diff --git a/library/std/src/io/mod.rs b/library/std/src/io/mod.rs
index 3fa965d08e698..5bb178fc441f3 100644
--- a/library/std/src/io/mod.rs
+++ b/library/std/src/io/mod.rs
@@ -1085,6 +1085,10 @@ impl<'a> IoSliceMut<'a> {
     /// Also see [`IoSliceMut::advance_slices`] to advance the cursors of
     /// multiple buffers.
     ///
+    /// # Panics
+    ///
+    /// Panics when trying to advance beyond the end of the slice.
+    ///
     /// # Examples
     ///
     /// ```
@@ -1106,15 +1110,18 @@ impl<'a> IoSliceMut<'a> {
         self.0.advance(n)
     }
 
-    /// Advance the internal cursor of the slices.
+    /// Advance a slice of slices.
     ///
-    /// # Notes
+    /// Shrinks the slice to remove any `IoSliceMut`s that are fully advanced over.
+    /// If the cursor ends up in the middle of an `IoSliceMut`, it is modified
+    /// to start at that cursor.
     ///
-    /// Elements in the slice may be modified if the cursor is not advanced to
-    /// the end of the slice. For example if we have a slice of buffers with 2
-    /// `IoSliceMut`s, both of length 8, and we advance the cursor by 10 bytes
-    /// the first `IoSliceMut` will be untouched however the second will be
-    /// modified to remove the first 2 bytes (10 - 8).
+    /// For example, if we have a slice of two 8-byte `IoSliceMut`s, and we advance by 10 bytes,
+    /// the result will only include the second `IoSliceMut`, advanced by 2 bytes.
+    ///
+    /// # Panics
+    ///
+    /// Panics when trying to advance beyond the end of the slices.
     ///
     /// # Examples
     ///
@@ -1155,7 +1162,9 @@ impl<'a> IoSliceMut<'a> {
         }
 
         *bufs = &mut replace(bufs, &mut [])[remove..];
-        if !bufs.is_empty() {
+        if bufs.is_empty() {
+            assert!(n == accumulated_len, "advancing io slices beyond their length");
+        } else {
             bufs[0].advance(n - accumulated_len)
         }
     }
@@ -1220,6 +1229,10 @@ impl<'a> IoSlice<'a> {
     /// Also see [`IoSlice::advance_slices`] to advance the cursors of multiple
     /// buffers.
     ///
+    /// # Panics
+    ///
+    /// Panics when trying to advance beyond the end of the slice.
+    ///
     /// # Examples
     ///
     /// ```
@@ -1241,15 +1254,18 @@ impl<'a> IoSlice<'a> {
         self.0.advance(n)
     }
 
-    /// Advance the internal cursor of the slices.
+    /// Advance a slice of slices.
     ///
-    /// # Notes
+    /// Shrinks the slice to remove any `IoSlice`s that are fully advanced over.
+    /// If the cursor ends up in the middle of an `IoSlice`, it is modified
+    /// to start at that cursor.
     ///
-    /// Elements in the slice may be modified if the cursor is not advanced to
-    /// the end of the slice. For example if we have a slice of buffers with 2
-    /// `IoSlice`s, both of length 8, and we advance the cursor by 10 bytes the
-    /// first `IoSlice` will be untouched however the second will be modified to
-    /// remove the first 2 bytes (10 - 8).
+    /// For example, if we have a slice of two 8-byte `IoSlice`s, and we advance by 10 bytes,
+    /// the result will only include the second `IoSlice`, advanced by 2 bytes.
+    ///
+    /// # Panics
+    ///
+    /// Panics when trying to advance beyond the end of the slices.
     ///
     /// # Examples
     ///
@@ -1289,7 +1305,9 @@ impl<'a> IoSlice<'a> {
         }
 
         *bufs = &mut replace(bufs, &mut [])[remove..];
-        if !bufs.is_empty() {
+        if bufs.is_empty() {
+            assert!(n == accumulated_len, "advancing io slices beyond their length");
+        } else {
             bufs[0].advance(n - accumulated_len)
         }
     }
diff --git a/library/std/src/io/tests.rs b/library/std/src/io/tests.rs
index eb62634856462..d5a8c93b0ce9f 100644
--- a/library/std/src/io/tests.rs
+++ b/library/std/src/io/tests.rs
@@ -423,18 +423,18 @@ fn io_slice_mut_advance_slices() {
 }
 
 #[test]
+#[should_panic]
 fn io_slice_mut_advance_slices_empty_slice() {
     let mut empty_bufs = &mut [][..];
-    // Shouldn't panic.
     IoSliceMut::advance_slices(&mut empty_bufs, 1);
 }
 
 #[test]
+#[should_panic]
 fn io_slice_mut_advance_slices_beyond_total_length() {
     let mut buf1 = [1; 8];
     let mut bufs = &mut [IoSliceMut::new(&mut buf1)][..];
 
-    // Going beyond the total length should be ok.
     IoSliceMut::advance_slices(&mut bufs, 9);
     assert!(bufs.is_empty());
 }
@@ -463,18 +463,18 @@ fn io_slice_advance_slices() {
 }
 
 #[test]
+#[should_panic]
 fn io_slice_advance_slices_empty_slice() {
     let mut empty_bufs = &mut [][..];
-    // Shouldn't panic.
     IoSlice::advance_slices(&mut empty_bufs, 1);
 }
 
 #[test]
+#[should_panic]
 fn io_slice_advance_slices_beyond_total_length() {
     let buf1 = [1; 8];
     let mut bufs = &mut [IoSlice::new(&buf1)][..];
 
-    // Going beyond the total length should be ok.
     IoSlice::advance_slices(&mut bufs, 9);
     assert!(bufs.is_empty());
 }