diff --git a/examples/new_read.rs b/examples/new_read.rs
index fac40e69c..651697843 100644
--- a/examples/new_read.rs
+++ b/examples/new_read.rs
@@ -1,19 +1,18 @@
+use rustix::buffer::extend;
 use rustix::io::read;
 use rustix::stdio::stdin;
 use std::mem::MaybeUninit;
 
 fn main() {
-    let buf = vec![0_u8; 3];
-    let _x: Vec<u8> = read(stdin(), buf).unwrap();
-
     let mut buf = vec![0_u8; 3];
+    let _x: () = read(stdin(), extend(&mut buf)).unwrap();
     let _x: usize = read(stdin(), &mut buf).unwrap();
     let _x: usize = read(stdin(), &mut *buf).unwrap();
+    let _x: usize = read(stdin(), &mut buf[..]).unwrap();
+    let _x: usize = read(stdin(), &mut (*buf)[..]).unwrap();
 
     let mut buf = [0, 0, 0];
     let _x: usize = read(stdin(), &mut buf).unwrap();
-
-    let mut buf = [0, 0, 0];
     let _x: usize = read(stdin(), &mut buf[..]).unwrap();
 
     let mut buf = [
@@ -22,12 +21,6 @@ fn main() {
         MaybeUninit::uninit(),
     ];
     let _x: (&mut [u8], &mut [MaybeUninit<u8>]) = read(stdin(), &mut buf).unwrap();
-
-    let mut buf = [
-        MaybeUninit::uninit(),
-        MaybeUninit::uninit(),
-        MaybeUninit::uninit(),
-    ];
     let _x: (&mut [u8], &mut [MaybeUninit<u8>]) = read(stdin(), &mut buf[..]).unwrap();
 
     // This is reduced from src/fs/inotify.rs line 177.
diff --git a/src/buffer.rs b/src/buffer.rs
index cea429e68..6167bf6ef 100644
--- a/src/buffer.rs
+++ b/src/buffer.rs
@@ -13,10 +13,12 @@ pub trait Buffer<T>: private::Sealed<T> {}
 // Implement `Buffer` for all the types that implement `Sealed`.
 impl<T> Buffer<T> for &mut [T] {}
 impl<T, const N: usize> Buffer<T> for &mut [T; N] {}
+#[cfg(feature = "alloc")]
 impl<T> Buffer<T> for &mut Vec<T> {}
 impl<'a, T> Buffer<T> for &'a mut [MaybeUninit<T>] {}
 impl<'a, T, const N: usize> Buffer<T> for &'a mut [MaybeUninit<T>; N] {}
-impl<T> Buffer<T> for Vec<T> {}
+#[cfg(feature = "alloc")]
+impl<'a, T> Buffer<T> for Extend<'a, T> {}
 
 impl<T> private::Sealed<T> for &mut [T] {
     type Result = usize;
@@ -49,6 +51,7 @@ impl<T, const N: usize> private::Sealed<T> for &mut [T; N] {
 // `Vec` implements `DerefMut` to `&mut [T]`, however it doesn't get
 // auto-derefed in a `impl Buffer<u8>`, so we add this `impl` so that our users
 // don't have to add an extra `*` in these situations.
+#[cfg(feature = "alloc")]
 impl<T> private::Sealed<T> for &mut Vec<T> {
     type Result = usize;
 
@@ -101,20 +104,34 @@ impl<'a, T, const N: usize> private::Sealed<T> for &'a mut [MaybeUninit<T>; N] {
     }
 }
 
+/// A type that implements [`Buffer`] by appending to a `Vec`, up to its
+/// capacity.
+///
+/// Because this uses the capacity, and never reallocates, it's a good idea to
+/// reserve some space in a `Vec` before using this!
+#[cfg(feature = "alloc")]
+pub struct Extend<'a, T>(&'a mut Vec<T>);
+
+/// Construct an [`Extend`].
+#[cfg(feature = "alloc")]
+pub fn extend<T>(v: &mut Vec<T>) -> Extend<T> {
+    Extend(v)
+}
+
 #[cfg(feature = "alloc")]
-impl<T> private::Sealed<T> for Vec<T> {
-    type Result = Vec<T>;
+impl<'a, T> private::Sealed<T> for Extend<'a, T> {
+    /// The mutated `Vec` reflects the number of bytes read.
+    type Result = ();
 
     #[inline]
     fn as_raw_parts_mut(&mut self) -> (*mut T, usize) {
-        self.clear();
-        (self.as_mut_ptr(), self.capacity())
+        let spare = self.0.spare_capacity_mut();
+        (spare.as_mut_ptr().cast(), spare.len())
     }
 
     #[inline]
-    unsafe fn finish(mut self, len: usize) -> Self::Result {
-        self.set_len(len);
-        self
+    unsafe fn finish(self, len: usize) -> Self::Result {
+        self.0.set_len(self.0.len() + len);
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index 85da4c858..d5a82a110 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -156,8 +156,7 @@ extern crate static_assertions;
 #[allow(unused_imports)]
 mod static_assertions;
 
-// Internal utilities.
-mod buffer;
+pub mod buffer;
 #[cfg(not(windows))]
 #[macro_use]
 pub(crate) mod cstr;