diff --git a/src/components/main/layout/box_.rs b/src/components/main/layout/box_.rs
index 66125587be9..4c68e3b0511 100644
--- a/src/components/main/layout/box_.rs
+++ b/src/components/main/layout/box_.rs
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ use servo_net::local_image_cache::LocalImageCache;
 use servo_util::geometry::Au;
 use servo_util::geometry;
 use servo_util::range::*;
+use servo_util::namespace;
 use std::cast;
 use std::cell::RefCell;
 use std::cmp::ApproxEq;
@@ -127,7 +128,7 @@ impl ImageBoxInfo {
 
         fn convert_length(node: &LayoutNode, name: &str) -> Option<Au> {
             node.with_element(|element| {
-                element.get_attr(None, name).and_then(|string| {
+                element.get_attr(&namespace::Null, name).and_then(|string| {
                     let n: Option<int> = FromStr::from_str(string);
                     n
                 }).and_then(|pixels| Some(Au::from_px(pixels)))
diff --git a/src/components/main/layout/wrapper.rs b/src/components/main/layout/wrapper.rs
index 34bd613e957..75bc94e5b85 100644
--- a/src/components/main/layout/wrapper.rs
+++ b/src/components/main/layout/wrapper.rs
@@ -19,11 +19,11 @@ use script::dom::element::{Element, HTMLAreaElementTypeId, HTMLAnchorElementType
 use script::dom::element::{HTMLLinkElementTypeId};
 use script::dom::htmliframeelement::HTMLIFrameElement;
 use script::dom::htmlimageelement::HTMLImageElement;
-use script::dom::namespace;
-use script::dom::namespace::Namespace;
 use script::dom::node::{AbstractNode, DocumentNodeTypeId, ElementNodeTypeId, Node, NodeTypeId};
 use script::dom::text::Text;
 use servo_msg::constellation_msg::{PipelineId, SubpageId};
+use servo_util::namespace;
+use servo_util::namespace::Namespace;
 use std::cast;
 use style::{PropertyDeclarationBlock, TElement, TNode, AttrSelector};
 
@@ -289,10 +289,15 @@ impl<'ln> TNode<LayoutElement<'ln>> for LayoutNode<'ln> {
             } else {
                 attr.name.as_slice()
             };
-            // FIXME: avoid .clone() here? See #1367
-            match element.get_attr(attr.namespace.clone(), name) {
-                Some(value) => test(value),
-                None => false,
+            match attr.namespace {
+                Some(ref ns) => {
+                    match element.get_attr(ns, name) {
+                        Some(value) => test(value),
+                        None => false,
+                    }
+                },
+                // FIXME: support `*|attr`, attribute selectors in any namespace
+                None => return false,
             }
         })
     }
@@ -399,17 +404,16 @@ impl<'le> TElement for LayoutElement<'le> {
     }
 
     #[inline]
-    fn get_namespace_url<'a>(&'a self) -> &'a str {
-        self.element.namespace.to_str().unwrap_or("")
+    fn get_namespace<'a>(&'a self) -> &'a Namespace {
+        &self.element.namespace
     }
 
     #[inline]
-    fn get_attr(&self, ns_url: Option<~str>, name: &str) -> Option<&'static str> {
-        let namespace = Namespace::from_str(ns_url);
+    fn get_attr(&self, namespace: &Namespace, name: &str) -> Option<&'static str> {
         unsafe { self.element.get_attr_val_for_layout(namespace, name) }
     }
 
-    fn get_link(&self) -> Option<~str> {
+    fn get_link(&self) -> Option<&'static str> {
         // FIXME: This is HTML only.
         match self.element.node.type_id {
             // http://www.whatwg.org/specs/web-apps/current-work/multipage/selectors.html#
@@ -417,8 +421,7 @@ impl<'le> TElement for LayoutElement<'le> {
             ElementNodeTypeId(HTMLAnchorElementTypeId) |
             ElementNodeTypeId(HTMLAreaElementTypeId) |
             ElementNodeTypeId(HTMLLinkElementTypeId) => {
-                unsafe { self.element.get_attr_val_for_layout(namespace::Null, "href") }
-                .map(|val| val.to_owned())
+                unsafe { self.element.get_attr_val_for_layout(&namespace::Null, "href") }
             }
             _ => None,
         }
diff --git a/src/components/script/dom/attr.rs b/src/components/script/dom/attr.rs
index 3903e2d891d..9ecf068774e 100644
--- a/src/components/script/dom/attr.rs
+++ b/src/components/script/dom/attr.rs
@@ -5,8 +5,8 @@
 use dom::bindings::codegen::AttrBinding;
 use dom::bindings::utils::{Reflectable, Reflector, DOMString};
 use dom::bindings::utils::reflect_dom_object;
-use dom::namespace::{Namespace, Null};
 use dom::window::Window;
+use servo_util::namespace::{Namespace, Null};
 
