diff --git a/src/main.c b/src/main.c
index c9db3ad6ace9293e044cb21a7f9dfe741693bd5d..7a9e3a5180e0e0a1edd877921a5539480a25cded 100644
--- a/src/main.c
+++ b/src/main.c
@@ -249,6 +249,7 @@ void main(int argc, char **argv, char **env)
 
 void init_main_efuns()
 {
+  init_shared_string_table();
   init_interpreter();
   init_lex();
   init_types();
diff --git a/src/stralloc.c b/src/stralloc.c
index 548b8c803db0beff345acaba08c9da86c9208c89..fb1948627fb6b1939e5e366cd4a8aa028a272d90 100644
--- a/src/stralloc.c
+++ b/src/stralloc.c
@@ -11,73 +11,23 @@
 #include "memory.h"
 #include "error.h"
 
-static struct pike_string *base_table[HTABLE_SIZE];
+#define BEGIN_HASH_SIZE 997
+#define MAX_AVG_LINK_LENGTH 3
+
+unsigned INT32 htable_size=0;
+static struct pike_string **base_table=0;
 static unsigned INT32 full_hash_value;
+unsigned INT32 num_strings=0;
 
-/*
- */
+/*** Main string hash function ***/
 static unsigned int StrHash(const char *s,int len)
 {
   full_hash_value=hashmem((unsigned char *)s, len, 20);
-  return full_hash_value % HTABLE_SIZE;
+  return full_hash_value % htable_size;
 }
 
-#ifdef DEBUG
-void check_string(struct pike_string *s)
-{
-  StrHash(s->str, s->len);
-  if(full_hash_value != s->hval)
-    fatal("Hash value changed?\n");
-
-  if(debug_findstring(s) !=s)
-    fatal("Shared string not shared.\n");
-
-  if(s->str[s->len])
-    fatal("Shared string is not zero terminated properly.\n");
-}
-
-void verify_shared_strings_tables()
-{
-  unsigned int e, h;
-  struct pike_string *s;
-
-  for(e=0;e<HTABLE_SIZE;e++)
-  {
-    h=0;
-    for(s=base_table[e];s;s=s->next)
-    {
-      h++;
-      if(s->len < 0)
-	fatal("Shared string shorter than zero bytes.\n");
-
-      if(s->refs <= 0)
-	fatal("Shared string had too few references.\n");
-
-      if(s->str[s->len])
-	fatal("Shared string didn't end with a zero.\n");
-
-      if(StrHash(s->str, s->len) != e)
-	fatal("Shared string hashed to wrong place.\n");
-
-      if(s->hval != full_hash_value)
-	fatal("Shared string hashed to other number.\n");
-	
-      if(h>10000)
-      {
-	struct pike_string *s2;
-	for(s2=s;s2;s2=s2->next)
-	  if(s2 == s)
-	    fatal("Shared string table is cyclic.\n");
-	h=0;
-      }
-    }
-  }
-}
-#endif
 
-/*
- * find a string in the shared string table.
- */
+/*** find a string in the shared string table. ***/
 static struct pike_string *internal_findstring(const char *s,int len,int h)
 {
   struct pike_string *curr,**prev, **base;
@@ -137,50 +87,38 @@ static struct pike_string *propagate_shared_string(const struct pike_string *s,i
   return 0; /* not found */
 }
 
-#ifdef DEBUG
-struct pike_string *debug_findstring(const struct pike_string *foo)
+/*** rehash ***/
+
+static void rehash_string_backwards(struct pike_string *s)
 {
-  struct pike_string *tmp;
-  tmp=propagate_shared_string(foo, foo->hval % HTABLE_SIZE);
+  int h;
+  if(!s) return;
+  rehash_string_backwards(s->next);
+  h=s->hval % htable_size;
+  s->next=base_table[h];
+  base_table[h]=s;
+}
 
