diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 3253e6cd3..360ebcfb0 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -246,16 +246,6 @@ dependencies = [
  "percent-encoding",
 ]
 
-[[package]]
-name = "futf"
-version = "0.1.5"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "df420e2e84819663797d1ec6544b13c5be84629e7bb00dc960d6917db2987843"
-dependencies = [
- "mac",
- "new_debug_unreachable",
-]
-
 [[package]]
 name = "futures-core"
 version = "0.3.21"
@@ -383,7 +373,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "similar",
  "slotmap",
  "smallvec",
- "tendril",
+ "smartstring",
  "toml",
  "tree-sitter",
  "unicode-general-category",
@@ -606,12 +596,6 @@ dependencies = [
  "url",
 ]
 
-[[package]]
-name = "mac"
-version = "0.1.1"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "c41e0c4fef86961ac6d6f8a82609f55f31b05e4fce149ac5710e439df7619ba4"
-
 [[package]]
 name = "matches"
 version = "0.1.9"
@@ -655,12 +639,6 @@ dependencies = [
  "winapi",
 ]
 
-[[package]]
-name = "new_debug_unreachable"
-version = "1.0.4"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "e4a24736216ec316047a1fc4252e27dabb04218aa4a3f37c6e7ddbf1f9782b54"
-
 [[package]]
 name = "ntapi"
 version = "0.3.6"
@@ -1010,6 +988,21 @@ version = "1.8.0"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "f2dd574626839106c320a323308629dcb1acfc96e32a8cba364ddc61ac23ee83"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "smartstring"
+version = "0.2.9"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "31aa6a31c0c2b21327ce875f7e8952322acfcfd0c27569a6e18a647281352c9b"
+dependencies = [
+ "static_assertions",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "static_assertions"
+version = "1.1.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "a2eb9349b6444b326872e140eb1cf5e7c522154d69e7a0ffb0fb81c06b37543f"
+
 [[package]]
 name = "str-buf"
 version = "1.0.5"
@@ -1027,17 +1020,6 @@ dependencies = [
  "unicode-xid",
 ]
 
-[[package]]
-name = "tendril"
-version = "0.4.2"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "a9ef557cb397a4f0a5a3a628f06515f78563f2209e64d47055d9dc6052bf5e33"
-dependencies = [
- "futf",
- "mac",
- "utf-8",
-]
-
 [[package]]
 name = "thiserror"
 version = "1.0.30"
@@ -1212,12 +1194,6 @@ dependencies = [
  "serde",
 ]
 
-[[package]]
-name = "utf-8"
-version = "0.7.6"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "09cc8ee72d2a9becf2f2febe0205bbed8fc6615b7cb429ad062dc7b7ddd036a9"
-
 [[package]]
 name = "version_check"
 version = "0.9.4"
diff --git a/helix-core/Cargo.toml b/helix-core/Cargo.toml
index 3a1f9b3e0..7ff91cfda 100644
--- a/helix-core/Cargo.toml
+++ b/helix-core/Cargo.toml
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ helix-syntax = { version = "0.6", path = "../helix-syntax" }
 
 ropey = "1.3"
 smallvec = "1.8"
-tendril = "0.4.2"
+smartstring = "0.2.9"
 unicode-segmentation = "1.9"
 unicode-width = "0.1"
 unicode-general-category = "0.5"
diff --git a/helix-core/src/auto_pairs.rs b/helix-core/src/auto_pairs.rs
index 408026803..f4359a342 100644
--- a/helix-core/src/auto_pairs.rs
+++ b/helix-core/src/auto_pairs.rs
@@ -214,7 +214,9 @@ fn handle_open(
         let change = match next_char {
             Some(ch) if !close_before.contains(ch) => {
                 len_inserted = open.len_utf8();
-                (cursor, cursor, Some(Tendril::from_char(open)))
+                let mut tendril = Tendril::new();
+                tendril.push(open);
+                (cursor, cursor, Some(tendril))
             }
             // None | Some(ch) if close_before.contains(ch) => {}
             _ => {
@@ -252,7 +254,9 @@ fn handle_close(doc: &Rope, selection: &Selection, _open: char, close: char) ->
             (cursor, cursor, None) // no-op
         } else {
             len_inserted += close.len_utf8();
-            (cursor, cursor, Some(Tendril::from_char(close)))
+            let mut tendril = Tendril::new();
+            tendril.push(close);
+            (cursor, cursor, Some(tendril))
         };
 
