diff --git a/hphp/compiler/expression/unary_op_expression.cpp b/hphp/compiler/expression/unary_op_expression.cpp
index be9d0c601..a11311bf5 100644
--- a/hphp/compiler/expression/unary_op_expression.cpp
+++ b/hphp/compiler/expression/unary_op_expression.cpp
@@ -256,10 +256,10 @@ bool UnaryOpExpression::preCompute(CVarRef value, Variant &result) {
         result = toBoolean(value);
         break;
       case T_EMPTY:
-        result = empty(value);
+        result = !toBoolean(value);
         break;
       case T_ISSET:
-        result = isset(value);
+        result = is_not_null(value);
         break;
       case T_INC:
       case T_DEC:
@@ -335,7 +335,7 @@ ExpressionPtr UnaryOpExpression::preOptimize(AnalysisResultConstPtr ar) {
     for (; i < n; i++) {
       ExpressionPtr e((*el)[i]);
       if (!e || !e->isScalar() || !e->getScalarValue(value)) break;
-      if (!isset(value)) {
+      if (value.isNull()) {
         result = false;
       }
     }
diff --git a/hphp/runtime/base/builtin-functions.cpp b/hphp/runtime/base/builtin-functions.cpp
index a2ec5141f..2d7977d48 100644
--- a/hphp/runtime/base/builtin-functions.cpp
+++ b/hphp/runtime/base/builtin-functions.cpp
@@ -1057,7 +1057,7 @@ AutoloadHandler::Result AutoloadHandler::loadFromMap(CStrRef name,
       return Success;
     }
     CVarRef &func = m_map.get()->get(s_failure);
-    if (!isset(func)) return Failure;
+    if (func.isNull()) return Failure;
     // can throw, otherwise
     //  - true means the map was updated. try again
     //  - false means we should stop applying autoloaders (only affects classes)
diff --git a/hphp/runtime/base/builtin-functions.h b/hphp/runtime/base/builtin-functions.h
index 8e380fc75..a7ae1557c 100644
--- a/hphp/runtime/base/builtin-functions.h
+++ b/hphp/runtime/base/builtin-functions.h
@@ -63,30 +63,6 @@ extern const StaticString s_self;
 extern const StaticString s_parent;
 extern const StaticString s_static;
 
-// empty
-inline bool empty(CVarRef v) { return !v.toBoolean();}
-
-bool empty(bool) = delete;
-bool empty(char) = delete;
-bool empty(short) = delete;
-bool empty(int) = delete;
-bool empty(int64_t) = delete;
-bool empty(double) = delete;
-bool empty(litstr) = delete;
-bool empty(const StringData*) = delete;
-bool empty(CStrRef) = delete;
-bool empty(CArrRef) = delete;
-bool empty(CObjRef) = delete;
-
-bool empty(CVarRef v, bool) = delete;
-bool empty(CVarRef v, int64_t) = delete;
-bool empty(CVarRef v, int) = delete;
-bool empty(CVarRef v, double) = delete;
-bool empty(CVarRef v, CArrRef) = delete;
-bool empty(CVarRef v, CObjRef) = delete;
-bool empty(CVarRef v, CVarRef) = delete;
-bool empty(CVarRef v, CStrRef, bool = false) = delete;
-
 ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 // operators
 
@@ -113,53 +89,11 @@ void NEVER_INLINE throw_null_get_object_prop();
 void NEVER_INLINE raise_null_object_prop();
 void throw_exception(CObjRef e);
 
