diff --git a/src/bin/cargo/commands/remove.rs b/src/bin/cargo/commands/remove.rs
index d491ee400512..c115291cb7ab 100644
--- a/src/bin/cargo/commands/remove.rs
+++ b/src/bin/cargo/commands/remove.rs
@@ -286,7 +286,7 @@ fn spec_has_match(
     config: &Config,
 ) -> CargoResult<bool> {
     for dep in dependencies {
-        if spec.name().as_str() != &dep.name {
+        if spec.name() != &dep.name {
             continue;
         }
 
diff --git a/src/cargo/core/package_id_spec.rs b/src/cargo/core/package_id_spec.rs
index 53d99b84ba79..51e026f51cff 100644
--- a/src/cargo/core/package_id_spec.rs
+++ b/src/cargo/core/package_id_spec.rs
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ use url::Url;
 use crate::core::PackageId;
 use crate::util::edit_distance;
 use crate::util::errors::CargoResult;
-use crate::util::interning::InternedString;
 use crate::util::PartialVersion;
 use crate::util::{validate_package_name, IntoUrl};
 
@@ -24,7 +23,7 @@ use crate::util::{validate_package_name, IntoUrl};
 /// sufficient to uniquely define a package ID.
 #[derive(Clone, PartialEq, Eq, Debug, Hash, Ord, PartialOrd)]
 pub struct PackageIdSpec {
-    name: InternedString,
+    name: String,
     version: Option<PartialVersion>,
     url: Option<Url>,
 }
@@ -76,7 +75,7 @@ impl PackageIdSpec {
         };
         validate_package_name(name, "pkgid", "")?;
         Ok(PackageIdSpec {
-            name: InternedString::new(name),
+            name: String::from(name),
             version,
             url: None,
         })
@@ -99,7 +98,7 @@ impl PackageIdSpec {
     /// fields filled in.
     pub fn from_package_id(package_id: PackageId) -> PackageIdSpec {
         PackageIdSpec {
-            name: package_id.name(),
+            name: String::from(package_id.name().as_str()),
             version: Some(package_id.version().clone().into()),
             url: Some(package_id.source_id().url().clone()),
         }
@@ -127,18 +126,18 @@ impl PackageIdSpec {
                 Some(fragment) => match fragment.split_once([':', '@']) {
                     Some((name, part)) => {
                         let version = part.parse::<PartialVersion>()?;
-                        (InternedString::new(name), Some(version))
+                        (String::from(name), Some(version))
                     }
                     None => {
                         if fragment.chars().next().unwrap().is_alphabetic() {
-                            (InternedString::new(&fragment), None)
+                            (String::from(fragment.as_str()), None)
                         } else {
                             let version = fragment.parse::<PartialVersion>()?;
-                            (InternedString::new(path_name), Some(version))
+                            (String::from(path_name), Some(version))
                         }
                     }
                 },
-                None => (InternedString::new(path_name), None),
+                None => (String::from(path_name), None),
             }
         };
         Ok(PackageIdSpec {
@@ -148,8 +147,8 @@ impl PackageIdSpec {
         })
     }
 
-    pub fn name(&self) -> InternedString {
-        self.name
+    pub fn name(&self) -> &str {
+        self.name.as_str()
     }
 
     /// Full `semver::Version`, if present
@@ -171,7 +170,7 @@ impl PackageIdSpec {
 
     /// Checks whether the given `PackageId` matches the `PackageIdSpec`.
     pub fn matches(&self, package_id: PackageId) -> bool {
-        if self.name() != package_id.name() {
+        if self.name() != package_id.name().as_str() {
             return false;
         }
 
@@ -211,7 +210,7 @@ impl PackageIdSpec {
             if self.url.is_some() {
                 try_spec(
                     PackageIdSpec {
-                        name: self.name,
+                        name: self.name.clone(),
                         version: self.version.clone(),
                         url: None,
                     },
@@ -221,7 +220,7 @@ impl PackageIdSpec {
             if suggestion.is_empty() && self.version.is_some() {
                 try_spec(
                     PackageIdSpec {
-                        name: self.name,
+                        name: self.name.clone(),
                         version: None,
                         url: None,
                     },
@@ -324,7 +323,6 @@ impl<'de> de::Deserialize<'de> for PackageIdSpec {
 mod tests {
     use super::PackageIdSpec;
     use crate::core::{PackageId, SourceId};
-    use crate::util::interning::InternedString;
     use url::Url;
 
