diff --git a/src/data.js b/src/data.js
index 7d9bef3e1..1545968fe 100644
--- a/src/data.js
+++ b/src/data.js
@@ -1,5 +1,179 @@
 var rbrace = /(?:\{[\s\S]*\}|\[[\s\S]*\])$/,
 	rmultiDash = /([A-Z])/g;
+	
+function internalData( elem, name, data, pvt /* Internal Use Only */ ){
+	if ( !jQuery.acceptData( elem ) ) {
+		return;
+	}
+
+	var thisCache, ret,
+		internalKey = jQuery.expando,
+		getByName = typeof name === "string",
+
+		// We have to handle DOM nodes and JS objects differently because IE6-7
+		// can't GC object references properly across the DOM-JS boundary
+		isNode = elem.nodeType,
+
+		// Only DOM nodes need the global jQuery cache; JS object data is
+		// attached directly to the object so GC can occur automatically
+		cache = isNode ? jQuery.cache : elem,
+
+		// Only defining an ID for JS objects if its cache already exists allows
+		// the code to shortcut on the same path as a DOM node with no cache
+		id = isNode ? elem[ internalKey ] : elem[ internalKey ] && internalKey;
+
+	// Avoid doing any more work than we need to when trying to get data on an
+	// object that has no data at all
+	if ( (!id || !cache[id] || (!pvt && !cache[id].data)) && getByName && data === undefined ) {
+		return;
+	}
+
+	if ( !id ) {
+		// Only DOM nodes need a new unique ID for each element since their data
+		// ends up in the global cache
+		if ( isNode ) {
+			elem[ internalKey ] = id = jQuery.deletedIds.pop() || jQuery.guid++;
+		} else {
+			id = internalKey;
+		}
+	}
+
+	if ( !cache[ id ] ) {
+		cache[ id ] = {};
+
+		// Avoids exposing jQuery metadata on plain JS objects when the object
+		// is serialized using JSON.stringify
+		if ( !isNode ) {
+			cache[ id ].toJSON = jQuery.noop;
+		}
+	}
+
+	// An object can be passed to jQuery.data instead of a key/value pair; this gets
+	// shallow copied over onto the existing cache
+	if ( typeof name === "object" || typeof name === "function" ) {
+		if ( pvt ) {
+			cache[ id ] = jQuery.extend( cache[ id ], name );
+		} else {
+			cache[ id ].data = jQuery.extend( cache[ id ].data, name );
+		}
+	}
+
+	thisCache = cache[ id ];
+
+	// jQuery data() is stored in a separate object inside the object's internal data
+	// cache in order to avoid key collisions between internal data and user-defined
+	// data.
+	if ( !pvt ) {
+		if ( !thisCache.data ) {
+			thisCache.data = {};
+		}
+
+		thisCache = thisCache.data;
+	}
+
+	if ( data !== undefined ) {
+		thisCache[ jQuery.camelCase( name ) ] = data;
+	}
+
+	// Check for both converted-to-camel and non-converted data property names
+	// If a data property was specified
+	if ( getByName ) {
+
+		// First Try to find as-is property data
+		ret = thisCache[ name ];
+
+		// Test for null|undefined property data
+		if ( ret == null ) {
+
+			// Try to find the camelCased property
+			ret = thisCache[ jQuery.camelCase( name ) ];
+		}
+	} else {
+		ret = thisCache;
+	}
+
+	return ret;
+}
+
+function internalRemoveData( elem, name, pvt /* For internal use only */ ){
+	if ( !jQuery.acceptData( elem ) ) {
+		return;
+	}
+
+	var thisCache, i, l,
+
+		isNode = elem.nodeType,
+
+		// See jQuery.data for more information
+		cache = isNode ? jQuery.cache : elem,
+		id = isNode ? elem[ jQuery.expando ] : jQuery.expando;
+
+	// If there is already no cache entry for this object, there is no
+	// purpose in continuing
+	if ( !cache[ id ] ) {
+		return;
+	}
+
+	if ( name ) {
+
+		thisCache = pvt ? cache[ id ] : cache[ id ].data;
+
+		if ( thisCache ) {
+
+			// Support array or space separated string names for data keys
+			if ( !jQuery.isArray( name ) ) {
+
+				// try the string as a key before any manipulation
+				if ( name in thisCache ) {
+					name = [ name ];
+				} else {
+
+					// split the camel cased version by spaces unless a key with the spaces exists
+					name = jQuery.camelCase( name );
+					if ( name in thisCache ) {
+						name = [ name ];
+					} else {
+						name = name.split(" ");
+					}
+				}
+			}
+
+			for ( i = 0, l = name.length; i < l; i++ ) {
+				delete thisCache[ name[i] ];
+			}
+
+			// If there is no data left in the cache, we want to continue
+			// and let the cache object itself get destroyed
+			if ( !( pvt ? isEmptyDataObject : jQuery.isEmptyObject )( thisCache ) ) {
+				return;
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
+	// See jQuery.data for more information
+	if ( !pvt ) {
+		delete cache[ id ].data;
+
+		// Don't destroy the parent cache unless the internal data object
+		// had been the only thing left in it
+		if ( !isEmptyDataObject( cache[ id ] ) ) {
+			return;
+		}
+	}
+
+	// Destroy the cache
+	if ( isNode ) {
+		jQuery.cleanData( [ elem ], true );
+
+	// Use delete when supported for expandos or `cache` is not a window per isWindow (#10080)
+	} else if ( jQuery.support.deleteExpando || cache != cache.window ) {
+		delete cache[ id ];
+
+	// When all else fails, null
+	} else {
+		cache[ id ] = null;
+	}
+}
 