 use std::util;
 
@@ -89,7 +89,10 @@ impl Attr {
     }
 
     pub fn GetNamespaceURI(&self) -> Option<DOMString> {
-        self.namespace.to_str().map(|s| s.to_owned())
+        match self.namespace.to_str() {
+            "" => None,
+            url => Some(url.to_owned()),
+        }
     }
 
     pub fn GetPrefix(&self) -> Option<DOMString> {
diff --git a/src/components/script/dom/document.rs b/src/components/script/dom/document.rs
index 08979165375..092b3e63abe 100644
--- a/src/components/script/dom/document.rs
+++ b/src/components/script/dom/document.rs
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@ use dom::event::{AbstractEvent, Event};
 use dom::htmlcollection::HTMLCollection;
 use dom::htmldocument::HTMLDocument;
 use dom::mouseevent::MouseEvent;
-use dom::namespace::Null;
 use dom::node::{AbstractNode, Node, ElementNodeTypeId, DocumentNodeTypeId};
 use dom::text::Text;
 use dom::uievent::UIEvent;
@@ -24,6 +23,7 @@ use dom::window::Window;
 use dom::htmltitleelement::HTMLTitleElement;
 use html::hubbub_html_parser::build_element_from_tag;
 use layout_interface::{DocumentDamageLevel, ContentChangedDocumentDamage};
+use servo_util::namespace::Null;
 
 use js::jsapi::{JSObject, JSContext, JSTracer};
 use std::ascii::StrAsciiExt;
diff --git a/src/components/script/dom/element.rs b/src/components/script/dom/element.rs
index 3d080a56de7..a834cb8e9c1 100644
--- a/src/components/script/dom/element.rs
+++ b/src/components/script/dom/element.rs
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 use dom::attr::Attr;
 use dom::attrlist::AttrList;
 use dom::bindings::utils::{Reflectable, DOMString, ErrorResult, Fallible, Reflector};
-use dom::bindings::utils::NamespaceError;
+use dom::bindings::utils::{null_str_as_empty_ref, NamespaceError};
 use dom::bindings::utils::{InvalidCharacter, QName, Name, InvalidXMLName, xml_name_type};
 use dom::htmlcollection::HTMLCollection;
 use dom::clientrect::ClientRect;
@@ -15,13 +15,13 @@ use dom::clientrectlist::ClientRectList;
 use dom::document::AbstractDocument;
 use dom::node::{AbstractNode, ElementNodeTypeId, Node, NodeIterator};
 use dom::document;
-use dom::namespace;
-use dom::namespace::{Namespace, Null};
 use dom::htmlserializer::serialize;
 use layout_interface::{ContentBoxQuery, ContentBoxResponse, ContentBoxesQuery};
 use layout_interface::{ContentBoxesResponse, ContentChangedDocumentDamage};
 use layout_interface::{MatchSelectorsDocumentDamage};
 use style;
+use servo_util::namespace;
+use servo_util::namespace::{Namespace, Null};
 
 use std::ascii::StrAsciiExt;
 use std::cast;
@@ -152,13 +152,14 @@ impl Element {
         }).map(|&x| x)
     }
 