     #[test]
@@ -339,7 +337,7 @@ mod tests {
         ok(
             "https://crates.io/foo",
             PackageIdSpec {
-                name: InternedString::new("foo"),
+                name: String::from("foo"),
                 version: None,
                 url: Some(Url::parse("https://crates.io/foo").unwrap()),
             },
@@ -348,7 +346,7 @@ mod tests {
         ok(
             "https://crates.io/foo#1.2.3",
             PackageIdSpec {
-                name: InternedString::new("foo"),
+                name: String::from("foo"),
                 version: Some("1.2.3".parse().unwrap()),
                 url: Some(Url::parse("https://crates.io/foo").unwrap()),
             },
@@ -357,7 +355,7 @@ mod tests {
         ok(
             "https://crates.io/foo#1.2",
             PackageIdSpec {
-                name: InternedString::new("foo"),
+                name: String::from("foo"),
                 version: Some("1.2".parse().unwrap()),
                 url: Some(Url::parse("https://crates.io/foo").unwrap()),
             },
@@ -366,7 +364,7 @@ mod tests {
         ok(
             "https://crates.io/foo#bar:1.2.3",
             PackageIdSpec {
-                name: InternedString::new("bar"),
+                name: String::from("bar"),
                 version: Some("1.2.3".parse().unwrap()),
                 url: Some(Url::parse("https://crates.io/foo").unwrap()),
             },
@@ -375,7 +373,7 @@ mod tests {
         ok(
             "https://crates.io/foo#bar@1.2.3",
             PackageIdSpec {
-                name: InternedString::new("bar"),
+                name: String::from("bar"),
                 version: Some("1.2.3".parse().unwrap()),
                 url: Some(Url::parse("https://crates.io/foo").unwrap()),
             },
@@ -384,7 +382,7 @@ mod tests {
         ok(
             "https://crates.io/foo#bar@1.2",
             PackageIdSpec {
-                name: InternedString::new("bar"),
+                name: String::from("bar"),
                 version: Some("1.2".parse().unwrap()),
                 url: Some(Url::parse("https://crates.io/foo").unwrap()),
             },
@@ -393,7 +391,7 @@ mod tests {
         ok(
             "foo",
             PackageIdSpec {
-                name: InternedString::new("foo"),
+                name: String::from("foo"),
                 version: None,
                 url: None,
             },
@@ -402,7 +400,7 @@ mod tests {
         ok(
             "foo:1.2.3",
             PackageIdSpec {
-                name: InternedString::new("foo"),
+                name: String::from("foo"),
                 version: Some("1.2.3".parse().unwrap()),
                 url: None,
             },
@@ -411,7 +409,7 @@ mod tests {
         ok(
             "foo@1.2.3",
             PackageIdSpec {
-                name: InternedString::new("foo"),
+                name: String::from("foo"),
                 version: Some("1.2.3".parse().unwrap()),
                 url: None,
             },
@@ -420,7 +418,7 @@ mod tests {
         ok(
             "foo@1.2",
             PackageIdSpec {
-                name: InternedString::new("foo"),
+                name: String::from("foo"),
                 version: Some("1.2".parse().unwrap()),
                 url: None,
             },
diff --git a/src/cargo/core/profiles.rs b/src/cargo/core/profiles.rs
index 1ad9ed5f725b..f6ae35fb34a6 100644
--- a/src/cargo/core/profiles.rs
+++ b/src/cargo/core/profiles.rs
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ impl Profiles {
         // Verify that the requested profile is defined *somewhere*.
         // This simplifies the API (no need for CargoResult), and enforces
         // assumptions about how config profiles are loaded.
-        profile_makers.get_profile_maker(requested_profile)?;
+        profile_makers.get_profile_maker(&requested_profile)?;
         Ok(profile_makers)
     }
 
@@ -142,21 +142,21 @@ impl Profiles {
             (
                 "bench",
                 TomlProfile {
-                    inherits: Some(InternedString::new("release")),
+                    inherits: Some(String::from("release")),
                     ..TomlProfile::default()
                 },
             ),
             (
                 "test",
                 TomlProfile {
-                    inherits: Some(InternedString::new("dev")),
+                    inherits: Some(String::from("dev")),
                     ..TomlProfile::default()
                 },
             ),
             (
                 "doc",
                 TomlProfile {
-                    inherits: Some(InternedString::new("dev")),
+                    inherits: Some(String::from("dev")),
                     ..TomlProfile::default()
                 },
             ),
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ impl Profiles {
         match &profile.dir_name {
             None => {}
             Some(dir_name) => {
-                self.dir_names.insert(name, dir_name.to_owned());
+                self.dir_names.insert(name, InternedString::new(dir_name));
             }
         }
 