-#if 0
-  if(!tmp)
-  {
-    int e;
-    struct pike_string *tmp2;
-    fprintf(stderr,"String %p %ld %ld %s\n",
-	    foo,
-	    (long)foo->hval,
-	    (long)foo->len,
-	    foo->str);
-    StrHash(foo->str,foo->len);
-    fprintf(stderr,"------ %p %ld\n",
-	    base_table[foo->hval %HTABLE_SIZE],
-	    (long)full_hash_value);
-    for(tmp2=base_table[foo->hval % HTABLE_SIZE];tmp2;tmp2=tmp2->next)
-    {
-      if(tmp2 == tmp)
-	fprintf(stderr,"!!%p!!->",tmp2);
-      else
-	fprintf(stderr,"%p->",tmp2);
-    }
-    fprintf(stderr,"0\n");
+static void rehash()
+{
+  int h,old;
+  struct pike_string **old_base;
 
-    for(e=0;e<HTABLE_SIZE;e++)
-    {
-      for(tmp2=base_table[e];tmp2;tmp2=tmp2->next)
-      {
-	if(tmp2 == tmp)
-	  fprintf(stderr,"String found in hashbin %ld (not %ld)\n",
-		  (long)e,
-		  (long)(foo->hval % HTABLE_SIZE));
-      }
-    }
-  }
-#endif
-  return tmp;
+  old=htable_size;
+  old_base=base_table;
+
+  htable_size=htable_size*2 +1;
+  base_table=(struct pike_string **)xalloc(sizeof(struct pike_string *)*htable_size);
+  MEMSET((char *)base_table,0,sizeof(struct pike_string *)*htable_size);
+
+  for(h=0;h<old;h++) rehash_string_backwards(old_base[h]);
+
+  if(old_base)
+    free((char *)old_base);
 }
-#endif
+
+
+/*** Make new strings ***/
 
 /* note that begin_shared_string expects the _exact_ size of the string,
  * not the maximum size
@@ -194,6 +132,17 @@ struct pike_string *begin_shared_string(int len)
   return t;
 }
 
+static void link_pike_string(struct pike_string *s, int h)
+{
+  s->refs = 0;
+  s->next = base_table[h];
+  base_table[h] = s;
+  s->hval=full_hash_value;
+  num_strings++;
+  if(num_strings > MAX_AVG_LINK_LENGTH * htable_size)
+    rehash();
+}
+
 struct pike_string *end_shared_string(struct pike_string *s)
 {
   int len,h;
@@ -208,10 +157,7 @@ struct pike_string *end_shared_string(struct pike_string *s)
     free((char *)s);
     s=s2;
   }else{
-    s->refs = 0;
-    s->next = base_table[h];
-    base_table[h] = s;
-    s->hval=full_hash_value;
+    link_pike_string(s, h);
   }
   s->refs++;
 
@@ -228,11 +174,7 @@ struct pike_string * make_shared_binary_string(const char *str,int len)
   {
     s=begin_shared_string(len);
     MEMCPY(s->str, str, len);
-    s->str[len] = 0;
-    s->refs = 0;
-    s->next = base_table[h];
-    base_table[h] = s;
-    s->hval=full_hash_value;
+    link_pike_string(s, h);
   }
 
   s->refs++;
@@ -245,70 +187,7 @@ struct pike_string *make_shared_string(const char *str)
   return make_shared_binary_string(str, strlen(str));
 }
 