-///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-// isset/unset
-
-inline bool isInitialized(CVarRef v) { return v.isInitialized();}
-
-inline bool isset(CVarRef v) { return !v.isNull(); }
-
-bool isset(bool v)    = delete;
-bool isset(char v)    = delete;
-bool isset(short v)   = delete;
-bool isset(int v)     = delete;
-bool isset(int64_t v) = delete;
-bool isset(double v)  = delete;
-bool isset(CObjRef v) = delete;
-bool isset(CStrRef v) = delete;
-bool isset(CArrRef v) = delete;
-bool isset(CVarRef v, bool) = delete;
-bool isset(CVarRef v, int64_t) = delete;
-bool isset(CVarRef v, int) = delete;
-bool isset(CVarRef v, double) = delete;
-bool isset(CVarRef v, CArrRef) = delete;
-bool isset(CVarRef v, CObjRef) = delete;
-bool isset(CVarRef v, CVarRef) = delete;
-bool isset(CVarRef v, CStrRef, bool = false) = delete;
-
-bool isset(CArrRef v, int64_t) = delete;
-bool isset(CArrRef v, bool)  = delete;
-bool isset(CArrRef v, int) = delete;
-bool isset(CArrRef v, double) = delete;
-bool isset(CArrRef v, CArrRef) = delete;
-bool isset(CArrRef v, CObjRef) = delete;
-bool isset(CArrRef v, CVarRef) = delete;
-bool isset(CArrRef v, CStrRef, bool = false) = delete;
-
-inline Variant unset(Variant &v)   { v.unset();   return uninit_null();}
-inline Variant unset(CVarRef v)    {              return uninit_null();}
-inline Variant setNull(Variant &v) { v.setNull(); return uninit_null();}
-inline Object setNull(Object &v)   { v.reset();   return Object();}
-inline Array setNull(Array &v)     { v.reset();   return Array();}
-inline String setNull(String &v)   { v.reset();   return String();}
-inline Variant unset(Object &v)    { v.reset();   return uninit_null();}
-inline Variant unset(Array &v)     { v.reset();   return uninit_null();}
-
 ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 // type testing
 
 inline bool is_null(CVarRef v)   { return v.isNull();}
+inline bool is_not_null(CVarRef v) { return !v.isNull();}
 inline bool is_bool(CVarRef v)   { return v.is(KindOfBoolean);}
 inline bool is_int(CVarRef v)    { return v.isInteger();}
 inline bool is_double(CVarRef v) { return v.is(KindOfDouble);}
diff --git a/hphp/runtime/base/execution-context.cpp b/hphp/runtime/base/execution-context.cpp
index cb70aa20f..e11d79772 100644
--- a/hphp/runtime/base/execution-context.cpp
+++ b/hphp/runtime/base/execution-context.cpp
@@ -905,31 +905,5 @@ const ResourceMap &PersistentObjectStore::getMap(const char *type) {
   return m_objects[type];
 }
 
-///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-// silencer
-
-
-Silencer::Silencer(bool e) : m_active(false) {
-  if (e) enable();
-}
-
-void Silencer::enable() {
-  m_errorReportingValue = g_context->getErrorReportingLevel();
-  g_context->setErrorReportingLevel(0);
-  m_active = true;
-}
-
-void Silencer::disableHelper() {
-  if (m_active) {
-    if (g_context->getErrorReportingLevel() == 0)
-      g_context->setErrorReportingLevel(m_errorReportingValue);
-  }
-}
-
-Variant Silencer::disable(CVarRef v) {
-  disable();
-  return v;
-}
-
 ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 }
diff --git a/hphp/runtime/base/execution-context.h b/hphp/runtime/base/execution-context.h
index 4adcb0f1f..e92d26463 100644
--- a/hphp/runtime/base/execution-context.h
+++ b/hphp/runtime/base/execution-context.h
@@ -805,23 +805,6 @@ private:
 
 ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 
-class Silencer {
-public:
-  explicit Silencer(bool);
-
-  ~Silencer() { if (m_active) disableHelper(); }
-  void enable();
-  void disable() { disableHelper(); m_active = false; }
-  Variant disable(CVarRef v);
-
-private:
-  void disableHelper();
-  bool m_active;
-  int m_errorReportingValue;
-};
-
-///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-
 extern DECLARE_THREAD_LOCAL_NO_CHECK(ExecutionContext, g_context);
 extern DECLARE_THREAD_LOCAL_NO_CHECK(PersistentObjectStore,
                                      g_persistentObjects);
diff --git a/hphp/runtime/base/object-data.cpp b/hphp/runtime/base/object-data.cpp
index 2a01d9800..f5c7da72d 100644
--- a/hphp/runtime/base/object-data.cpp
+++ b/hphp/runtime/base/object-data.cpp
@@ -1023,7 +1023,7 @@ bool ObjectData::propIsset(Class* ctx, const StringData* key) {
   bool visible, accessible, unset;
   TypedValue* propVal = getProp(ctx, key, visible, accessible, unset);
   if (visible && accessible && !unset) {
-    return isset(tvAsCVarRef(propVal));
+    return !tvIsNull(tvToCell(propVal));
   }
   if (!getAttribute(UseIsset)) {
     return false;
@@ -1039,7 +1039,7 @@ bool ObjectData::propEmpty(Class* ctx, const StringData* key) {
   bool visible, accessible, unset;
   TypedValue* propVal = getProp(ctx, key, visible, accessible, unset);
   if (visible && accessible && !unset) {
-    return empty(tvAsCVarRef(propVal));
+    return !cellToBool(*tvToCell(propVal));
   }
   if (!getAttribute(UseIsset)) {
     return true;
@@ -1053,7 +1053,7 @@ bool ObjectData::propEmpty(Class* ctx, const StringData* key) {
   }
   if (getAttribute(UseGet)) {
     invokeGet(&tv, key);
-    bool emptyResult = empty(tvAsCVarRef(&tv));
+    bool emptyResult = !cellToBool(*tvToCell(&tv));
     tvRefcountedDecRef(&tv);
     return emptyResult;
   }
diff --git a/hphp/runtime/base/tv-helpers.h b/hphp/runtime/base/tv-helpers.h
index 8d7e21baa..3773918e8 100644
--- a/hphp/runtime/base/tv-helpers.h
+++ b/hphp/runtime/base/tv-helpers.h
@@ -442,6 +442,10 @@ inline void tvDupFlattenVars(const TypedValue* fr, TypedValue* to,
   }
 }
 