         let next_range = get_next_range(doc, start_range, offs, close, len_inserted);
@@ -290,15 +294,15 @@ fn handle_same(
             //  return transaction that moves past close
             (cursor, cursor, None) // no-op
         } else {
-            let mut pair = Tendril::with_capacity(2 * token.len_utf8() as u32);
-            pair.push_char(token);
+            let mut pair = Tendril::new();
+            pair.push(token);
 
             // for equal pairs, don't insert both open and close if either
             // side has a non-pair char
             if (next_char.is_none() || close_before.contains(next_char.unwrap()))
                 && (prev_char.is_none() || open_before.contains(prev_char.unwrap()))
             {
-                pair.push_char(token);
+                pair.push(token);
             }
 
             len_inserted += pair.len();
diff --git a/helix-core/src/increment/date_time.rs b/helix-core/src/increment/date_time.rs
index 1703c3baf..91fa59631 100644
--- a/helix-core/src/increment/date_time.rs
+++ b/helix-core/src/increment/date_time.rs
@@ -451,7 +451,7 @@ mod test {
                     .unwrap()
                     .increment(amount)
                     .1,
-                expected.into()
+                Tendril::from(expected)
             );
         }
     }
diff --git a/helix-core/src/increment/number.rs b/helix-core/src/increment/number.rs
index a19b7e754..57171f671 100644
--- a/helix-core/src/increment/number.rs
+++ b/helix-core/src/increment/number.rs
@@ -371,7 +371,7 @@ mod test {
                     .unwrap()
                     .increment(amount)
                     .1,
-                expected.into()
+                Tendril::from(expected)
             );
         }
     }
@@ -398,7 +398,7 @@ mod test {
                     .unwrap()
                     .increment(amount)
                     .1,
-                expected.into()
+                Tendril::from(expected)
             );
         }
     }
@@ -426,7 +426,7 @@ mod test {
                     .unwrap()
                     .increment(amount)
                     .1,
-                expected.into()
+                Tendril::from(expected)
             );
         }
     }
@@ -472,7 +472,7 @@ mod test {
                     .unwrap()
                     .increment(amount)
                     .1,
-                expected.into()
+                Tendril::from(expected)
             );
         }
     }
@@ -500,7 +500,7 @@ mod test {
                     .unwrap()
                     .increment(amount)
                     .1,
-                expected.into()
+                Tendril::from(expected)
             );
         }
     }
diff --git a/helix-core/src/lib.rs b/helix-core/src/lib.rs
index 7fd23b977..0b03ead8f 100644
--- a/helix-core/src/lib.rs
+++ b/helix-core/src/lib.rs
@@ -212,7 +212,10 @@ use etcetera::base_strategy::{choose_base_strategy, BaseStrategy};
 
 pub use ropey::{Rope, RopeBuilder, RopeSlice};
 
-pub use tendril::StrTendril as Tendril;
+// pub use tendril::StrTendril as Tendril;
+pub use smartstring::SmartString;
+
+pub type Tendril = SmartString<smartstring::LazyCompact>;
 
 #[doc(inline)]
 pub use {regex, tree_sitter};
diff --git a/helix-core/src/transaction.rs b/helix-core/src/transaction.rs
index 30995e8ce..2e34a9864 100644
--- a/helix-core/src/transaction.rs
+++ b/helix-core/src/transaction.rs
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ impl ChangeSet {
 