-    pub unsafe fn get_attr_val_for_layout(&self, namespace: Namespace, name: &str)
+    #[inline]
+    pub unsafe fn get_attr_val_for_layout(&self, namespace: &Namespace, name: &str)
                                           -> Option<&'static str> {
         self.attrs.iter().find(|attr: & &@mut Attr| {
             // unsafely avoid a borrow because this is accessed by many tasks
             // during parallel layout
             let attr: ***Box<Attr> = cast::transmute(attr);
-            name == (***attr).data.local_name && (***attr).data.namespace == namespace
+            name == (***attr).data.local_name && (***attr).data.namespace == *namespace
        }).map(|attr| {
             let attr: **Box<Attr> = cast::transmute(attr);
             cast::transmute((**attr).data.value.as_slice())
@@ -402,7 +403,7 @@ impl Element {
     }
 
     pub fn GetAttributeNS(&self, namespace: Option<DOMString>, local_name: DOMString) -> Option<DOMString> {
-        let namespace = Namespace::from_str(namespace);
+        let namespace = Namespace::from_str(null_str_as_empty_ref(&namespace));
         self.get_attribute(namespace, local_name)
             .map(|attr| attr.value.clone())
     }
@@ -430,7 +431,7 @@ impl Element {
             QName => {}
         }
 
-        let namespace = Namespace::from_str(namespace_url);
+        let namespace = Namespace::from_str(null_str_as_empty_ref(&namespace_url));
         self.set_attribute(abstract_self, namespace, name, value)
     }
 
@@ -449,7 +450,7 @@ impl Element {
                              abstract_self: AbstractNode,
                              namespace: Option<DOMString>,
                              localname: DOMString) -> ErrorResult {
-        let namespace = Namespace::from_str(namespace);
+        let namespace = Namespace::from_str(null_str_as_empty_ref(&namespace));
         self.remove_attribute(abstract_self, namespace, localname)
     }
 
diff --git a/src/components/script/dom/htmldocument.rs b/src/components/script/dom/htmldocument.rs
index 144869392fe..0dad2905d89 100644
--- a/src/components/script/dom/htmldocument.rs
+++ b/src/components/script/dom/htmldocument.rs
@@ -6,8 +6,8 @@ use dom::bindings::codegen::HTMLDocumentBinding;
 use dom::bindings::utils::{Reflectable, Reflector, Traceable};
 use dom::document::{AbstractDocument, Document, HTML};
 use dom::htmlcollection::HTMLCollection;
-use dom::namespace::Null;
 use dom::window::Window;
+use servo_util::namespace::Null;
 
 use js::jsapi::JSTracer;
 use std::str::eq_slice;
diff --git a/src/components/script/dom/htmlelement.rs b/src/components/script/dom/htmlelement.rs
index f8703298926..19aecc6d947 100644
--- a/src/components/script/dom/htmlelement.rs
+++ b/src/components/script/dom/htmlelement.rs
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ use dom::element::{Element, ElementTypeId, HTMLElementTypeId};
 use dom::node::{AbstractNode, Node};
 use js::jsapi::{JSContext, JSVal};
 use js::JSVAL_NULL;
-use dom::namespace;
+use servo_util::namespace;
 
 pub struct HTMLElement {
     element: Element
diff --git a/src/components/script/dom/htmlimageelement.rs b/src/components/script/dom/htmlimageelement.rs
index 2939de9e43a..dd0c5514472 100644
--- a/src/components/script/dom/htmlimageelement.rs
+++ b/src/components/script/dom/htmlimageelement.rs
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ use dom::bindings::utils::{DOMString, ErrorResult};
 use dom::document::AbstractDocument;
 use dom::element::HTMLImageElementTypeId;
 use dom::htmlelement::HTMLElement;
-use dom::namespace::Null;
 use dom::node::{AbstractNode, Node};
 use extra::url::Url;
 use servo_util::geometry::to_px;
@@ -15,6 +14,7 @@ use layout_interface::{ContentBoxQuery, ContentBoxResponse};
 use servo_net::image_cache_task;
 use servo_net::image_cache_task::ImageCacheTask;
 use servo_util::url::make_url;
+use servo_util::namespace::Null;
 
 pub struct HTMLImageElement {
     htmlelement: HTMLElement,
diff --git a/src/components/script/dom/htmlserializer.rs b/src/components/script/dom/htmlserializer.rs
index 3de36d831f2..8dbedcb2679 100644
--- a/src/components/script/dom/htmlserializer.rs
+++ b/src/components/script/dom/htmlserializer.rs
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
  * License, v. 2.0. If a copy of the MPL was not distributed with this
  * file, You can obtain one at http://mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/. */
 
