diff --git a/crates/api/src/linker.rs b/crates/api/src/linker.rs
index a5f28c646a..694c2dc21b 100644
--- a/crates/api/src/linker.rs
+++ b/crates/api/src/linker.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 use crate::{
     Extern, ExternType, Func, FuncType, GlobalType, ImportType, Instance, IntoFunc, Module, Store,
 };
-use anyhow::{bail, Result};
+use anyhow::{anyhow, bail, Result};
 use std::collections::hash_map::{Entry, HashMap};
 use std::rc::Rc;
 
@@ -270,6 +270,27 @@ impl Linker {
         Ok(self)
     }
 
+    /// Aliases one module's name as another.
+    ///
+    /// This method will alias all currently defined under `module` to also be
+    /// defined under the name `as_module` too.
+    ///
+    /// # Errors
+    ///
+    /// Returns an error if any shadowing violations happen while defining new
+    /// items.
+    pub fn alias(&mut self, module: &str, as_module: &str) -> Result<()> {
+        let items = self
+            .iter()
+            .filter(|(m, _, _)| *m == module)
+            .map(|(_, name, item)| (name.to_string(), item.clone()))
+            .collect::<Vec<_>>();
+        for (name, item) in items {
+            self.define(as_module, &name, item)?;
+        }
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
     fn insert(&mut self, module: &str, name: &str, ty: &ExternType, item: Extern) -> Result<()> {
         let key = self.import_key(module, name, ty);
         match self.map.entry(key) {
@@ -357,7 +378,7 @@ impl Linker {
     pub fn instantiate(&self, module: &Module) -> Result<Instance> {
         let mut imports = Vec::new();
         for import in module.imports() {
-            if let Some(item) = self.import_get(import) {
+            if let Some(item) = self.get(import) {
                 imports.push(item.clone());
                 continue;
             }
@@ -395,7 +416,30 @@ impl Linker {
         Instance::new(module, &imports)
     }
 
-    fn import_get(&self, import: &ImportType) -> Option<&Extern> {
+    /// Returns the [`Store`] that this linker is connected to.
+    pub fn store(&self) -> &Store {
+        &self.store
+    }
+
+    /// Returns an iterator over all items defined in this `Linker`.
+    ///
+    /// The iterator returned will yield 3-tuples where the first two elements
+    /// are the module name and item name for the external item, and the third
+    /// item is the item itself that is defined.
+    ///
+    /// Note that multiple `Extern` items may be defined for the same
+    /// module/name pair.
+    pub fn iter(&self) -> impl Iterator<Item = (&str, &str, &Extern)> {
+        self.map
+            .iter()
+            .map(move |(key, item)| (&*self.strings[key.module], &*self.strings[key.name], item))
+    }
+
+    /// Looks up a value in this `Linker` which matches the `import` type
+    /// provided.
+    ///
+    /// Returns `None` if no match was found.
+    pub fn get(&self, import: &ImportType) -> Option<&Extern> {
         let key = ImportKey {
             module: *self.string2idx.get(import.module())?,
             name: *self.string2idx.get(import.name())?,
@@ -404,8 +448,37 @@ impl Linker {
         self.map.get(&key)
     }
 
-    /// Returns the [`Store`] that this linker is connected to.
-    pub fn store(&self) -> &Store {
-        &self.store
+    /// Returns all items defined for the `module` and `name` pair.
+    ///
+    /// This may return an empty iterator, but it may also return multiple items
+    /// if the module/name have been defined twice.
+    pub fn get_by_name<'a: 'p, 'p>(
+        &'a self,
+        module: &'p str,
+        name: &'p str,
+    ) -> impl Iterator<Item = &'a Extern> + 'p {
+        self.map
+            .iter()
+            .filter(move |(key, _item)| {
+                &*self.strings[key.module] == module && &*self.strings[key.name] == name
+            })
+            .map(|(_, item)| item)
+    }
+
+    /// Returns the single item defined for the `module` and `name` pair.
+    ///
+    /// Unlike the similar [`Linker::get_by_name`] method this function returns
+    /// a single `&Extern` item. If the `module` and `name` pair isn't defined
+    /// in this linker then an error is returned. If more than one value exists
+    /// for the `module` and `name` pairs, then an error is returned as well.
+    pub fn get_one_by_name(&self, module: &str, name: &str) -> Result<&Extern> {
+        let mut items = self.get_by_name(module, name);
+        let ret = items
+            .next()
+            .ok_or_else(|| anyhow!("no item named `{}` in `{}`", name, module))?;
+        if items.next().is_some() {
+            bail!("too many items named `{}` in `{}`", name, module);
+        }
+        Ok(ret)
     }
 }
diff --git a/crates/wast/src/wast.rs b/crates/wast/src/wast.rs
index 7544c6255c..f62ec3530b 100644
--- a/crates/wast/src/wast.rs
+++ b/crates/wast/src/wast.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 use crate::spectest::link_spectest;
 use anyhow::{anyhow, bail, Context as _, Result};
-use std::collections::HashMap;
 use std::path::Path;
 use std::str;
 use wasmtime::*;
@@ -28,8 +27,9 @@ pub struct WastContext {
     /// Wast files have a concept of a "current" module, which is the most
     /// recently defined.
     current: Option<Instance>,
-
-    instances: HashMap<String, Instance>,
+    // FIXME(#1479) this is only needed to retain correct trap information after
+    // we've dropped previous `Instance` values.
+    modules: Vec<Module>,
     linker: Linker,
     store: Store,
 }
@@ -58,28 +58,27 @@ impl WastContext {
         linker.allow_shadowing(true);
         Self {
             current: None,
-            instances: HashMap::new(),
             linker,
             store,
+            modules: Vec::new(),
         }
     }
 
