diff --git a/base/abstractarray.jl b/base/abstractarray.jl
index 2508e0f9ae007a..bc51ca8c3e46f0 100644
--- a/base/abstractarray.jl
+++ b/base/abstractarray.jl
@@ -75,13 +75,17 @@ linearindexing{A<:Array}(::Type{A}) = LinearFast()
 linearindexing{A<:Range}(::Type{A}) = LinearFast()
 
 ## Bounds checking ##
-_checkbounds(sz::Int, i::Int, A::AbstractArray, J...) = 1 <= i <= sz || throw(BoundsError(A, J))
-_checkbounds(sz::Int, i::Real, A::AbstractArray, J...) = _checkbounds(sz, to_index(i), A, J...)
-_checkbounds(sz::Int, I::AbstractVector{Bool}, A::AbstractArray, J...) = length(I) == sz || throw(BoundsError(A, J))
-_checkbounds(sz::Int, r::Range{Int}, A::AbstractArray, J...) = isempty(r) || (minimum(r) >= 1 && maximum(r) <= sz) || throw(BoundsError(A, J))
-_checkbounds{T<:Real}(sz::Int, r::Range{T}, A::AbstractArray, J...) = _checkbounds(sz, to_index(r), A, J...)
+# note: we force inlining of all _checkbounds bethods in order to force splatting
+#       of the arguments and avoid allocating tuples (unless a BoundsError is raised).
+#       we can't use @inline at this stage in the build process, so we manually add :meta expressions
+_checkbounds(sz::Int, i::Int, A::AbstractArray, J...) = (Expr(:meta, :inline); 1 <= i <= sz || throw(BoundsError(A, J)))
+_checkbounds(sz::Int, i::Real, A::AbstractArray, J...) = (Expr(:meta, :inline); _checkbounds(sz, to_index(i), A, J...))
+_checkbounds(sz::Int, I::AbstractVector{Bool}, A::AbstractArray, J...) = (Expr(:meta, :inline); length(I) == sz || throw(BoundsError(A, J)))
+_checkbounds(sz::Int, r::Range{Int}, A::AbstractArray, J...) = (Expr(:meta, :inline); isempty(r) || (minimum(r) >= 1 && maximum(r) <= sz) || throw(BoundsError(A, J)))
+_checkbounds{T<:Real}(sz::Int, r::Range{T}, A::AbstractArray, J...) = (Expr(:meta, :inline); _checkbounds(sz, to_index(r), A, J...))
 
 function _checkbounds{T <: Real}(sz::Int, I::AbstractArray{T}, A::AbstractArray, J...)
+   Expr(:meta, :inline)
     for i in I
         _checkbounds(sz, i, A, J...)
     end
diff --git a/base/base.jl b/base/base.jl
index daf59b0f9433aa..9d7860a0ae93b9 100644
--- a/base/base.jl
+++ b/base/base.jl
@@ -6,7 +6,8 @@ const Bottom = Union()
 
 # constructors for Core types in boot.jl
 call(T::Type{BoundsError}) = Core.call(T)
-call(T::Type{BoundsError}, args...) = Core.call(T, args...)
+#   note: manual @noinline to avoid tuple allocations unless an error actually occurs
+call(T::Type{BoundsError}, args...) = (Expr(:meta, :noinline); Core.call(T, args...))
 call(T::Type{DivideError}) = Core.call(T)
 call(T::Type{DomainError}) = Core.call(T)
 call(T::Type{OverflowError}) = Core.call(T)