+inline bool tvIsNull(const TypedValue* tv) {
+  return IS_NULL_TYPE(tv->m_type);
+}
+
 inline bool tvIsString(const TypedValue* tv) {
   return (tv->m_type & KindOfStringBit) != 0;
 }
diff --git a/hphp/runtime/ext/ext_collections.cpp b/hphp/runtime/ext/ext_collections.cpp
index cdbcce4d8..08f8e08f7 100644
--- a/hphp/runtime/ext/ext_collections.cpp
+++ b/hphp/runtime/ext/ext_collections.cpp
@@ -857,7 +857,7 @@ bool c_Vector::OffsetIsset(ObjectData* obj, TypedValue* key) {
     throwBadKeyType();
     result = nullptr;
   }
-  return result ? isset(tvAsCVarRef(result)) : false;
+  return result ? !tvIsNull(tvToCell(result)) : false;
 }
 
 bool c_Vector::OffsetEmpty(ObjectData* obj, TypedValue* key) {
@@ -870,7 +870,7 @@ bool c_Vector::OffsetEmpty(ObjectData* obj, TypedValue* key) {
     throwBadKeyType();
     result = nullptr;
   }
-  return result ? empty(tvAsCVarRef(result)) : true;
+  return result ? !cellToBool(*result) : true;
 }
 
 bool c_Vector::OffsetContains(ObjectData* obj, TypedValue* key) {
@@ -1943,7 +1943,7 @@ bool c_Map::OffsetIsset(ObjectData* obj, TypedValue* key) {
     throwBadKeyType();
     result = nullptr;
   }
-  return result ? isset(tvAsCVarRef(result)) : false;
+  return result ? !tvIsNull(tvToCell(result)) : false;
 }
 
 bool c_Map::OffsetEmpty(ObjectData* obj, TypedValue* key) {
@@ -1958,7 +1958,7 @@ bool c_Map::OffsetEmpty(ObjectData* obj, TypedValue* key) {
     throwBadKeyType();
     result = nullptr;
   }
-  return result ? empty(tvAsCVarRef(result)) : true;
+  return result ? !cellToBool(*result) : true;
 }
 
 bool c_Map::OffsetContains(ObjectData* obj, TypedValue* key) {
@@ -3184,7 +3184,7 @@ bool c_StableMap::OffsetIsset(ObjectData* obj, TypedValue* key) {
     throwBadKeyType();
     result = nullptr;
   }
-  return result ? isset(tvAsCVarRef(result)) : false;
+  return result ? !tvIsNull(tvToCell(result)) : false;
 }
 
 bool c_StableMap::OffsetEmpty(ObjectData* obj, TypedValue* key) {
@@ -3199,7 +3199,7 @@ bool c_StableMap::OffsetEmpty(ObjectData* obj, TypedValue* key) {
     throwBadKeyType();
     result = nullptr;
   }
-  return result ? empty(tvAsCVarRef(result)) : true;
+  return result ? !cellToBool(*result) : true;
 }
 
 bool c_StableMap::OffsetContains(ObjectData* obj, TypedValue* key) {
@@ -4336,7 +4336,7 @@ bool c_Pair::OffsetIsset(ObjectData* obj, TypedValue* key) {
     throwBadKeyType();
     result = nullptr;
   }
-  return result ? isset(tvAsCVarRef(result)) : false;
+  return result ? !tvIsNull(tvToCell(result)) : false;
 }
 
