diff --git a/src/librustdoc/clean/mod.rs b/src/librustdoc/clean/mod.rs
index dbed66421e56c..df38649e016b9 100644
--- a/src/librustdoc/clean/mod.rs
+++ b/src/librustdoc/clean/mod.rs
@@ -729,15 +729,14 @@ fn clean_fn_or_proc_macro(
     match macro_kind {
         Some(kind) => {
             if kind == MacroKind::Derive {
-                *name = attrs
-                    .lists(sym::proc_macro_derive)
+                *name = attr_items(attrs, sym::proc_macro_derive)
                     .find_map(|mi| mi.ident())
                     .expect("proc-macro derives require a name")
                     .name;
             }
 
             let mut helpers = Vec::new();
-            for mi in attrs.lists(sym::proc_macro_derive) {
+            for mi in attr_items(attrs, sym::proc_macro_derive) {
                 if !mi.has_name(sym::attributes) {
                     continue;
                 }
@@ -1955,7 +1954,8 @@ fn clean_use_statement(
 
     let visibility = cx.tcx.visibility(import.def_id);
     let attrs = cx.tcx.hir().attrs(import.hir_id());
-    let inline_attr = attrs.lists(sym::doc).get_word_attr(sym::inline);
+    let inline_attr =
+        attr_items(attrs, sym::doc).find(|attr| attr.is_word() && attr.has_name(sym::inline));
     let pub_underscore = visibility.is_public() && name == kw::Underscore;
     let current_mod = cx.tcx.parent_module_from_def_id(import.def_id);
 
diff --git a/src/librustdoc/clean/types.rs b/src/librustdoc/clean/types.rs
index d928b41cad49a..b7c5696fc1cc7 100644
--- a/src/librustdoc/clean/types.rs
+++ b/src/librustdoc/clean/types.rs
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ use std::lazy::SyncOnceCell as OnceCell;
 use std::path::PathBuf;
 use std::rc::Rc;
 use std::sync::Arc;
-use std::{slice, vec};
+use std::vec;
 
 use arrayvec::ArrayVec;
 
@@ -215,8 +215,7 @@ impl ExternalCrate {
         // Failing that, see if there's an attribute specifying where to find this
         // external crate
         let did = DefId { krate: self.crate_num, index: CRATE_DEF_INDEX };
-        tcx.get_attrs(did)
-            .lists(sym::doc)
+        attr_items(tcx.get_attrs(did), sym::doc)
             .filter(|a| a.has_name(sym::html_root_url))
             .filter_map(|a| a.value_str())
             .map(to_remote)
@@ -232,7 +231,7 @@ impl ExternalCrate {
             if let Res::Def(DefKind::Mod, def_id) = res {
                 let attrs = tcx.get_attrs(def_id);
                 let mut keyword = None;
-                for attr in attrs.lists(sym::doc) {
+                for attr in attr_items(attrs, sym::doc) {
                     if attr.has_name(sym::keyword) {
                         if let Some(v) = attr.value_str() {
                             keyword = Some(v);
@@ -294,7 +293,7 @@ impl ExternalCrate {
             if let Res::Def(DefKind::Mod, def_id) = res {
                 let attrs = tcx.get_attrs(def_id);
                 let mut prim = None;
-                for attr in attrs.lists(sym::doc) {
+                for attr in attr_items(attrs, sym::doc) {
                     if let Some(v) = attr.value_str() {
                         if attr.has_name(sym::primitive) {
                             prim = PrimitiveType::from_symbol(v);
@@ -725,44 +724,19 @@ crate struct Module {
     crate span: Span,
 }
 
-crate struct ListAttributesIter<'a> {
-    attrs: slice::Iter<'a, ast::Attribute>,
-    current_list: vec::IntoIter<ast::NestedMetaItem>,
+/// Finds attributes with the given name and returns their nested items.
+crate fn attr_items(
+    attrs: &[ast::Attribute],
     name: Symbol,
-}
-
-impl<'a> Iterator for ListAttributesIter<'a> {
-    type Item = ast::NestedMetaItem;
-
-    fn next(&mut self) -> Option<Self::Item> {
-        if let Some(nested) = self.current_list.next() {
-            return Some(nested);
-        }
-
-        for attr in &mut self.attrs {
-            if let Some(list) = attr.meta_item_list() {
-                if attr.has_name(self.name) {
-                    self.current_list = list.into_iter();
-                    if let Some(nested) = self.current_list.next() {
-                        return Some(nested);
-                    }
-                }
-            }
-        }
-
-        None
-    }
-
-    fn size_hint(&self) -> (usize, Option<usize>) {
-        let lower = self.current_list.len();
-        (lower, None)
-    }
+) -> impl Iterator<Item = ast::NestedMetaItem> + '_ {
+    attrs
+        .iter()
+        .filter(move |attr| attr.has_name(name))
+        .filter_map(ast::Attribute::meta_item_list)
+        .flatten()
 }
 