 jQuery.extend({
 	cache: {},
@@ -27,183 +201,21 @@ jQuery.extend({
 		return !!elem && !isEmptyDataObject( elem );
 	},
 
-	data: function( elem, name, data, pvt /* Internal Use Only */ ) {
-		if ( !jQuery.acceptData( elem ) ) {
-			return;
-		}
-
-		var thisCache, ret,
-			internalKey = jQuery.expando,
-			getByName = typeof name === "string",
-
-			// We have to handle DOM nodes and JS objects differently because IE6-7
-			// can't GC object references properly across the DOM-JS boundary
-			isNode = elem.nodeType,
-
-			// Only DOM nodes need the global jQuery cache; JS object data is
-			// attached directly to the object so GC can occur automatically
-			cache = isNode ? jQuery.cache : elem,
-
-			// Only defining an ID for JS objects if its cache already exists allows
-			// the code to shortcut on the same path as a DOM node with no cache
-			id = isNode ? elem[ internalKey ] : elem[ internalKey ] && internalKey;
-
-		// Avoid doing any more work than we need to when trying to get data on an
-		// object that has no data at all
-		if ( (!id || !cache[id] || (!pvt && !cache[id].data)) && getByName && data === undefined ) {
-			return;
-		}
-
-		if ( !id ) {
-			// Only DOM nodes need a new unique ID for each element since their data
-			// ends up in the global cache
-			if ( isNode ) {
-				elem[ internalKey ] = id = jQuery.deletedIds.pop() || jQuery.guid++;
-			} else {
-				id = internalKey;
-			}
-		}
-
-		if ( !cache[ id ] ) {
-			cache[ id ] = {};
-
-			// Avoids exposing jQuery metadata on plain JS objects when the object
-			// is serialized using JSON.stringify
-			if ( !isNode ) {
-				cache[ id ].toJSON = jQuery.noop;
-			}
-		}
-
-		// An object can be passed to jQuery.data instead of a key/value pair; this gets
-		// shallow copied over onto the existing cache
-		if ( typeof name === "object" || typeof name === "function" ) {
-			if ( pvt ) {
-				cache[ id ] = jQuery.extend( cache[ id ], name );
-			} else {
-				cache[ id ].data = jQuery.extend( cache[ id ].data, name );
-			}
-		}
-
-		thisCache = cache[ id ];
-
-		// jQuery data() is stored in a separate object inside the object's internal data
-		// cache in order to avoid key collisions between internal data and user-defined
-		// data.
-		if ( !pvt ) {
-			if ( !thisCache.data ) {
-				thisCache.data = {};
-			}
-
-			thisCache = thisCache.data;
-		}
-
-		if ( data !== undefined ) {
-			thisCache[ jQuery.camelCase( name ) ] = data;
-		}
-
-		// Check for both converted-to-camel and non-converted data property names
-		// If a data property was specified
-		if ( getByName ) {
-
-			// First Try to find as-is property data
-			ret = thisCache[ name ];
-
-			// Test for null|undefined property data
-			if ( ret == null ) {
-
-				// Try to find the camelCased property
-				ret = thisCache[ jQuery.camelCase( name ) ];
-			}
-		} else {
-			ret = thisCache;
-		}
-
-		return ret;
+	data: function( elem, name, data ) {
+		return internalData( elem, name, data, false );
 	},
 