@@ -212,12 +212,13 @@ impl Profiles {
         set: &mut HashSet<InternedString>,
         profiles: &BTreeMap<InternedString, TomlProfile>,
     ) -> CargoResult<ProfileMaker> {
-        let mut maker = match profile.inherits {
+        let mut maker = match &profile.inherits {
             Some(inherits_name) if inherits_name == "dev" || inherits_name == "release" => {
                 // These are the root profiles added in `add_root_profiles`.
-                self.get_profile_maker(inherits_name).unwrap().clone()
+                self.get_profile_maker(&inherits_name).unwrap().clone()
             }
             Some(inherits_name) => {
+                let inherits_name = InternedString::new(&inherits_name);
                 if !set.insert(inherits_name) {
                     bail!(
                         "profile inheritance loop detected with profile `{}` inheriting `{}`",
@@ -263,7 +264,7 @@ impl Profiles {
         unit_for: UnitFor,
         kind: CompileKind,
     ) -> Profile {
-        let maker = self.get_profile_maker(self.requested_profile).unwrap();
+        let maker = self.get_profile_maker(&self.requested_profile).unwrap();
         let mut profile = maker.get_profile(Some(pkg_id), is_member, unit_for.is_for_host());
 
         // Dealing with `panic=abort` and `panic=unwind` requires some special
@@ -325,7 +326,7 @@ impl Profiles {
     /// select for the package that was actually built.
     pub fn base_profile(&self) -> Profile {
         let profile_name = self.requested_profile;
-        let maker = self.get_profile_maker(profile_name).unwrap();
+        let maker = self.get_profile_maker(&profile_name).unwrap();
         maker.get_profile(None, /*is_member*/ true, /*is_for_host*/ false)
     }
 
@@ -372,9 +373,9 @@ impl Profiles {
     }
 
     /// Returns the profile maker for the given profile name.
-    fn get_profile_maker(&self, name: InternedString) -> CargoResult<&ProfileMaker> {
+    fn get_profile_maker(&self, name: &str) -> CargoResult<&ProfileMaker> {
         self.by_name
-            .get(&name)
+            .get(name)
             .ok_or_else(|| anyhow::format_err!("profile `{}` is not defined", name))
     }
 }
@@ -521,7 +522,7 @@ fn merge_profile(profile: &mut Profile, toml: &TomlProfile) {
         None => {}
     }
     if toml.codegen_backend.is_some() {
-        profile.codegen_backend = toml.codegen_backend;
+        profile.codegen_backend = toml.codegen_backend.as_ref().map(InternedString::from);
     }
     if toml.codegen_units.is_some() {
         profile.codegen_units = toml.codegen_units;
@@ -553,7 +554,7 @@ fn merge_profile(profile: &mut Profile, toml: &TomlProfile) {
         profile.incremental = incremental;
     }
     if let Some(flags) = &toml.rustflags {
-        profile.rustflags = flags.clone();
+        profile.rustflags = flags.iter().map(InternedString::from).collect();
     }
     profile.strip = match toml.strip {
         Some(StringOrBool::Bool(true)) => Strip::Named(InternedString::new("symbols")),
@@ -1162,7 +1163,11 @@ fn merge_config_profiles(
     requested_profile: InternedString,
 ) -> CargoResult<BTreeMap<InternedString, TomlProfile>> {
     let mut profiles = match ws.profiles() {
-        Some(profiles) => profiles.get_all().clone(),
+        Some(profiles) => profiles
+            .get_all()
+            .iter()
+            .map(|(k, v)| (InternedString::new(k), v.clone()))
+            .collect(),
         None => BTreeMap::new(),
     };
     // Set of profile names to check if defined in config only.
@@ -1174,7 +1179,7 @@ fn merge_config_profiles(
             profile.merge(&config_profile);
         }
         if let Some(inherits) = &profile.inherits {
-            check_to_add.insert(*inherits);
+            check_to_add.insert(InternedString::new(inherits));
         }
     }
     // Add the built-in profiles. This is important for things like `cargo
@@ -1188,10 +1193,10 @@ fn merge_config_profiles(
     while !check_to_add.is_empty() {
         std::mem::swap(&mut current, &mut check_to_add);
         for name in current.drain() {
-            if !profiles.contains_key(&name) {
+            if !profiles.contains_key(name.as_str()) {
                 if let Some(config_profile) = get_config_profile(ws, &name)? {
                     if let Some(inherits) = &config_profile.inherits {
-                        check_to_add.insert(*inherits);
+                        check_to_add.insert(InternedString::new(inherits));
                     }
                     profiles.insert(name, config_profile);
                 }
diff --git a/src/cargo/core/workspace.rs b/src/cargo/core/workspace.rs
index db379d780730..dfcd56dd05e5 100644
--- a/src/cargo/core/workspace.rs
+++ b/src/cargo/core/workspace.rs
@@ -1491,7 +1491,7 @@ impl<'cfg> Workspace<'cfg> {
                         // Check if `dep_name` is member of the workspace, but isn't associated with current package.
                         self.current_opt() != Some(member) && member.name() == *dep_name
                     });
-                    if is_member && specs.iter().any(|spec| spec.name() == *dep_name) {
+                    if is_member && specs.iter().any(|spec| spec.name() == dep_name.as_str()) {
                         member_specific_features
                             .entry(*dep_name)
                             .or_default()
diff --git a/src/cargo/util/toml/mod.rs b/src/cargo/util/toml/mod.rs
index 52f99bb59dc8..053c0646b350 100644
--- a/src/cargo/util/toml/mod.rs
+++ b/src/cargo/util/toml/mod.rs
@@ -208,7 +208,7 @@ pub struct TomlManifest {
     build_dependencies: Option<BTreeMap<String, MaybeWorkspaceDependency>>,
     #[serde(rename = "build_dependencies")]
     build_dependencies2: Option<BTreeMap<String, MaybeWorkspaceDependency>>,
-    features: Option<BTreeMap<InternedString, Vec<InternedString>>>,
+    features: Option<BTreeMap<String, Vec<String>>>,
     target: Option<BTreeMap<String, TomlPlatform>>,
     replace: Option<BTreeMap<String, TomlDependency>>,
     patch: Option<BTreeMap<String, BTreeMap<String, TomlDependency>>>,
@@ -871,7 +871,17 @@ impl TomlManifest {
         let summary = Summary::new(
             pkgid,
             deps,
-            me.features.as_ref().unwrap_or(&empty_features),
+            &me.features
+                .as_ref()
+                .unwrap_or(&empty_features)
+                .iter()
+                .map(|(k, v)| {
+                    (
+                        InternedString::new(k),
+                        v.iter().map(InternedString::from).collect(),
+                    )
+                })
+                .collect(),
             package.links.as_deref(),
             rust_version.clone(),
         )?;
@@ -1271,7 +1281,7 @@ impl TomlManifest {
                 );
             }
 