-    fn get_instance(&self, instance_name: Option<&str>) -> Result<Instance> {
-        match instance_name {
-            Some(name) => self
-                .instances
-                .get(name)
-                .cloned()
-                .ok_or_else(|| anyhow!("failed to find instance named `{}`", name)),
+    fn get_export(&self, module: Option<&str>, name: &str) -> Result<&Extern> {
+        match module {
+            Some(module) => self.linker.get_one_by_name(module, name),
             None => self
                 .current
-                .clone()
-                .ok_or_else(|| anyhow!("no previous instance found")),
+                .as_ref()
+                .ok_or_else(|| anyhow!("no previous instance found"))?
+                .get_export(name)
+                .ok_or_else(|| anyhow!("no item named `{}` found", name)),
         }
     }
 
-    fn instantiate(&self, module: &[u8]) -> Result<Outcome<Instance>> {
+    fn instantiate(&mut self, module: &[u8]) -> Result<Outcome<Instance>> {
         let module = Module::new(&self.store, module)?;
+        self.modules.push(module.clone());
         let instance = match self.linker.instantiate(&module) {
             Ok(i) => i,
             Err(e) => return e.downcast::<Trap>().map(Outcome::Trap),
@@ -125,7 +124,6 @@ impl WastContext {
             Outcome::Trap(e) => bail!("instantiation failed with: {}", e.message()),
         };
         if let Some(name) = instance_name {
-            self.instances.insert(name.to_string(), instance.clone());
             self.linker.instance(name, &instance)?;
         }
         self.current = Some(instance);
@@ -134,10 +132,17 @@ impl WastContext {
 
     /// Register an instance to make it available for performing actions.
     fn register(&mut self, name: Option<&str>, as_name: &str) -> Result<()> {
-        let instance = self.get_instance(name)?.clone();
-        self.linker.instance(as_name, &instance)?;
-        self.instances.insert(as_name.to_string(), instance);
-        Ok(())
+        match name {
+            Some(name) => self.linker.alias(name, as_name),
+            None => {
+                let current = self
+                    .current
+                    .as_ref()
+                    .ok_or(anyhow!("no previous instance"))?;
+                self.linker.instance(as_name, current)?;
+                Ok(())
+            }
+        }
     }
 
     /// Invoke an exported function from an instance.
@@ -147,10 +152,9 @@ impl WastContext {
         field: &str,
         args: &[Val],
     ) -> Result<Outcome> {
-        let instance = self.get_instance(instance_name.as_ref().map(|x| &**x))?;
-        let func = instance
-            .get_export(field)
-            .and_then(|e| e.func())
+        let func = self
+            .get_export(instance_name, field)?
+            .func()
             .ok_or_else(|| anyhow!("no function named `{}`", field))?;
         Ok(match func.call(args) {
             Ok(result) => Outcome::Ok(result.into()),
@@ -160,10 +164,9 @@ impl WastContext {
 
     /// Get the value of an exported global from an instance.
     fn get(&mut self, instance_name: Option<&str>, field: &str) -> Result<Outcome> {
-        let instance = self.get_instance(instance_name.as_ref().map(|x| &**x))?;
-        let global = instance
-            .get_export(field)
-            .and_then(|e| e.global())
+        let global = self
+            .get_export(instance_name, field)?
+            .global()
             .ok_or_else(|| anyhow!("no global named `{}`", field))?;
         Ok(Outcome::Ok(vec![global.get()]))
     }