diff --git a/compiler/ast.nim b/compiler/ast.nim
index c98b2a576c..aeb19ae1a6 100644
--- a/compiler/ast.nim
+++ b/compiler/ast.nim
@@ -644,7 +644,7 @@ type
     mSwap, mIsNil, mArrToSeq, mCopyStr, mCopyStrLast,
     mNewString, mNewStringOfCap, mParseBiggestFloat,
     mMove, mWasMoved, mDestroy,
-    mDefault, mAccessEnv, mReset,
+    mDefault, mUnown, mAccessEnv, mReset,
     mArray, mOpenArray, mRange, mSet, mSeq, mOpt, mVarargs,
     mRef, mPtr, mVar, mDistinct, mVoid, mTuple,
     mOrdinal,
diff --git a/compiler/ccgexprs.nim b/compiler/ccgexprs.nim
index 0ac6b42f40..e03c4b1c14 100644
--- a/compiler/ccgexprs.nim
+++ b/compiler/ccgexprs.nim
@@ -2179,7 +2179,7 @@ proc genMagicExpr(p: BProc, e: PNode, d: var TLoc, op: TMagic) =
   of mCharToStr: genDollar(p, e, d, "#nimCharToStr($1)")
   of mFloatToStr: genDollar(p, e, d, "#nimFloatToStr($1)")
   of mCStrToStr: genDollar(p, e, d, "#cstrToNimstr($1)")
-  of mStrToStr: expr(p, e.sons[1], d)
+  of mStrToStr, mUnown: expr(p, e.sons[1], d)
   of mEnumToStr:
     if optNimV2 in p.config.globalOptions:
       genEnumToStr(p, e, d)
diff --git a/compiler/jsgen.nim b/compiler/jsgen.nim
index 750d7c2c2e..8f15d8f493 100644
--- a/compiler/jsgen.nim
+++ b/compiler/jsgen.nim
@@ -640,7 +640,7 @@ proc arithAux(p: PProc, n: PNode, r: var TCompRes, op: TMagic) =
   of mInt64ToStr: applyFormat("cstrToNimstr(($1)+\"\")", "cstrToNimstr(($1)+\"\")")
   of mFloatToStr: applyFormat("cstrToNimstr(($1)+\"\")", "cstrToNimstr(($1)+\"\")")
   of mCStrToStr: applyFormat("cstrToNimstr($1)", "cstrToNimstr($1)")
-  of mStrToStr: applyFormat("$1", "$1")
+  of mStrToStr, mUnown: applyFormat("$1", "$1")
   else:
     assert false, $op
 
diff --git a/compiler/semmagic.nim b/compiler/semmagic.nim
index f290a08d5d..7c75d86245 100644
--- a/compiler/semmagic.nim
+++ b/compiler/semmagic.nim
@@ -322,6 +322,39 @@ proc semOf(c: PContext, n: PNode): PNode =
   n.typ = getSysType(c.graph, n.info, tyBool)
   result = n
 