         let new_last = match self.changes.as_mut_slice() {
             [.., Insert(prev)] | [.., Insert(prev), Delete(_)] => {
-                prev.push_tendril(&fragment);
+                prev.push_str(&fragment);
                 return;
             }
             [.., last @ Delete(_)] => std::mem::replace(last, Insert(fragment)),
@@ -189,7 +189,7 @@ impl ChangeSet {
                             // TODO: cover this with a test
                             // figure out the byte index of the truncated string end
                             let (pos, _) = s.char_indices().nth(j).unwrap();
-                            s.pop_front(pos as u32);
+                            s.replace_range(0..pos, "");
                             head_a = Some(Insert(s));
                             head_b = changes_b.next();
                         }
@@ -211,9 +211,11 @@ impl ChangeSet {
                         Ordering::Greater => {
                             // figure out the byte index of the truncated string end
                             let (pos, _) = s.char_indices().nth(j).unwrap();
-                            let pos = pos as u32;
-                            changes.insert(s.subtendril(0, pos));
-                            head_a = Some(Insert(s.subtendril(pos, s.len() as u32 - pos)));
+                            let mut before = s;
+                            let after = before.split_off(pos);
+
+                            changes.insert(before);
+                            head_a = Some(Insert(after));
                             head_b = changes_b.next();
                         }
                     }
@@ -277,7 +279,7 @@ impl ChangeSet {
                 }
                 Delete(n) => {
                     let text = Cow::from(original_doc.slice(pos..pos + *n));
-                    changes.insert(Tendril::from_slice(&text));
+                    changes.insert(Tendril::from(text.as_ref()));
                     pos += n;
                 }
                 Insert(s) => {
@@ -710,19 +712,19 @@ mod test {
     #[test]
     fn optimized_composition() {
         let mut state = State::new("".into());
-        let t1 = Transaction::insert(&state.doc, &state.selection, Tendril::from_char('h'));
+        let t1 = Transaction::insert(&state.doc, &state.selection, Tendril::from("h"));
         t1.apply(&mut state.doc);
         state.selection = state.selection.clone().map(t1.changes());
-        let t2 = Transaction::insert(&state.doc, &state.selection, Tendril::from_char('e'));
+        let t2 = Transaction::insert(&state.doc, &state.selection, Tendril::from("e"));
         t2.apply(&mut state.doc);
         state.selection = state.selection.clone().map(t2.changes());
-        let t3 = Transaction::insert(&state.doc, &state.selection, Tendril::from_char('l'));
+        let t3 = Transaction::insert(&state.doc, &state.selection, Tendril::from("l"));
         t3.apply(&mut state.doc);
         state.selection = state.selection.clone().map(t3.changes());
-        let t4 = Transaction::insert(&state.doc, &state.selection, Tendril::from_char('l'));
+        let t4 = Transaction::insert(&state.doc, &state.selection, Tendril::from("l"));
         t4.apply(&mut state.doc);
         state.selection = state.selection.clone().map(t4.changes());
-        let t5 = Transaction::insert(&state.doc, &state.selection, Tendril::from_char('o'));
+        let t5 = Transaction::insert(&state.doc, &state.selection, Tendril::from("o"));
         t5.apply(&mut state.doc);
         state.selection = state.selection.clone().map(t5.changes());
 
diff --git a/helix-lsp/src/client.rs b/helix-lsp/src/client.rs
index c80f70b54..15cbca0eb 100644
--- a/helix-lsp/src/client.rs
+++ b/helix-lsp/src/client.rs
@@ -438,7 +438,7 @@ impl Client {
 
                     changes.push(lsp::TextDocumentContentChangeEvent {
                         range: Some(lsp::Range::new(start, end)),
-                        text: s.into(),
+                        text: s.to_string(),
                         range_length: None,
                     });
                 }
diff --git a/helix-term/src/commands.rs b/helix-term/src/commands.rs
index d08827285..9918d26c6 100644
--- a/helix-term/src/commands.rs
+++ b/helix-term/src/commands.rs
@@ -2769,7 +2769,7 @@ pub mod cmd {
 
         let mut fragments: Vec<_> = selection
             .fragments(text)
-            .map(|fragment| Tendril::from_slice(&fragment))
+            .map(|fragment| Tendril::from(fragment.as_ref()))
             .collect();
 