-use dom::namespace;
+use servo_util::namespace;
 use dom::attr::Attr;
 use dom::node::NodeIterator;
 use dom::node::{DoctypeNodeTypeId, DocumentFragmentNodeTypeId, CommentNodeTypeId, DocumentNodeTypeId, ElementNodeTypeId, TextNodeTypeId, AbstractNode};
diff --git a/src/components/script/html/hubbub_html_parser.rs b/src/components/script/html/hubbub_html_parser.rs
index 7724dc80e30..d7179221bb5 100644
--- a/src/components/script/html/hubbub_html_parser.rs
+++ b/src/components/script/html/hubbub_html_parser.rs
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ use dom::htmlelement::HTMLElement;
 use dom::htmlheadingelement::{Heading1, Heading2, Heading3, Heading4, Heading5, Heading6};
 use dom::htmliframeelement::IFrameSize;
 use dom::htmlformelement::HTMLFormElement;
-use dom::namespace::Null;
 use dom::node::{AbstractNode, ElementNodeTypeId};
 use dom::types::*;
 use html::cssparse::{InlineProvenance, StylesheetProvenance, UrlProvenance, spawn_css_parser};
@@ -22,6 +21,7 @@ use servo_net::image_cache_task::ImageCacheTask;
 use servo_net::resource_task::{Load, Payload, Done, ResourceTask, load_whole_resource};
 use servo_util::url::make_url;
 use servo_util::task::spawn_named;
+use servo_util::namespace::Null;
 use std::cast;
 use std::cell::RefCell;
 use std::comm::{Port, SharedChan};
diff --git a/src/components/script/script.rc b/src/components/script/script.rc
index b7a642f4295..dd2eff22e95 100644
--- a/src/components/script/script.rc
+++ b/src/components/script/script.rc
@@ -136,7 +136,6 @@ pub mod dom {
     pub mod htmlunknownelement;
     pub mod location;
     pub mod mouseevent;
-    pub mod namespace;
     pub mod navigator;
     pub mod node;
     pub mod nodelist;
diff --git a/src/components/script/script_task.rs b/src/components/script/script_task.rs
index 362bdc9fc87..b226f05916b 100644
--- a/src/components/script/script_task.rs
+++ b/src/components/script/script_task.rs
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@ use dom::event::{Event_, ResizeEvent, ReflowEvent, ClickEvent, MouseDownEvent, M
 use dom::event::Event;
 use dom::eventtarget::AbstractEventTarget;
 use dom::htmldocument::HTMLDocument;
-use dom::namespace::Null;
 use dom::node::AbstractNode;
 use dom::window::{TimerData, TimerHandle, Window};
 use html::hubbub_html_parser::HtmlParserResult;
@@ -47,6 +46,7 @@ use servo_net::resource_task::ResourceTask;
 use servo_util::geometry::to_frac_px;
 use servo_util::url::make_url;
 use servo_util::task::spawn_named;
+use servo_util::namespace::Null;
 use std::comm::{Port, SharedChan};
 use std::ptr;
 use std::str::eq_slice;
diff --git a/src/components/style/namespaces.rs b/src/components/style/namespaces.rs
index 77ae126fcd3..a7b2f79deac 100644
--- a/src/components/style/namespaces.rs
+++ b/src/components/style/namespaces.rs
@@ -4,11 +4,12 @@
 
 use std::hashmap::HashMap;
 use cssparser::ast::*;
+use servo_util::namespace::Namespace;
 use errors::log_css_error;
 
 pub struct NamespaceMap {
-    default: Option<~str>,  // Optional URL
-    prefix_map: HashMap<~str, ~str>,  // prefix -> URL
+    default: Option<Namespace>,
+    prefix_map: HashMap<~str, Namespace>,
 }
 