-            let mut dep = replacement.to_dependency(spec.name().as_str(), cx, None)?;
+            let mut dep = replacement.to_dependency(spec.name(), cx, None)?;
             let version = spec.version().ok_or_else(|| {
                 anyhow!(
                     "replacements must specify a version \
@@ -1353,7 +1363,7 @@ impl TomlManifest {
         self.profile.is_some()
     }
 
-    pub fn features(&self) -> Option<&BTreeMap<InternedString, Vec<InternedString>>> {
+    pub fn features(&self) -> Option<&BTreeMap<String, Vec<String>>> {
         self.features.as_ref()
     }
 }
@@ -1669,7 +1679,7 @@ impl InheritableFields {
 pub struct TomlPackage {
     edition: Option<MaybeWorkspaceString>,
     rust_version: Option<MaybeWorkspaceRustVersion>,
-    name: InternedString,
+    name: String,
     version: Option<MaybeWorkspaceSemverVersion>,
     authors: Option<MaybeWorkspaceVecString>,
     build: Option<StringOrBool>,
@@ -1715,7 +1725,7 @@ impl TomlPackage {
         source_id: SourceId,
         version: semver::Version,
     ) -> CargoResult<PackageId> {
-        PackageId::new(self.name, version, source_id)
+        PackageId::new(&self.name, version, source_id)
     }
 }
 
@@ -2631,10 +2641,10 @@ impl<P: Clone> Default for DetailedTomlDependency<P> {
 }
 
 #[derive(Deserialize, Serialize, Clone, Debug, Default)]
-pub struct TomlProfiles(BTreeMap<InternedString, TomlProfile>);
+pub struct TomlProfiles(BTreeMap<String, TomlProfile>);
 
 impl TomlProfiles {
-    pub fn get_all(&self) -> &BTreeMap<InternedString, TomlProfile> {
+    pub fn get_all(&self) -> &BTreeMap<String, TomlProfile> {
         &self.0
     }
 
