diff --git a/include/jemalloc/internal/ql.h b/include/jemalloc/internal/ql.h
index db672194..c7f52f86 100644
--- a/include/jemalloc/internal/ql.h
+++ b/include/jemalloc/internal/ql.h
@@ -3,45 +3,85 @@
 
 #include "jemalloc/internal/qr.h"
 
+/*
+ * A linked-list implementation.
+ *
+ * This is built on top of the ring implementation, but that can be viewed as an
+ * implementation detail (i.e. trying to advance past the tail of the list
+ * doesn't wrap around).
+ *
+ * You define a struct like so:
+ * typedef strucy my_s my_t;
+ * struct my_s {
+ *   int data;
+ *   ql_elm(my_t) my_link;
+ * };
+ *
+ * // We wobble between "list" and "head" for this type; we're now mostly
+ * // heading towards "list".
+ * typedef ql_head(my_t) my_list_t;
+ *
+ * You then pass a my_list_t * for a_head arguments, a my_t * for a_elm
+ * arguments, the token "my_link" for a_field arguments, and the token "my_t"
+ * for a_type arguments.
+ */
+
 /* List definitions. */
 #define ql_head(a_type)							\
 struct {								\
 	a_type *qlh_first;						\
 }
 
+/* Static initializer for an empty list. */
 #define ql_head_initializer(a_head) {NULL}
 
+/* The field definition. */
 #define ql_elm(a_type)	qr(a_type)
 
-/* List functions. */
+/* A pointer to the first element in the list, or NULL if the list is empty. */
 #define ql_first(a_head) ((a_head)->qlh_first)
 
+/* Dynamically initializes a list. */
 #define ql_new(a_head) do {						\
 	ql_first(a_head) = NULL;					\
 } while (0)
 
-#define ql_clear(a_head) ql_new(a_head)
-
+/*
+ * Sets dest to be the contents of src (overwriting any elements there), leaving
+ * src empty.
+ */
 #define ql_move(a_head_dest, a_head_src) do {				\
 	ql_first(a_head_dest) = ql_first(a_head_src);			\
-	ql_clear(a_head_src);						\
+	ql_new(a_head_src);						\
 } while (0)
 
+/* True if the list is empty, otherwise false. */
 #define ql_empty(a_head) (ql_first(a_head) == NULL)
 
+/*
+ * Initializes a ql_elm.  Must be called even if the field is about to be
+ * overwritten.
+ */
 #define ql_elm_new(a_elm, a_field) qr_new((a_elm), a_field)
 
+/*
+ * Obtains the last item in the list.
+ */
 #define ql_last(a_head, a_field)					\
 	(ql_empty(a_head) ? NULL : qr_prev(ql_first(a_head), a_field))
 
+/*
+ * Gets a pointer to the next/prev element in the list.  Trying to advance past
+ * the end or retreat before the beginning of the list returns NULL.
+ */
 #define ql_next(a_head, a_elm, a_field)					\
 	((ql_last(a_head, a_field) != (a_elm))				\
 	    ? qr_next((a_elm), a_field)	: NULL)
-
 #define ql_prev(a_head, a_elm, a_field)					\
 	((ql_first(a_head) != (a_elm)) ? qr_prev((a_elm), a_field)	\
 				       : NULL)
 
+/* Inserts a_elm before a_qlelm in the list. */
 #define ql_before_insert(a_head, a_qlelm, a_elm, a_field) do {		\
 	qr_before_insert((a_qlelm), (a_elm), a_field);			\
 	if (ql_first(a_head) == (a_qlelm)) {				\
@@ -49,9 +89,11 @@ struct {								\
 	}								\
 } while (0)
 
+/* Inserts a_elm after a_qlelm in the list. */
 #define ql_after_insert(a_qlelm, a_elm, a_field)			\
 	qr_after_insert((a_qlelm), (a_elm), a_field)
 
+/* Inserts a_elm as the first item in the list. */
 #define ql_head_insert(a_head, a_elm, a_field) do {			\
 	if (!ql_empty(a_head)) {					\
 		qr_before_insert(ql_first(a_head), (a_elm), a_field);	\
@@ -59,6 +101,7 @@ struct {								\
 	ql_first(a_head) = (a_elm);					\
 } while (0)
 