 crate trait AttributesExt {
-    /// Finds an attribute as List and returns the list of attributes nested inside.
-    fn lists(&self, name: Symbol) -> ListAttributesIter<'_>;
-
     fn span(&self) -> Option<rustc_span::Span>;
 
     fn inner_docs(&self) -> bool;
@@ -773,10 +747,6 @@ crate trait AttributesExt {
 }
 
 impl AttributesExt for [ast::Attribute] {
-    fn lists(&self, name: Symbol) -> ListAttributesIter<'_> {
-        ListAttributesIter { attrs: self.iter(), current_list: Vec::new().into_iter(), name }
-    }
-
     /// Return the span of the first doc-comment, if it exists.
     fn span(&self) -> Option<rustc_span::Span> {
         self.iter().find(|attr| attr.doc_str().is_some()).map(|attr| attr.span)
@@ -860,7 +830,7 @@ impl AttributesExt for [ast::Attribute] {
 
         // treat #[target_feature(enable = "feat")] attributes as if they were
         // #[doc(cfg(target_feature = "feat"))] attributes as well
-        for attr in self.lists(sym::target_feature) {
+        for attr in attr_items(self, sym::target_feature) {
             if attr.has_name(sym::enable) {
                 if let Some(feat) = attr.value_str() {
                     let meta = attr::mk_name_value_item_str(
@@ -882,18 +852,11 @@ impl AttributesExt for [ast::Attribute] {
 crate trait NestedAttributesExt {
     /// Returns `true` if the attribute list contains a specific `Word`
     fn has_word(self, word: Symbol) -> bool;
-    fn get_word_attr(self, word: Symbol) -> Option<ast::NestedMetaItem>;
 }
 
-impl<I: Iterator<Item = ast::NestedMetaItem> + IntoIterator<Item = ast::NestedMetaItem>>
-    NestedAttributesExt for I
-{
-    fn has_word(self, word: Symbol) -> bool {
-        self.into_iter().any(|attr| attr.is_word() && attr.has_name(word))
-    }
-
-    fn get_word_attr(mut self, word: Symbol) -> Option<ast::NestedMetaItem> {
-        self.find(|attr| attr.is_word() && attr.has_name(word))
+impl<I: Iterator<Item = ast::NestedMetaItem>> NestedAttributesExt for I {
+    fn has_word(mut self, word: Symbol) -> bool {
+        self.any(|attr| attr.is_word() && attr.has_name(word))
     }
 }
 
@@ -1001,10 +964,6 @@ crate struct Attributes {
 }
 
 impl Attributes {
-    crate fn lists(&self, name: Symbol) -> ListAttributesIter<'_> {
-        self.other_attrs.lists(name)
-    }
-
     crate fn has_doc_flag(&self, flag: Symbol) -> bool {
         for attr in &self.other_attrs {
             if !attr.has_name(sym::doc) {
@@ -1110,7 +1069,7 @@ impl Attributes {
     crate fn get_doc_aliases(&self) -> Box<[Symbol]> {
         let mut aliases = FxHashSet::default();
 
-        for attr in self.other_attrs.lists(sym::doc).filter(|a| a.has_name(sym::alias)) {
+        for attr in attr_items(&self.other_attrs, sym::doc).filter(|a| a.has_name(sym::alias)) {
             if let Some(values) = attr.meta_item_list() {
                 for l in values {
                     match l.literal().unwrap().kind {
diff --git a/src/librustdoc/core.rs b/src/librustdoc/core.rs
index 3948f9fa7e73d..dd077147ee682 100644
--- a/src/librustdoc/core.rs
+++ b/src/librustdoc/core.rs
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ use std::mem;
 use std::rc::Rc;
 
 use crate::clean::inline::build_external_trait;
-use crate::clean::{self, ItemId, TraitWithExtraInfo};
+use crate::clean::{self, attr_items, ItemId, TraitWithExtraInfo};
 use crate::config::{Options as RustdocOptions, OutputFormat, RenderOptions};
 use crate::formats::cache::Cache;
 use crate::passes::{self, Condition::*};
@@ -435,7 +435,7 @@ crate fn run_global_ctxt(
 
     // Process all of the crate attributes, extracting plugin metadata along
     // with the passes which we are supposed to run.
-    for attr in krate.module.attrs.lists(sym::doc) {
+    for attr in attr_items(&krate.module.attrs.other_attrs, sym::doc) {
         let diag = ctxt.sess().diagnostic();
 
         let name = attr.name_or_empty();
diff --git a/src/librustdoc/html/render/context.rs b/src/librustdoc/html/render/context.rs
index 45a436c448710..bce99a6f4b283 100644
--- a/src/librustdoc/html/render/context.rs
+++ b/src/librustdoc/html/render/context.rs
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ use super::{
     BASIC_KEYWORDS,
 };
 
-use crate::clean::{self, ExternalCrate};
+use crate::clean::{self, attr_items, ExternalCrate};
 use crate::config::RenderOptions;
 use crate::docfs::{DocFS, PathError};
 use crate::error::Error;
@@ -430,7 +430,7 @@ impl<'tcx> FormatRenderer<'tcx> for Context<'tcx> {
 
