diff --git a/include/libtorrent/entry.hpp b/include/libtorrent/entry.hpp
index dfd256d18..473eb1ca8 100755
--- a/include/libtorrent/entry.hpp
+++ b/include/libtorrent/entry.hpp
@@ -167,6 +167,8 @@ namespace libtorrent
 #endif
 		entry* find_key(char const* key);
 		entry const* find_key(char const* key) const;
+		entry* find_key(std::string const& key);
+		entry const* find_key(std::string const& key) const;
 		
 		void print(std::ostream& os, int indent = 0) const;
 
diff --git a/include/libtorrent/peer_id.hpp b/include/libtorrent/peer_id.hpp
index b91717c0a..0ec096de3 100755
--- a/include/libtorrent/peer_id.hpp
+++ b/include/libtorrent/peer_id.hpp
@@ -142,6 +142,9 @@ namespace libtorrent
 		iterator begin() { return m_number; }
 		iterator end() { return m_number+number_size; }
 
+		std::string to_string() const
+		{ return std::string((char const*)&m_number[0], number_size); }
+
 	private:
 
 		unsigned char m_number[number_size];
diff --git a/src/entry.cpp b/src/entry.cpp
index 2b8410115..0dd9a43fc 100755
--- a/src/entry.cpp
+++ b/src/entry.cpp
@@ -54,19 +54,6 @@ namespace
 		TORRENT_ASSERT(o);
 		o->~T();
 	}
-
-	struct compare_string
-	{
-		compare_string(char const* s): m_str(s)  {}
-	
-		bool operator()(
-			std::pair<std::string
-			, libtorrent::entry> const& e) const
-		{
-			return m_str && e.first == m_str;
-		}
-		char const* m_str;
-	};
 }
 
 namespace libtorrent
@@ -94,6 +81,16 @@ namespace libtorrent
 	}
 
 	entry& entry::operator[](char const* key)
+	{
+		dictionary_type::iterator i = dict().find(key);
+		if (i != dict().end()) return i->second;
+		dictionary_type::iterator ret = dict().insert(
+			dict().begin()
+			, std::make_pair(key, entry()));
+		return ret->second;
+	}
+
+	entry& entry::operator[](std::string const& key)
 	{
 		dictionary_type::iterator i = dict().find(key);
 		if (i != dict().end()) return i->second;
@@ -103,21 +100,11 @@ namespace libtorrent
 		return ret->second;
 	}
 
-
-	entry& entry::operator[](std::string const& key)
-	{
-		return (*this)[key.c_str()];
-	}
-
 	entry* entry::find_key(char const* key)
 	{
-		dictionary_type::iterator i = std::find_if(
-			dict().begin()
-			, dict().end()
-			, compare_string(key));
+		dictionary_type::iterator i = dict().find(key);
 		if (i == dict().end()) return 0;
 		return &i->second;
-	
 	}
 
 	entry const* entry::find_key(char const* key) const
@@ -127,6 +114,20 @@ namespace libtorrent
 		return &i->second;
 	}
 	
+	entry* entry::find_key(std::string const& key)
+	{
+		dictionary_type::iterator i = dict().find(key);
+		if (i == dict().end()) return 0;
+		return &i->second;
+	}
+
+	entry const* entry::find_key(std::string const& key) const
+	{
+		dictionary_type::const_iterator i = dict().find(key);
+		if (i == dict().end()) return 0;
+		return &i->second;
+	}
+	
 #ifndef BOOST_NO_EXCEPTIONS
 	const entry& entry::operator[](char const* key) const
 	{
diff --git a/src/http_tracker_connection.cpp b/src/http_tracker_connection.cpp
index 3ec3970d4..288ee7267 100755
--- a/src/http_tracker_connection.cpp
+++ b/src/http_tracker_connection.cpp
@@ -313,9 +313,7 @@ namespace libtorrent
 
 		if (tracker_req().kind == tracker_request::scrape_request)
 		{
-			std::string ih;
-			std::copy(tracker_req().info_hash.begin(), tracker_req().info_hash.end()
-				, std::back_inserter(ih));
+			std::string ih = tracker_req().info_hash.to_string();
 
 			entry const* files = e.find_key("files");
 			if (files == 0 || files->type() != entry::dictionary_t)
@@ -324,7 +322,7 @@ namespace libtorrent
 				return;
 			}
 
-			entry const* scrape_data = e.find_key(ih.c_str());
+			entry const* scrape_data = files->find_key(ih);
 			if (scrape_data == 0 || scrape_data->type() != entry::dictionary_t)
 			{
 				fail(-1, "missing or invalid info-hash entry in scrape response");