+/* Inserts a_elm as the last item in the list. */
 #define ql_tail_insert(a_head, a_elm, a_field) do {			\
 	if (!ql_empty(a_head)) {					\
 		qr_before_insert(ql_first(a_head), (a_elm), a_field);	\
@@ -66,16 +109,21 @@ struct {								\
 	ql_first(a_head) = qr_next((a_elm), a_field);			\
 } while (0)
 
+/*
+ * Given lists a = [a_1, ..., a_n] and [b_1, ..., b_n], results in:
+ * a = [a1, ..., a_n, b_1, ..., b_n] and b = [].
+ */
 #define ql_concat(a_head_a, a_head_b, a_field) do {			\
 	if (ql_empty(a_head_a)) {					\
 		ql_move(a_head_a, a_head_b);				\
 	} else if (!ql_empty(a_head_b)) {				\
 		qr_meld(ql_first(a_head_a), ql_first(a_head_b),		\
 		    a_field);						\
-		ql_clear(a_head_b);					\
+		ql_new(a_head_b);					\
 	}								\
 } while (0)
 
+/* Removes a_elm from the list. */
 #define ql_remove(a_head, a_elm, a_field) do {				\
 	if (ql_first(a_head) == (a_elm)) {				\
 		ql_first(a_head) = qr_next(ql_first(a_head), a_field);	\
@@ -83,20 +131,29 @@ struct {								\
 	if (ql_first(a_head) != (a_elm)) {				\
 		qr_remove((a_elm), a_field);				\
 	} else {							\
-		ql_clear(a_head);					\
+		ql_new(a_head);						\
 	}								\
 } while (0)
 
+/* Removes the first item in the list. */
 #define ql_head_remove(a_head, a_type, a_field) do {			\
 	a_type *t = ql_first(a_head);					\
 	ql_remove((a_head), t, a_field);				\
 } while (0)
 
+/* Removes the last item in the list. */
 #define ql_tail_remove(a_head, a_type, a_field) do {			\
 	a_type *t = ql_last(a_head, a_field);				\
 	ql_remove((a_head), t, a_field);				\
 } while (0)
 
+/*
+ * Given a = [a_1, a_2, ..., a_n-1, a_n, a_n+1, ...],
+ * ql_split(a, a_n, b, some_field) results in
+ *   a = [a_1, a_2, ..., a_n-1]
+ * and replaces b's contents with:
+ *   b = [a_n, a_n+1, ...]
+ */
 #define ql_split(a_head_a, a_elm, a_head_b, a_field) do {		\
 	if (ql_first(a_head_a) == (a_elm)) {				\
 		ql_move(a_head_b, a_head_a);				\
@@ -116,6 +173,21 @@ struct {								\
 	ql_first(a_head) = qr_next(ql_first(a_head), a_field);		\
 } while (0)
 
+/*
+ * Helper macro to iterate over each element in a list in order, starting from
+ * the head (or in reverse order, starting from the tail).  The usage is
+ * (assuming my_t and my_list_t defined as above).
+ *
+ * int sum(my_list_t *list) {
+ *   int sum = 0;
+ *   my_t *iter;
+ *   ql_foreach(iter, list, link) {
+ *     sum += iter->data;
+ *   }
+ *   return sum;
+ * }
+ */
+
 #define ql_foreach(a_var, a_head, a_field)				\
 	qr_foreach((a_var), ql_first(a_head), a_field)
 
diff --git a/include/jemalloc/internal/qr.h b/include/jemalloc/internal/qr.h
index 559cbe42..ece4f556 100644
--- a/include/jemalloc/internal/qr.h
+++ b/include/jemalloc/internal/qr.h
@@ -1,6 +1,21 @@
 #ifndef JEMALLOC_INTERNAL_QR_H
 #define JEMALLOC_INTERNAL_QR_H
 
+/*
+ * A ring implementation based on an embedded circular doubly-linked list.
+ *
+ * You define your struct like so:
+ *
+ * typedef struct my_s my_t;
+ * struct my_s {
+ *   int data;
+ *   qr(my_t) my_link;
+ * };
+ *
+ * And then pass a my_t * into macros for a_qr arguments, and the token
+ * "my_link" into a_field fields.
+ */
+
 /* Ring definitions. */
 #define qr(a_type)							\
 struct {								\
@@ -8,17 +23,41 @@ struct {								\
 	a_type	*qre_prev;						\
 }
 