+proc semUnown(c: PContext; n: PNode): PNode =
+  proc unownedType(c: PContext; t: PType): PType =
+    case t.kind
+    of tyTuple:
+      var elems = newSeq[PType](t.len)
+      var someChange = false
+      for i in 0..<t.len:
+        elems[i] = unownedType(c, t[i])
+        if elems[i] != t[i]: someChange = true
+      if someChange:
+        result = newType(tyTuple, t.owner)
+        # we have to use 'rawAddSon' here so that type flags are
+        # properly computed:
+        for e in elems: result.rawAddSon(e)
+      else:
+        result = t
+    of tyOwned: result = t.sons[0]
+    of tySequence, tyOpenArray, tyArray, tyVarargs, tyVar, tyLent,
+       tyGenericInst, tyAlias:
+      let L = t.len-1
+      let b = unownedType(c, t[L])
+      if b != t[L]:
+        result = copyType(t, t.owner, keepId = false)
+        result[L] = b
+        result.flags.excl tfHasOwned
+      else:
+        result = t
+    else:
+      result = t
+
+  result = copyTree(n[1])
+  result.typ = unownedType(c, result.typ)
+
 proc magicsAfterOverloadResolution(c: PContext, n: PNode,
                                    flags: TExprFlags): PNode =
   ## This is the preferred code point to implement magics.
@@ -433,4 +466,6 @@ proc magicsAfterOverloadResolution(c: PContext, n: PNode,
     let t = n[1].typ.skipTypes(abstractVar)
     if t.destructor != nil:
       result.sons[0] = newSymNode(t.destructor)
+  of mUnown:
+    result = semUnown(c, n)
   else: result = n
diff --git a/compiler/semstmts.nim b/compiler/semstmts.nim
index a71a57175d..230a9c0d43 100644
--- a/compiler/semstmts.nim
+++ b/compiler/semstmts.nim
@@ -471,10 +471,14 @@ proc semVarOrLet(c: PContext, n: PNode, symkind: TSymKind): PNode =
                      ($typ.kind).substr(2).toLowerAscii)
         elif typ.kind == tyProc and tfUnresolved in typ.flags:
           localError(c.config, def.info, errProcHasNoConcreteType % def.renderTree)
-        elif symkind == skVar and typ.kind == tyOwned and def.kind notin nkCallKinds:
-          # special type inference rule: 'var it = ownedPointer' is turned
-          # into an unowned pointer.
-          typ = typ.lastSon
+        when false:
+          # XXX This typing rule is neither documented nor complete enough to
+          # justify it. Instead use the newer 'unowned x' until we figured out
+          # a more general solution.
+          if symkind == skVar and typ.kind == tyOwned and def.kind notin nkCallKinds:
+            # special type inference rule: 'var it = ownedPointer' is turned
+            # into an unowned pointer.
+            typ = typ.lastSon
     else:
       if symkind == skLet: localError(c.config, a.info, errLetNeedsInit)
 
diff --git a/compiler/vmgen.nim b/compiler/vmgen.nim
index 8dbcc03a4c..3a46af08ab 100644
--- a/compiler/vmgen.nim
+++ b/compiler/vmgen.nim
@@ -957,7 +957,7 @@ proc genMagic(c: PCtx; n: PNode; dest: var TDest; m: TMagic) =
     c.genNarrow(n.sons[1], d)
     c.genAsgnPatch(n.sons[1], d)
     c.freeTemp(d)
-  of mOrd, mChr, mArrToSeq: c.gen(n.sons[1], dest)
+  of mOrd, mChr, mArrToSeq, mUnown: c.gen(n.sons[1], dest)
   of mNew, mNewFinalize:
     unused(c, n, dest)
     c.genNew(n)
diff --git a/lib/system.nim b/lib/system.nim
index 3d2d9ab48e..23868db0f0 100644
--- a/lib/system.nim
+++ b/lib/system.nim
@@ -1619,7 +1619,7 @@ template `isnot`*(x, y: untyped): untyped = not (x is y)
   ##   assert @[1, 2] isnot enum
 
 when defined(nimV2) and not defined(nimscript):
-  type owned*{.magic: "BuiltinType".}[T]
+  type owned*{.magic: "BuiltinType".}[T] ## type constructor to mark a ref/ptr or a closure as `owned`.
 
   proc new*[T](a: var owned(ref T)) {.magic: "New", noSideEffect.}
     ## Creates a new object of type ``T`` and returns a safe (traced)
@@ -1637,8 +1637,13 @@ when defined(nimV2) and not defined(nimscript):
       var r: owned(ref t)
     new(r)
     return r
+
+  proc unown*[T](x: T): T {.magic: "Unown", noSideEffect.}
+    ## Use the expression ``x`` ignoring its ownership attribute.
+
 else:
   template owned*(t: typeDesc): typedesc = t
+  template unown*(x: typed): typed = x
 
   proc new*[T](a: var ref T) {.magic: "New", noSideEffect.}
     ## Creates a new object of type ``T`` and returns a safe (traced)