-	removeData: function( elem, name, pvt /* Internal Use Only */ ) {
-		if ( !jQuery.acceptData( elem ) ) {
-			return;
-		}
-
-		var thisCache, i, l,
-
-			isNode = elem.nodeType,
-
-			// See jQuery.data for more information
-			cache = isNode ? jQuery.cache : elem,
-			id = isNode ? elem[ jQuery.expando ] : jQuery.expando;
-
-		// If there is already no cache entry for this object, there is no
-		// purpose in continuing
-		if ( !cache[ id ] ) {
-			return;
-		}
-
-		if ( name ) {
-
-			thisCache = pvt ? cache[ id ] : cache[ id ].data;
-
-			if ( thisCache ) {
-
-				// Support array or space separated string names for data keys
-				if ( !jQuery.isArray( name ) ) {
-
-					// try the string as a key before any manipulation
-					if ( name in thisCache ) {
-						name = [ name ];
-					} else {
-
-						// split the camel cased version by spaces unless a key with the spaces exists
-						name = jQuery.camelCase( name );
-						if ( name in thisCache ) {
-							name = [ name ];
-						} else {
-							name = name.split(" ");
-						}
-					}
-				}
-
-				for ( i = 0, l = name.length; i < l; i++ ) {
-					delete thisCache[ name[i] ];
-				}
-
-				// If there is no data left in the cache, we want to continue
-				// and let the cache object itself get destroyed
-				if ( !( pvt ? isEmptyDataObject : jQuery.isEmptyObject )( thisCache ) ) {
-					return;
-				}
-			}
-		}
-
-		// See jQuery.data for more information
-		if ( !pvt ) {
-			delete cache[ id ].data;
-
-			// Don't destroy the parent cache unless the internal data object
-			// had been the only thing left in it
-			if ( !isEmptyDataObject( cache[ id ] ) ) {
-				return;
-			}
-		}
-
-		// Destroy the cache
-		if ( isNode ) {
-			jQuery.cleanData( [ elem ], true );
-
-		// Use delete when supported for expandos or `cache` is not a window per isWindow (#10080)
-		} else if ( jQuery.support.deleteExpando || cache != cache.window ) {
-			delete cache[ id ];
-
-		// When all else fails, null
-		} else {
-			cache[ id ] = null;
-		}
+	removeData: function( elem, name ) {
+		return internalRemoveData( elem, name, false );
 	},
 
 	// For internal use only.
 	_data: function( elem, name, data ) {
-		return jQuery.data( elem, name, data, true );
+		return internalData( elem, name, data, true );
+	},
+	
+	_removeData: function( elem, name ) {
+		return internalRemoveData( elem, name, true );
 	},
 
 	// A method for determining if a DOM node can handle the data expando
diff --git a/src/effects.js b/src/effects.js
index 9965eee78..cff0dc835 100644
--- a/src/effects.js
+++ b/src/effects.js
@@ -327,7 +327,7 @@ function defaultPrefilter( elem, props, opts ) {
 		}
 		anim.done(function() {
 			var prop;
-			jQuery.removeData( elem, "fxshow", true );
+			jQuery._removeData( elem, "fxshow" );
 			for ( prop in orig ) {
 				jQuery.style( elem, prop, orig[ prop ] );
 			}
diff --git a/src/event.js b/src/event.js
index 91ec7d757..3fea1a1be 100644
--- a/src/event.js
+++ b/src/event.js
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@ var rformElems = /^(?:textarea|input|select)$/i,
 jQuery.event = {
 
 	add: function( elem, types, handler, data, selector ) {
-
 		var elemData, eventHandle, events,
 			t, tns, type, namespaces, handleObj,
 			handleObjIn, handlers, special;
@@ -196,7 +195,7 @@ jQuery.event = {
 