 bool c_Pair::OffsetEmpty(ObjectData* obj, TypedValue* key) {
@@ -4349,7 +4349,7 @@ bool c_Pair::OffsetEmpty(ObjectData* obj, TypedValue* key) {
     throwBadKeyType();
     result = nullptr;
   }
-  return result ? empty(tvAsCVarRef(result)) : true;
+  return result ? !cellToBool(*result) : true;
 }
 
 bool c_Pair::OffsetContains(ObjectData* obj, TypedValue* key) {
diff --git a/hphp/runtime/ext/ext_domdocument.cpp b/hphp/runtime/ext/ext_domdocument.cpp
index a274f390e..fe59a6451 100644
--- a/hphp/runtime/ext/ext_domdocument.cpp
+++ b/hphp/runtime/ext/ext_domdocument.cpp
@@ -1547,7 +1547,7 @@ public:
     const_iterator iter = find(name.data());
     if (iter == end()) return false;
     return !iter->second->test_isset ||
-      HPHP::isset(iter->second->getter(obj));
+      !iter->second->getter(obj).isNull();
   }
 };
 
diff --git a/hphp/runtime/ext/ext_xml.cpp b/hphp/runtime/ext/ext_xml.cpp
index 776137d73..65794c71e 100644
--- a/hphp/runtime/ext/ext_xml.cpp
+++ b/hphp/runtime/ext/ext_xml.cpp
@@ -315,7 +315,7 @@ static Variant php_xml_parser_create_impl(CStrRef encoding_param,
 
   parser->target_encoding = encoding;
   parser->case_folding = 1;
-  setNull(parser->object);
+  parser->object.reset();
   parser->isparsing = 0;
 
   XML_SetUserData(parser->parser, parser);
diff --git a/hphp/runtime/vm/bytecode.cpp b/hphp/runtime/vm/bytecode.cpp
index e60e52fc1..8d0a60f4e 100644
--- a/hphp/runtime/vm/bytecode.cpp
+++ b/hphp/runtime/vm/bytecode.cpp
@@ -687,7 +687,7 @@ static std::string toStringElm(const TypedValue* tv) {
     os << tv->m_data.pobj
        << "c(" << tv->m_data.pobj->getCount() << ")"
        << ":Object("
-       << tvAsCVarRef(tv).asCObjRef().get()->o_getClassName().get()->data()
+       << tv->m_data.pobj->o_getClassName().get()->data()
        << ")";
     break;
   case KindOfResource:
@@ -4450,7 +4450,7 @@ inline void OPTBLD_INLINE VMExecutionContext::iopIssetN(PC& pc) {
   if (tv == nullptr) {
     e = false;
   } else {
-    e = isset(tvAsCVarRef(tv));
+    e = !tvIsNull(tvToCell(tv));
   }
   tvRefcountedDecRefCell(tv1);
   tv1->m_data.num = e;
@@ -4468,7 +4468,7 @@ inline void OPTBLD_INLINE VMExecutionContext::iopIssetG(PC& pc) {
   if (tv == nullptr) {
     e = false;
   } else {
-    e = isset(tvAsCVarRef(tv));
+    e = !tvIsNull(tvToCell(tv));
   }
   tvRefcountedDecRefCell(tv1);
   tv1->m_data.num = e;
@@ -4483,7 +4483,7 @@ inline void OPTBLD_INLINE VMExecutionContext::iopIssetS(PC& pc) {
   if (!(visible && accessible)) {
     e = false;
   } else {
-    e = isset(tvAsCVarRef(val));
+    e = !tvIsNull(tvToCell(val));
   }
   m_stack.popA();
   output->m_data.num = e;
@@ -4555,7 +4555,7 @@ inline void OPTBLD_INLINE VMExecutionContext::iopIs ## what ## C(PC& pc) { \
   IOP_TYPE_CHECK_INSTR_L(checkInit, what, predicate)              \
   IOP_TYPE_CHECK_INSTR_C(checkInit, what, predicate)              \
 