@@ -2664,7 +2674,7 @@ impl TomlProfiles {
 pub struct TomlProfile {
     pub opt_level: Option<TomlOptLevel>,
     pub lto: Option<StringOrBool>,
-    pub codegen_backend: Option<InternedString>,
+    pub codegen_backend: Option<String>,
     pub codegen_units: Option<u32>,
     pub debug: Option<TomlDebugInfo>,
     pub split_debuginfo: Option<String>,
@@ -2673,11 +2683,11 @@ pub struct TomlProfile {
     pub panic: Option<String>,
     pub overflow_checks: Option<bool>,
     pub incremental: Option<bool>,
-    pub dir_name: Option<InternedString>,
-    pub inherits: Option<InternedString>,
+    pub dir_name: Option<String>,
+    pub inherits: Option<String>,
     pub strip: Option<StringOrBool>,
     // Note that `rustflags` is used for the cargo-feature `profile_rustflags`
-    pub rustflags: Option<Vec<InternedString>>,
+    pub rustflags: Option<Vec<String>>,
     // These two fields must be last because they are sub-tables, and TOML
     // requires all non-tables to be listed first.
     pub package: Option<BTreeMap<ProfilePackageSpec, TomlProfile>>,
@@ -2712,7 +2722,7 @@ impl TomlProfile {
         // Profile name validation
         Self::validate_name(name)?;
 
-        if let Some(dir_name) = self.dir_name {
+        if let Some(dir_name) = &self.dir_name {
             // This is disabled for now, as we would like to stabilize named
             // profiles without this, and then decide in the future if it is
             // needed. This helps simplify the UI a little.
@@ -2725,7 +2735,7 @@ impl TomlProfile {
         }
 
         // `inherits` validation
-        if matches!(self.inherits.map(|s| s.as_str()), Some("debug")) {
+        if matches!(self.inherits.as_deref(), Some("debug")) {
             bail!(
                 "profile.{}.inherits=\"debug\" should be profile.{}.inherits=\"dev\"",
                 name,
@@ -2915,8 +2925,8 @@ impl TomlProfile {
             self.lto = Some(v.clone());
         }
 
-        if let Some(v) = profile.codegen_backend {
-            self.codegen_backend = Some(v);
+        if let Some(v) = &profile.codegen_backend {
+            self.codegen_backend = Some(v.clone());
         }
 
         if let Some(v) = profile.codegen_units {
@@ -2979,11 +2989,11 @@ impl TomlProfile {
         }
 
         if let Some(v) = &profile.inherits {
-            self.inherits = Some(*v);
+            self.inherits = Some(v.clone());
         }
 
         if let Some(v) = &profile.dir_name {
-            self.dir_name = Some(*v);
+            self.dir_name = Some(v.clone());
         }
 
         if let Some(v) = &profile.strip {
diff --git a/tests/testsuite/config.rs b/tests/testsuite/config.rs
index 9e77048c3f35..f0fdb03adbb8 100644
--- a/tests/testsuite/config.rs
+++ b/tests/testsuite/config.rs
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 
 use cargo::core::{PackageIdSpec, Shell};
 use cargo::util::config::{self, Config, Definition, JobsConfig, SslVersionConfig, StringList};
-use cargo::util::interning::InternedString;
 use cargo::util::toml::{self as cargo_toml, TomlDebugInfo, VecStringOrBool as VSOB};
 use cargo::CargoResult;
 use cargo_test_support::compare;
@@ -445,8 +444,8 @@ lto = false
         p,
         cargo_toml::TomlProfile {
             lto: Some(cargo_toml::StringOrBool::Bool(false)),
-            dir_name: Some(InternedString::new("without-lto")),
-            inherits: Some(InternedString::new("dev")),
+            dir_name: Some(String::from("without-lto")),
+            inherits: Some(String::from("dev")),
             ..Default::default()
         }
     );
@@ -1526,7 +1525,7 @@ fn all_profile_options() {
     let base_settings = cargo_toml::TomlProfile {
         opt_level: Some(cargo_toml::TomlOptLevel("0".to_string())),
         lto: Some(cargo_toml::StringOrBool::String("thin".to_string())),
-        codegen_backend: Some(InternedString::new("example")),
+        codegen_backend: Some(String::from("example")),
         codegen_units: Some(123),
         debug: Some(cargo_toml::TomlDebugInfo::Limited),
         split_debuginfo: Some("packed".to_string()),
@@ -1535,8 +1534,8 @@ fn all_profile_options() {
         panic: Some("abort".to_string()),
         overflow_checks: Some(true),
         incremental: Some(true),
-        dir_name: Some(InternedString::new("dir_name")),
-        inherits: Some(InternedString::new("debug")),
+        dir_name: Some(String::from("dir_name")),
+        inherits: Some(String::from("debug")),
         strip: Some(cargo_toml::StringOrBool::String("symbols".to_string())),
         package: None,
         build_override: None,