-/* Ring functions. */
+/*
+ * Initialize a qr link.  Every link must be initialized before being used, even
+ * if that initialization is going to be immediately overwritten (say, by being
+ * passed into an insertion macro).
+ */
 #define qr_new(a_qr, a_field) do {					\
 	(a_qr)->a_field.qre_next = (a_qr);				\
 	(a_qr)->a_field.qre_prev = (a_qr);				\
 } while (0)
 
+/*
+ * Go forwards or backwards in the ring.  Note that (the ring being circular), this
+ * always succeeds -- you just keep looping around and around the ring if you
+ * chase pointers without end.
+ */
 #define qr_next(a_qr, a_field) ((a_qr)->a_field.qre_next)
-
 #define qr_prev(a_qr, a_field) ((a_qr)->a_field.qre_prev)
 
-/* a_qr_a can directly be a qr_next() macro, but a_qr_b cannot.  */
+/*
+ * Given two rings:
+ *    a -> a_1 -> ... -> a_n --
+ *    ^                       |
+ *    |------------------------
+ *
+ *    b -> b_1 -> ... -> b_n --
+ *    ^                       |
+ *    |------------------------
+ *
+ * Results in the ring:
+ *   a -> a_1 -> ... -> a_n -> b -> b_1 -> ... -> b_n --
+ *   ^                                                 |
+ *   |-------------------------------------------------|
+ *
+ * a_qr_a can directly be a qr_next() macro, but a_qr_b cannot.
+ */
 #define qr_meld(a_qr_a, a_qr_b, a_field) do {				\
 	(a_qr_b)->a_field.qre_prev->a_field.qre_next =			\
 	    (a_qr_a)->a_field.qre_prev;					\
@@ -29,28 +68,69 @@ struct {								\
 	(a_qr_b)->a_field.qre_prev->a_field.qre_next = (a_qr_b);	\
 } while (0)
 
+/*
+ * Logically, this is just a meld.  The intent, though, is that a_qrelm is a
+ * single-element ring, so that "before" has a more obvious interpretation than
+ * meld.
+ */
 #define qr_before_insert(a_qrelm, a_qr, a_field)			\
 	qr_meld((a_qrelm), (a_qr), a_field)
 
+/* Ditto, but inserting after rather than before. */
 #define qr_after_insert(a_qrelm, a_qr, a_field)				\
 	qr_before_insert(qr_next(a_qrelm, a_field), (a_qr), a_field)
 
 /*
+ * Inverts meld; given the ring:
+ *   a -> a_1 -> ... -> a_n -> b -> b_1 -> ... -> b_n --
+ *   ^                                                 |
+ *   |-------------------------------------------------|
+ *
+ * Results in two rings:
+ *    a -> a_1 -> ... -> a_n --
+ *    ^                       |
+ *    |------------------------
+ *
+ *    b -> b_1 -> ... -> b_n --
+ *    ^                       |
+ *    |------------------------
+ *
  * qr_meld() and qr_split() are functionally equivalent, so there's no need to
  * have two copies of the code.
  */
 #define qr_split(a_qr_a, a_qr_b, a_field)				\
 	qr_meld((a_qr_a), (a_qr_b), a_field)
 
+/*
+ * Splits off a_qr from the rest of its ring, so that it becomes a
+ * single-element ring.
+ */
 #define qr_remove(a_qr, a_field)					\
 	qr_split(qr_next(a_qr, a_field), (a_qr), a_field)
 
+/*
+ * Helper macro to iterate over each element in a ring exactly once, starting
+ * with a_qr.  The usage is (assuming my_t defined as above):
+ *
+ * int sum(my_t *item) {
+ *   int sum = 0;
+ *   my_t *iter;
+ *   qr_foreach(iter, item, link) {
+ *     sum += iter->data;
+ *   }
+ *   return sum;
+ * }
+ */
 #define qr_foreach(var, a_qr, a_field)					\
 	for ((var) = (a_qr);						\
 	    (var) != NULL;						\
 	    (var) = (((var)->a_field.qre_next != (a_qr))		\
 	    ? (var)->a_field.qre_next : NULL))
 
+/*
+ * The same (and with the same usage) as qr_foreach, but in the opposite order,
+ * ending with a_qr.
+ */
 #define qr_reverse_foreach(var, a_qr, a_field)				\
 	for ((var) = ((a_qr) != NULL) ? qr_prev(a_qr, a_field) : NULL;	\
 	    (var) != NULL;						\