diff --git a/library/core/src/iter/adapters/cloned.rs b/library/core/src/iter/adapters/cloned.rs
index 71a5a4ea831ff..042fd234a7876 100644
--- a/library/core/src/iter/adapters/cloned.rs
+++ b/library/core/src/iter/adapters/cloned.rs
@@ -60,6 +60,21 @@ where
         self.it.map(T::clone).fold(init, f)
     }
 
+    #[inline]
+    fn count(self) -> usize {
+        self.it.count()
+    }
+
+    #[inline]
+    fn last(self) -> Option<Self::Item> {
+        self.it.last().cloned()
+    }
+
+    #[inline]
+    fn advance_by(&mut self, n: usize) -> Result<(), usize> {
+        self.it.advance_by(n)
+    }
+
     #[doc(hidden)]
     unsafe fn __iterator_get_unchecked(&mut self, idx: usize) -> T
     where
@@ -96,6 +111,11 @@ where
     {
         self.it.map(T::clone).rfold(init, f)
     }
+
+    #[inline]
+    fn advance_back_by(&mut self, n: usize) -> Result<(), usize> {
+        self.it.advance_back_by(n)
+    }
 }
 
 #[stable(feature = "iter_cloned", since = "1.1.0")]
diff --git a/library/core/src/iter/adapters/skip.rs b/library/core/src/iter/adapters/skip.rs
index ea1da8ba434ed..14417cccb95e0 100644
--- a/library/core/src/iter/adapters/skip.rs
+++ b/library/core/src/iter/adapters/skip.rs
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ where
     #[inline]
     fn next(&mut self) -> Option<I::Item> {
         if unlikely(self.n > 0) {
-            self.iter.nth(crate::mem::take(&mut self.n) - 1);
+            let _ = self.iter.advance_by(crate::mem::take(&mut self.n));
         }
         self.iter.next()
     }
diff --git a/library/core/src/iter/traits/double_ended.rs b/library/core/src/iter/traits/double_ended.rs
index a6aed6d210beb..ec44e9a9177d3 100644
--- a/library/core/src/iter/traits/double_ended.rs
+++ b/library/core/src/iter/traits/double_ended.rs
@@ -107,8 +107,14 @@ pub trait DoubleEndedIterator: Iterator {
     /// outer iterator until it finds an inner iterator that is not empty, which then often
     /// allows it to return a more accurate `size_hint()` than in its initial state.
     ///
+    /// Implementations may elide side-effects such as calling closures or `clone` when they are
+    /// not necessary to determine by how many steps an iterator can be advanced. For example
+    /// [`Cloned::advance_back_by`] avoids unnecessary allocations by directly advancing its inner iterator
+    /// instead.
+    ///
     /// [`advance_by`]: Iterator::advance_by
     /// [`Flatten`]: crate::iter::Flatten
+    /// [`Cloned::advance_back_by`]: crate::iter::Cloned::advance_back_by
     /// [`next_back`]: DoubleEndedIterator::next_back
     ///
     /// # Examples
diff --git a/library/core/src/iter/traits/iterator.rs b/library/core/src/iter/traits/iterator.rs
index 9a9a844f41bb4..5a16e03a65677 100644
--- a/library/core/src/iter/traits/iterator.rs
+++ b/library/core/src/iter/traits/iterator.rs
@@ -250,7 +250,13 @@ pub trait Iterator {
     /// can advance its outer iterator until it finds an inner iterator that is not empty, which
     /// then often allows it to return a more accurate `size_hint()` than in its initial state.
     ///
+    /// Implementations may elide side-effects such as calling closures or `clone` when they are
+    /// not necessary to determine by how many steps an iterator can be advanced. For example
+    /// [`Cloned::advance_by`] avoids unnecessary allocations by directly advancing its inner iterator
+    /// instead.
+    ///
     /// [`Flatten`]: crate::iter::Flatten
+    /// [`Cloned::advance_by`]: crate::iter::Cloned::advance_by
     /// [`next`]: Iterator::next
     ///
     /// # Examples
diff --git a/library/core/tests/iter/adapters/cloned.rs b/library/core/tests/iter/adapters/cloned.rs
index 78babb7feab18..de52cdaf6d206 100644
--- a/library/core/tests/iter/adapters/cloned.rs
+++ b/library/core/tests/iter/adapters/cloned.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 use core::iter::*;
+use core::ops::Drop;
+use core::sync::atomic::{AtomicUsize, Ordering};
 
 #[test]
 fn test_cloned() {
@@ -34,6 +36,40 @@ fn test_cloned_side_effects() {
     assert_eq!(count, 2);
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn test_cloned_clone_elision() {
+    static CLONE_COUNTER: AtomicUsize = AtomicUsize::new(0);
+
+    struct CloneWitness;
+
+    impl Clone for CloneWitness {
+        fn clone(&self) -> Self {
+            CloneWitness
+        }
+    }
+
+    impl Drop for CloneWitness {
+        fn drop(&mut self) {
+            CLONE_COUNTER.fetch_add(1, Ordering::Relaxed);
+        }
+    }
+
+    let ary: [CloneWitness; 5] = core::array::from_fn(|_| CloneWitness);
+    let iter = ary.iter();
+    iter.clone().cloned().skip(4).next();
+    assert_eq!(CLONE_COUNTER.swap(0, Ordering::Relaxed), 1);
+    iter.clone().cloned().last();
+    assert_eq!(CLONE_COUNTER.swap(0, Ordering::Relaxed), 1);
+    iter.clone().cloned().nth(4);
+    assert_eq!(CLONE_COUNTER.swap(0, Ordering::Relaxed), 1);
+    iter.clone().cloned().take(2).next_back();
+    assert_eq!(CLONE_COUNTER.swap(0, Ordering::Relaxed), 1);
+    iter.clone().cloned().count();
+    assert_eq!(CLONE_COUNTER.swap(0, Ordering::Relaxed), 0);
+    let _ = iter.clone().cloned().advance_by(5);
+    assert_eq!(CLONE_COUNTER.swap(0, Ordering::Relaxed), 0);
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn test_cloned_try_folds() {
     let a = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9];