 
@@ -29,7 +30,7 @@ pub fn parse_namespace_rule(rule: AtRule, namespaces: &mut NamespaceMap) {
     );
     if rule.block.is_some() { syntax_error!() }
     let mut prefix: Option<~str> = None;
-    let mut url: Option<~str> = None;
+    let mut ns: Option<Namespace> = None;
     let mut iter = rule.prelude.move_skip_whitespace();
     for component_value in iter {
         match component_value {
@@ -38,25 +39,25 @@ pub fn parse_namespace_rule(rule: AtRule, namespaces: &mut NamespaceMap) {
                 prefix = Some(value);
             },
             URL(value) | String(value) => {
-                if url.is_some() { syntax_error!() }
-                url = Some(value);
+                if ns.is_some() { syntax_error!() }
+                ns = Some(Namespace::from_str(value));
                 break
             },
             _ => syntax_error!(),
         }
     }
     if iter.next().is_some() { syntax_error!() }
-    match (prefix, url) {
-        (Some(prefix), Some(url)) => {
-            if namespaces.prefix_map.swap(prefix, url).is_some() {
+    match (prefix, ns) {
+        (Some(prefix), Some(ns)) => {
+            if namespaces.prefix_map.swap(prefix, ns).is_some() {
                 log_css_error(location, "Duplicate @namespace rule");
             }
         },
-        (None, Some(url)) => {
+        (None, Some(ns)) => {
             if namespaces.default.is_some() {
                 log_css_error(location, "Duplicate @namespace rule");
             }
-            namespaces.default = Some(url);
+            namespaces.default = Some(ns);
         },
         _ => syntax_error!()
     }
diff --git a/src/components/style/node.rs b/src/components/style/node.rs
index 455e1d1e93d..dc6df8427bd 100644
--- a/src/components/style/node.rs
+++ b/src/components/style/node.rs
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 //! style.
 
 use selectors::AttrSelector;
+use servo_util::namespace::Namespace;
 
 
 pub trait TNode<E:TElement> : Clone {
@@ -23,9 +24,9 @@ pub trait TNode<E:TElement> : Clone {
 }
 
 pub trait TElement {
-    fn get_attr(&self, namespace: Option<~str>, attr: &str) -> Option<&'static str>;
-    fn get_link(&self) -> Option<~str>;
+    fn get_attr(&self, namespace: &Namespace, attr: &str) -> Option<&'static str>;
+    fn get_link(&self) -> Option<&'static str>;
     fn get_local_name<'a>(&'a self) -> &'a str;
-    fn get_namespace_url<'a>(&'a self) -> &'a str;
+    fn get_namespace<'a>(&'a self) -> &'a Namespace;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/components/style/selector_matching.rs b/src/components/style/selector_matching.rs
index a3984f8603a..a5f6b9cd3f9 100644
--- a/src/components/style/selector_matching.rs
+++ b/src/components/style/selector_matching.rs
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ use std::ascii::StrAsciiExt;
 use std::hashmap::HashMap;
 use std::str;
 
+use servo_util::namespace;
+
 use media_queries::{Device, Screen};
 use node::{TElement, TNode};
 use properties::{PropertyDeclaration, PropertyDeclarationBlock};
@@ -73,7 +75,7 @@ impl SelectorMap {
         // At the end, we're going to sort the rules that we added, so remember where we began.
         let init_len = matching_rules_list.len();
         node.with_element(|element: &E| {
-            match element.get_attr(None, "id") {
+            match element.get_attr(&namespace::Null, "id") {
                 Some(id) => {
                     SelectorMap::get_matching_rules_from_hash(node,
                                                               &self.id_hash,
@@ -83,7 +85,7 @@ impl SelectorMap {
                 None => {}
             }
 