 			// removeData also checks for emptiness and clears the expando if empty
 			// so use it instead of delete
-			jQuery.removeData( elem, "events", true );
+			jQuery._removeData( elem, "events" );
 		}
 	},
 
diff --git a/src/queue.js b/src/queue.js
index d3a1136a6..c5a0cbd7d 100644
--- a/src/queue.js
+++ b/src/queue.js
@@ -58,8 +58,8 @@ jQuery.extend({
 		var key = type + "queueHooks";
 		return jQuery._data( elem, key ) || jQuery._data( elem, key, {
 			empty: jQuery.Callbacks("once memory").add(function() {
-				jQuery.removeData( elem, type + "queue", true );
-				jQuery.removeData( elem, key, true );
+				jQuery._removeData( elem, type + "queue" );
+				jQuery._removeData( elem, key );
 			})
 		});
 	}
diff --git a/test/unit/data.js b/test/unit/data.js
index 01d042e4e..d1d947f70 100644
--- a/test/unit/data.js
+++ b/test/unit/data.js
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ function dataTests (elem) {
 	}
 
 	var oldCacheLength, dataObj, internalDataObj, expected, actual;
-
+	
 	equal( jQuery.data(elem, "foo"), undefined, "No data exists initially" );
 	strictEqual( jQuery.hasData(elem), false, "jQuery.hasData agrees no data exists initially" );
 
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ function dataTests (elem) {
 	strictEqual( jQuery.data(elem, "foo"), "foo1", "Passing an object extends the data object instead of replacing it" );
 	equal( jQuery.data(elem, "boom"), "bloz", "Extending the data object works" );
 
-	jQuery._data(elem, "foo", "foo2");
+	jQuery._data(elem, "foo", "foo2", true);
 	equal( jQuery._data(elem, "foo"), "foo2", "Setting internal data works" );
 	equal( jQuery.data(elem, "foo"), "foo1", "Setting internal data does not override user data" );
 
@@ -66,9 +66,9 @@ function dataTests (elem) {
 	jQuery.removeData(elem);
 	strictEqual( jQuery._data(elem), internalDataObj, "jQuery.removeData does not remove internal data if it exists" );
 
-	jQuery.removeData(elem, undefined, true);
+	jQuery._removeData(elem);
 
-	strictEqual( jQuery.data(elem, jQuery.expando), undefined, "jQuery.removeData on internal data works" );
+	strictEqual( jQuery._data(elem, jQuery.expando), undefined, "jQuery.removeData on internal data works" );
 	strictEqual( jQuery.hasData(elem), false, "jQuery.hasData agrees all data has been removed from object" );
 
 	jQuery._data(elem, "foo", "foo2");
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ function dataTests (elem) {
 
 	// delete the last private data key so we can test removing public data
 	// will destroy the cache
-	jQuery.removeData( elem, "foo", true );
+	jQuery._removeData( elem, "foo" );
 
 	if (elem.nodeType) {
 		oldCacheLength = getCacheLength();
@@ -109,9 +109,9 @@ function dataTests (elem) {
 	equal( jQuery.data(elem, "foo"), "foo1", "(sanity check) Ensure data is set in user data object" );
 	equal( jQuery._data(elem, "foo"), "foo2", "(sanity check) Ensure data is set in internal data object" );
 
-	jQuery.removeData(elem, "foo", true);
+	jQuery._removeData(elem, "foo");
 
-	strictEqual( jQuery.data(elem, jQuery.expando), undefined, "Removing the last item in internal data destroys the internal data object" );
+	strictEqual( jQuery._data(elem, jQuery.expando), undefined, "Removing the last item in internal data destroys the internal data object" );
 
 	jQuery._data(elem, "foo", "foo2");
 	equal( jQuery._data(elem, "foo"), "foo2", "(sanity check) Ensure data is set in internal data object" );
@@ -121,11 +121,11 @@ function dataTests (elem) {
 
 	if ( elem.nodeType ) {
 		oldCacheLength = getCacheLength();
-		jQuery.removeData(elem, "foo", true);
+		jQuery._removeData(elem, "foo");
 		equal( getCacheLength(), oldCacheLength - 1, "Removing the last item in the internal data object also destroys the user data object when it is empty" );
 	}
 	else {
-		jQuery.removeData(elem, "foo", true);
+		jQuery._removeData(elem, "foo");
 
 		if (jQuery.support.deleteExpando) {
 			expected = false;