         fragments.sort_by(match reverse {
@@ -3921,7 +3921,7 @@ fn try_restore_indent(doc: &mut Document, view_id: ViewId) {
         if let [Operation::Retain(move_pos), Operation::Insert(ref inserted_str), Operation::Retain(_)] =
             changes
         {
-            move_pos + inserted_str.len32() as usize == pos
+            move_pos + inserted_str.len() == pos
                 && inserted_str.starts_with('\n')
                 && inserted_str.chars().skip(1).all(char_is_whitespace)
                 && pos == line_end_pos // ensure no characters exists after current position
@@ -4513,7 +4513,8 @@ pub mod insert {
     #[allow(clippy::unnecessary_wraps)] // need to use Option<> because of the Hook signature
     fn insert(doc: &Rope, selection: &Selection, ch: char) -> Option<Transaction> {
         let cursors = selection.clone().cursors(doc.slice(..));
-        let t = Tendril::from_char(ch);
+        let mut t = Tendril::new();
+        t.push(ch);
         let transaction = Transaction::insert(doc, &cursors, t);
         Some(transaction)
     }
@@ -5015,12 +5016,12 @@ fn replace_with_yanked(cx: &mut Context) {
             let repeat = std::iter::repeat(
                 values
                     .last()
-                    .map(|value| Tendril::from_slice(&value.repeat(count)))
+                    .map(|value| Tendril::from(&value.repeat(count)))
                     .unwrap(),
             );
             let mut values = values
                 .iter()
-                .map(|value| Tendril::from_slice(&value.repeat(count)))
+                .map(|value| Tendril::from(&value.repeat(count)))
                 .chain(repeat);
             let selection = doc.selection(view.id);
             let transaction = Transaction::change_by_selection(doc.text(), selection, |range| {
@@ -5530,7 +5531,7 @@ fn rotate_selection_contents(cx: &mut Context, direction: Direction) {
     let selection = doc.selection(view.id);
     let mut fragments: Vec<_> = selection
         .fragments(text)
-        .map(|fragment| Tendril::from_slice(&fragment))
+        .map(|fragment| Tendril::from(fragment.as_ref()))
         .collect();
 
     let group = count
@@ -5891,8 +5892,12 @@ fn surround_add(cx: &mut Context) {
 
             let mut changes = Vec::with_capacity(selection.len() * 2);
             for range in selection.iter() {
-                changes.push((range.from(), range.from(), Some(Tendril::from_char(open))));
-                changes.push((range.to(), range.to(), Some(Tendril::from_char(close))));
+                let mut o = Tendril::new();
+                o.push(open);
+                let mut c = Tendril::new();
+                c.push(close);
+                changes.push((range.from(), range.from(), Some(o)));
+                changes.push((range.to(), range.to(), Some(c)));
             }
 
             let transaction = Transaction::change(doc.text(), changes.into_iter());
@@ -5921,11 +5926,9 @@ fn surround_replace(cx: &mut Context) {
                     let transaction = Transaction::change(
                         doc.text(),
                         change_pos.iter().enumerate().map(|(i, &pos)| {
-                            (
-                                pos,
-                                pos + 1,
-                                Some(Tendril::from_char(if i % 2 == 0 { open } else { close })),
-                            )
+                            let mut t = Tendril::new();
+                            t.push(if i % 2 == 0 { open } else { close });
+                            (pos, pos + 1, Some(t))
                         }),
                     );
                     doc.apply(&transaction, view.id);
@@ -6065,8 +6068,9 @@ fn shell_impl(
         log::error!("Shell error: {}", String::from_utf8_lossy(&output.stderr));
     }
 
-    let tendril = Tendril::try_from_byte_slice(&output.stdout)
+    let str = std::str::from_utf8(&output.stdout)
         .map_err(|_| anyhow!("Process did not output valid UTF-8"))?;
+    let tendril = Tendril::from(str);
     Ok((tendril, output.status.success()))
 }
 
diff --git a/xtask/src/main.rs b/xtask/src/main.rs
index 7256653a3..d24a29cc4 100644
--- a/xtask/src/main.rs
+++ b/xtask/src/main.rs
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ pub mod md_gen {
     }
 
     fn md_table_row(cols: &[String]) -> String {
-        "| ".to_owned() + &cols.join(" | ") + " |\n"
+        format!("| {} |\n", cols.join(" | "))
     }
 
     fn md_mono(s: &str) -> String {