-            match element.get_attr(None, "class") {
+            match element.get_attr(&namespace::Null, "class") {
                 Some(ref class_attr) => {
                     for class in class_attr.split(SELECTOR_WHITESPACE) {
                         SelectorMap::get_matching_rules_from_hash(
@@ -486,16 +488,16 @@ fn matches_simple_selector<E:TElement,N:TNode<E>>(selector: &SimpleSelector, ele
                 element.get_local_name().eq_ignore_ascii_case(name.as_slice())
             })
         }
-        NamespaceSelector(ref url) => {
+        NamespaceSelector(ref namespace) => {
             element.with_element(|element: &E| {
-                element.get_namespace_url() == url.as_slice()
+                element.get_namespace() == namespace
             })
         }
         // TODO: case-sensitivity depends on the document type and quirks mode
         // TODO: cache and intern IDs on elements.
         IDSelector(ref id) => {
             element.with_element(|element: &E| {
-                match element.get_attr(None, "id") {
+                match element.get_attr(&namespace::Null, "id") {
                     Some(attr) => str::eq_slice(attr, *id),
                     None => false
                 }
@@ -504,7 +506,7 @@ fn matches_simple_selector<E:TElement,N:TNode<E>>(selector: &SimpleSelector, ele
         // TODO: cache and intern classe names on elements.
         ClassSelector(ref class) => {
             element.with_element(|element: &E| {
-                match element.get_attr(None, "class") {
+                match element.get_attr(&namespace::Null, "class") {
                     None => false,
                     // TODO: case-sensitivity depends on the document type and quirks mode
                     Some(ref class_attr)
@@ -624,7 +626,7 @@ fn matches_generic_nth_child<'a,
                 element.with_element(|element: &E| {
                     node.with_element(|node: &E| {
                         if element.get_local_name() == node.get_local_name() &&
-                           element.get_namespace_url() == node.get_namespace_url() {
+                           element.get_namespace() == node.get_namespace() {
                             index += 1;
                         }
                     })
diff --git a/src/components/style/selectors.rs b/src/components/style/selectors.rs
index 24b2d0e4b20..c15259917a4 100644
--- a/src/components/style/selectors.rs
+++ b/src/components/style/selectors.rs
@@ -9,6 +9,9 @@ use extra::arc::Arc;
 use cssparser::ast::*;
 use cssparser::parse_nth;
 
+use servo_util::namespace::Namespace;
+use servo_util::namespace;
+
 use namespaces::NamespaceMap;
 
 
@@ -55,7 +58,7 @@ pub enum SimpleSelector {
     IDSelector(~str),
     ClassSelector(~str),
     LocalNameSelector(~str),
-    NamespaceSelector(~str),
+    NamespaceSelector(Namespace),
 
     // Attribute selectors
     AttrExists(AttrSelector),  // [foo]
@@ -89,7 +92,8 @@ pub enum SimpleSelector {
 pub struct AttrSelector {
     name: ~str,
     lower_name: ~str,
-    namespace: Option<~str>,
+    /// None means "any namespace", `*|attr`
+    namespace: Option<Namespace>,
 }
 
 
@@ -270,7 +274,7 @@ fn parse_type_selector(iter: &mut Iter, namespaces: &NamespaceMap)
         QualifiedName(namespace, local_name) => {
             let mut simple_selectors = ~[];
             match namespace {
-                Some(url) => simple_selectors.push(NamespaceSelector(url)),
+                Some(ns) => simple_selectors.push(NamespaceSelector(ns)),
                 None => (),
             }
             match local_name {
@@ -357,7 +361,8 @@ fn parse_one_simple_selector(iter: &mut Iter, namespaces: &NamespaceMap, inside_
 enum QualifiedNameParseResult {
     InvalidQualifiedName,
     NotAQualifiedName,
-    QualifiedName(Option<~str>, Option<~str>)  // Namespace URL, local name. None means '*'
+    // Namespace URL, local name. None means '*'
+    QualifiedName(Option<Namespace>, Option<~str>)
 }
 
 fn parse_qualified_name(iter: &mut Iter, allow_universal: bool, namespaces: &NamespaceMap)
@@ -365,22 +370,22 @@ fn parse_qualified_name(iter: &mut Iter, allow_universal: bool, namespaces: &Nam
     #[inline]
     fn default_namespace(namespaces: &NamespaceMap, local_name: Option<~str>)
                          -> QualifiedNameParseResult {
-        QualifiedName(namespaces.default.as_ref().map(|url| url.to_owned()), local_name)
+        QualifiedName(namespaces.default.as_ref().map(|ns| ns.clone()), local_name)
     }
 