-IOP_TYPE_CHECK_INSTR_L(false,   set, isset)
+IOP_TYPE_CHECK_INSTR_L(false, set, is_not_null)
 IOP_TYPE_CHECK_INSTR(true,   Null, is_null)
 IOP_TYPE_CHECK_INSTR(true,  Array, is_array)
 IOP_TYPE_CHECK_INSTR(true, String, is_string)
@@ -4569,7 +4569,7 @@ inline void OPTBLD_INLINE VMExecutionContext::iopEmptyL(PC& pc) {
   NEXT();
   DECODE_HA(local);
   TypedValue* loc = frame_local(m_fp, local);
-  bool e = empty(tvAsCVarRef(loc));
+  bool e = !cellToBool(*tvToCell(loc));
   TypedValue* tv1 = m_stack.allocTV();
   tv1->m_data.num = e;
   tv1->m_type = KindOfBoolean;
@@ -4585,7 +4585,7 @@ inline void OPTBLD_INLINE VMExecutionContext::iopEmptyN(PC& pc) {
   if (tv == nullptr) {
     e = true;
   } else {
-    e = empty(tvAsCVarRef(tv));
+    e = !cellToBool(*tvToCell(tv));
   }
   tvRefcountedDecRefCell(tv1);
   tv1->m_data.num = e;
@@ -4603,7 +4603,7 @@ inline void OPTBLD_INLINE VMExecutionContext::iopEmptyG(PC& pc) {
   if (tv == nullptr) {
     e = true;
   } else {
-    e = empty(tvAsCVarRef(tv));
+    e = !cellToBool(*tvToCell(tv));
   }
   tvRefcountedDecRefCell(tv1);
   tv1->m_data.num = e;
@@ -4618,7 +4618,7 @@ inline void OPTBLD_INLINE VMExecutionContext::iopEmptyS(PC& pc) {
   if (!(visible && accessible)) {
     e = true;
   } else {
-    e = empty(tvAsCVarRef(val));
+    e = !cellToBool(*tvToCell(val));
   }
   m_stack.popA();
   output->m_data.num = e;
@@ -6028,7 +6028,7 @@ inline void OPTBLD_INLINE VMExecutionContext::iopCufSafeArray(PC& pc) {
 
 inline void OPTBLD_INLINE VMExecutionContext::iopCufSafeReturn(PC& pc) {
   NEXT();
-  bool ok = tvAsVariant(m_stack.top() + 1).toBoolean();
+  bool ok = cellToBool(*tvToCell(m_stack.top() + 1));
   tvRefcountedDecRef(m_stack.top() + 1);
   tvRefcountedDecRef(m_stack.top() + (ok ? 2 : 0));
   if (ok) m_stack.top()[2] = m_stack.top()[0];
diff --git a/hphp/runtime/vm/member-operations.cpp b/hphp/runtime/vm/member-operations.cpp
index 2f27b5eec..0d96f4760 100644
--- a/hphp/runtime/vm/member-operations.cpp
+++ b/hphp/runtime/vm/member-operations.cpp
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ bool objOffsetEmpty(TypedValue& tvRef, ObjectData* base, CVarRef offset,
   }
   TypedValue* result = objOffsetGet(tvRef, base, offset, false);
   assert(result);
-  return empty(tvAsCVarRef(result));
+  return !cellToBool(*tvToCell(result));
 }
 
 void objOffsetAppend(ObjectData* base, TypedValue* val,
diff --git a/hphp/runtime/vm/member-operations.h b/hphp/runtime/vm/member-operations.h
index cac0d31db..ac3a66acd 100644
--- a/hphp/runtime/vm/member-operations.h
+++ b/hphp/runtime/vm/member-operations.h
@@ -1501,9 +1501,9 @@ inline bool IssetEmptyElem(TypedValue& tvScratch, TypedValue& tvRef,
   }
 
   if (useEmpty) {
-    return empty(tvAsCVarRef(result));
+    return !cellToBool(*tvToCell(result));
   } else {
-    return isset(tvAsCVarRef(result));
+    return !tvIsNull(tvToCell(result));
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/hphp/test/ext/test_cpp_base.cpp b/hphp/test/ext/test_cpp_base.cpp
index f2d02e8fb..6c1f3e71d 100644
--- a/hphp/test/ext/test_cpp_base.cpp
+++ b/hphp/test/ext/test_cpp_base.cpp
@@ -266,8 +266,8 @@ bool TestCppBase::TestArray() {
   {
     Variant arr = CREATE_MAP2("n1", "v1", "n2", "v2");
     arr.escalate();
-    for (ArrayIterPtr iter = arr.begin(arr, true); !iter->end(); iter->next()){
-      unset(arr.lvalAt(iter->first()));
+    for (ArrayIter iter = arr.begin(arr, true); !iter->end(); iter->next()){
+      arr.lvalAt(iter->first()).reset();
     }
     VS(arr, Array::Create());
   }