}, 1);
 }
 
 ///// Directly calls `writeAll` many times to render the formatted text. To
@@ -102,7 +97,7 @@ pub fn writeAll(w: Writer, bytes: []const u8) anyerror!void {
 pub fn writevAll(w: Writer, data: [][]const u8) anyerror!void {
     var i: usize = 0;
     while (true) {
-        var n = try w.vtable.writev(w.context, data[i..]);
+        var n = try w.vtable.writeSplat(w.context, data[i..], 1);
         while (n >= data[i].len) {
             n -= data[i].len;
             i += 1;