         // Crawl the crate attributes looking for attributes which control how we're
         // going to emit HTML
-        for attr in krate.module.attrs.lists(sym::doc) {
+        for attr in attr_items(&krate.module.attrs.other_attrs, sym::doc) {
             match (attr.name_or_empty(), attr.value_str()) {
                 (sym::html_favicon_url, Some(s)) => {
                     layout.favicon = s.to_string();
diff --git a/src/librustdoc/passes/check_doc_test_visibility.rs b/src/librustdoc/passes/check_doc_test_visibility.rs
index b86ec8abefaae..159304c32b204 100644
--- a/src/librustdoc/passes/check_doc_test_visibility.rs
+++ b/src/librustdoc/passes/check_doc_test_visibility.rs
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ crate fn should_have_doc_example(cx: &DocContext<'_>, item: &clean::Item) -> boo
         }
     }
 
-    if cx.tcx.hir().attrs(hir_id).lists(sym::doc).has_word(sym::hidden)
+    if attr_items(&cx.tcx.hir().attrs(hir_id), sym::doc).has_word(sym::hidden)
         || inherits_doc_hidden(cx.tcx, hir_id)
         || cx.tcx.hir().span(hir_id).in_derive_expansion()
     {
diff --git a/src/librustdoc/passes/strip_hidden.rs b/src/librustdoc/passes/strip_hidden.rs
index e63534659add7..e10e839c65ef5 100644
--- a/src/librustdoc/passes/strip_hidden.rs
+++ b/src/librustdoc/passes/strip_hidden.rs
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ use rustc_span::symbol::sym;
 use std::mem;
 
 use crate::clean;
-use crate::clean::{Item, ItemIdSet, NestedAttributesExt};
+use crate::clean::{attr_items, Item, ItemIdSet, NestedAttributesExt};
 use crate::core::DocContext;
 use crate::fold::{strip_item, DocFolder};
 use crate::passes::{ImplStripper, Pass};
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ struct Stripper<'a> {
 
 impl<'a> DocFolder for Stripper<'a> {
     fn fold_item(&mut self, i: Item) -> Option<Item> {
-        if i.attrs.lists(sym::doc).has_word(sym::hidden) {
+        if attr_items(&i.attrs.other_attrs, sym::doc).has_word(sym::hidden) {
             debug!("strip_hidden: stripping {:?} {:?}", i.type_(), i.name);
             // use a dedicated hidden item for given item type if any
             match *i.kind {
diff --git a/src/librustdoc/visit_ast.rs b/src/librustdoc/visit_ast.rs
index ea7372761ba31..c9eac5da7f1cc 100644
--- a/src/librustdoc/visit_ast.rs
+++ b/src/librustdoc/visit_ast.rs
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ use rustc_span::Span;
 
 use std::mem;
 
-use crate::clean::{self, cfg::Cfg, AttributesExt, NestedAttributesExt};
+use crate::clean::{self, attr_items, cfg::Cfg, NestedAttributesExt};
 use crate::core;
 
 /// This module is used to store stuff from Rust's AST in a more convenient
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ fn def_id_to_path(tcx: TyCtxt<'_>, did: DefId) -> Vec<String> {
 crate fn inherits_doc_hidden(tcx: TyCtxt<'_>, mut node: hir::HirId) -> bool {
     while let Some(id) = tcx.hir().get_enclosing_scope(node) {
         node = id;
-        if tcx.hir().attrs(node).lists(sym::doc).has_word(sym::hidden) {
+        if attr_items(tcx.hir().attrs(node), sym::doc).has_word(sym::hidden) {
             return true;
         }
     }
@@ -199,8 +199,9 @@ impl<'a, 'tcx> RustdocVisitor<'a, 'tcx> {
 
         let use_attrs = tcx.hir().attrs(id);
         // Don't inline `doc(hidden)` imports so they can be stripped at a later stage.
-        let is_no_inline = use_attrs.lists(sym::doc).has_word(sym::no_inline)
-            || use_attrs.lists(sym::doc).has_word(sym::hidden);
+        let is_no_inline = attr_items(&use_attrs, sym::doc).any(|attr| {
+            attr.is_word() && (attr.has_name(sym::no_inline) || attr.has_name(sym::hidden))
+        });
 
         // For cross-crate impl inlining we need to know whether items are
         // reachable in documentation -- a previously unreachable item can be
@@ -208,7 +209,7 @@ impl<'a, 'tcx> RustdocVisitor<'a, 'tcx> {
         // (this is done here because we need to know this upfront).
         if !res_did.is_local() && !is_no_inline {
             let attrs = clean::inline::load_attrs(self.cx, res_did);
-            let self_is_hidden = attrs.lists(sym::doc).has_word(sym::hidden);
+            let self_is_hidden = attr_items(attrs, sym::doc).has_word(sym::hidden);
             if !self_is_hidden {
                 if let Res::Def(kind, did) = res {
                     if kind == DefKind::Mod {