     #[inline]
-    fn explicit_namespace(iter: &mut Iter, allow_universal: bool, namespace_url: Option<~str>)
+    fn explicit_namespace(iter: &mut Iter, allow_universal: bool, namespace: Option<Namespace>)
                          -> QualifiedNameParseResult {
         assert!(iter.next() == Some(Delim('|')),
                 "Implementation error, this should not happen.");
         match iter.peek() {
             Some(&Delim('*')) if allow_universal => {
                 iter.next();
-                QualifiedName(namespace_url, None)
+                QualifiedName(namespace, None)
             },
             Some(&Ident(_)) => {
                 let local_name = get_next_ident(iter);
-                QualifiedName(namespace_url, Some(local_name))
+                QualifiedName(namespace, Some(local_name))
             },
             _ => InvalidQualifiedName,
         }
@@ -391,11 +396,11 @@ fn parse_qualified_name(iter: &mut Iter, allow_universal: bool, namespaces: &Nam
             let value = get_next_ident(iter);
             match iter.peek() {
                 Some(&Delim('|')) => {
-                    let namespace_url = match namespaces.prefix_map.find(&value) {
+                    let namespace = match namespaces.prefix_map.find(&value) {
                         None => return InvalidQualifiedName,  // Undeclared namespace prefix
-                        Some(ref url) => url.to_owned(),
+                        Some(ref ns) => (*ns).clone(),
                     };
-                    explicit_namespace(iter, allow_universal, Some(namespace_url))
+                    explicit_namespace(iter, allow_universal, Some(namespace))
                 },
                 _ => default_namespace(namespaces, Some(value)),
             }
@@ -410,7 +415,7 @@ fn parse_qualified_name(iter: &mut Iter, allow_universal: bool, namespaces: &Nam
                 },
             }
         },
-        Some(&Delim('|')) => explicit_namespace(iter, allow_universal, Some(~"")),
+        Some(&Delim('|')) => explicit_namespace(iter, allow_universal, Some(namespace::Null)),
         _ => NotAQualifiedName,
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/components/script/dom/namespace.rs b/src/components/util/namespace.rs
similarity index 55%
rename from src/components/script/dom/namespace.rs
rename to src/components/util/namespace.rs
index c446b2969d6..ff9eda169c9 100644
--- a/src/components/script/dom/namespace.rs
+++ b/src/components/util/namespace.rs
@@ -2,8 +2,6 @@
  * License, v. 2.0. If a copy of the MPL was not distributed with this
  * file, You can obtain one at http://mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/. */
 
-use dom::bindings::utils::{DOMString, null_str_as_empty_ref};
-
 #[deriving(Eq, Clone)]
 pub enum Namespace {
     Null,
@@ -17,8 +15,9 @@ pub enum Namespace {
 }
 
 impl Namespace {
-    pub fn from_str(url: Option<DOMString>) -> Namespace {
-        match null_str_as_empty_ref(&url) {
+    /// Empty string for "no namespace"
+    pub fn from_str(url: &str) -> Namespace {
+        match url {
             "http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" => HTML,
             "http://www.w3.org/XML/1998/namespace" => XML,
             "http://www.w3.org/2000/xmlns/" => XMLNS,
@@ -29,16 +28,16 @@ impl Namespace {
             ns => Other(ns.to_owned())
         }
     }
-    pub fn to_str<'a>(&'a self) -> Option<&'a str> {
+    pub fn to_str<'a>(&'a self) -> &'a str {
         match *self {
-            Null => None,
-            HTML => Some("http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"),
-            XML => Some("http://www.w3.org/XML/1998/namespace"),
-            XMLNS => Some("http://www.w3.org/2000/xmlns/"),
-            XLink => Some("http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"),
-            SVG => Some("http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"),
-            MathML => Some("http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"),
-            Other(ref x) => Some(x.as_slice())
+            Null => "",
+            HTML => "http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml",
+            XML => "http://www.w3.org/XML/1998/namespace",
+            XMLNS => "http://www.w3.org/2000/xmlns/",
+            XLink => "http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink",
+            SVG => "http://www.w3.org/2000/svg",
+            MathML => "http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML",
+            Other(ref x) => x.as_slice()
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/components/util/util.rc b/src/components/util/util.rc
index 1fb520c0c7b..8e7e8dfd2f2 100644
--- a/src/components/util/util.rc
+++ b/src/components/util/util.rc
@@ -21,4 +21,4 @@ pub mod debug;
 pub mod io;
 pub mod task;
 pub mod workqueue;
-
+pub mod namespace;