-/* does not take locale into account */
-int low_quick_binary_strcmp(char *a,INT32 alen,
-			    char *b,INT32 blen)
-{
-  int tmp;
-  if(alen > blen)
-  {
-    tmp=MEMCMP(a, b, blen);
-    if(tmp) return tmp;
-    return 1;
-  }else if(alen < blen){
-    tmp=MEMCMP(a, b, alen);
-    if(tmp) return tmp;
-    return -1;
-  }else{
-    return MEMCMP(a, b, alen);
-  }
-}
-
-#ifndef HAVE_STRCOLL
-/* No locale function available */
-static int low_binary_strcmp(char *a,INT32 alen,
-		      char *b,INT32 blen)
-{
-  low_quick_binary_strcmp(a,alen,b,blen);
-}
-#else
-
-/* takes locale into account */
-static int low_binary_strcmp(char *a,INT32 alen,
-			     char *b,INT32 blen)
-{
-  INT32 tmp;
-  while(alen>0 && blen>0)
-  {
-    tmp=strcoll(a,b);
-    if(tmp) return (int)tmp;
-    tmp=strlen(a)+1;
-    a+=tmp;
-    b+=tmp;
-    alen-=tmp;
-    blen-=tmp;
-  }
-  if(alen==blen) return 0;
-  if(alen > blen) return 1;
-  return -1;
-}
-#endif
-
-/* Does not take locale into account */
-int my_quick_strcmp(struct pike_string *a,struct pike_string *b)
-{
-  if(a==b) return 0;
-
-  return low_quick_binary_strcmp(a->str,a->len,b->str,b->len);
-}
-
-/* Does take locale into account */
-int my_strcmp(struct pike_string *a,struct pike_string *b)
-{
-  if(a==b) return 0;
-
-  return low_binary_strcmp(a->str,a->len,b->str,b->len);
-}
+/*** Free strings ***/
 
 void unlink_pike_string(struct pike_string *s)
 {
@@ -325,8 +204,9 @@ void really_free_string(struct pike_string *s)
   free((char *)s);
 }
 
+
 /*
- *
+ * String table status
  */
 struct pike_string *add_string_status(int verbose)
 {
@@ -341,9 +221,9 @@ struct pike_string *add_string_status(int verbose)
     int num_distinct_strings=0;
     int bytes_distinct_strings=0;
     int overhead_bytes=0;
-    int e;
+    unsigned INT32 e;
     struct pike_string *p;
-    for(e=0;e<HTABLE_SIZE;e++)
+    for(e=0;e<htable_size;e++)
     {
       for(p=base_table[e];p;p=p->next)
       {
@@ -378,15 +258,183 @@ struct pike_string *add_string_status(int verbose)
   return free_buf();
 }
 
+/*** DEBUG ***/
+#ifdef DEBUG
+
+void check_string(struct pike_string *s)
+{
+  StrHash(s->str, s->len);
+  if(full_hash_value != s->hval)
+    fatal("Hash value changed?\n");
+
+  if(debug_findstring(s) !=s)
+    fatal("Shared string not shared.\n");
+
+  if(s->str[s->len])
+    fatal("Shared string is not zero terminated properly.\n");
+}
+
+void verify_shared_strings_tables()
+{
+  unsigned INT32 e, h;
+  struct pike_string *s;
+
+  for(e=0;e<htable_size;e++)
+  {
+    h=0;
+    for(s=base_table[e];s;s=s->next)
+    {
+      h++;
+      if(s->len < 0)
+	fatal("Shared string shorter than zero bytes.\n");
+
+      if(s->refs <= 0)
+	fatal("Shared string had too few references.\n");
+
+      if(s->str[s->len])
+	fatal("Shared string didn't end with a zero.\n");
+
+      if(StrHash(s->str, s->len) != e)
+	fatal("Shared string hashed to wrong place.\n");
+
+      if(s->hval != full_hash_value)
+	fatal("Shared string hashed to other number.\n");
+	
+      if(h>10000)
+      {
+	struct pike_string *s2;
+	for(s2=s;s2;s2=s2->next)
+	  if(s2 == s)
+	    fatal("Shared string table is cyclic.\n");
+	h=0;
+      }
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+struct pike_string *debug_findstring(const struct pike_string *foo)
+{
+  struct pike_string *tmp;
+  tmp=propagate_shared_string(foo, foo->hval % htable_size);
+
+#if 0
+  if(!tmp)
+  {
+    unsigned INT32 e;
+    struct pike_string *tmp2;
+    fprintf(stderr,"String %p %ld %ld %s\n",
+	    foo,
+	    (long)foo->hval,
+	    (long)foo->len,
+	    foo->str);
+    StrHash(foo->str,foo->len);
+    fprintf(stderr,"------ %p %ld\n",
+	    base_table[foo->hval %htable_size],
+	    (long)full_hash_value);
+    for(tmp2=base_table[foo->hval % htable_size];tmp2;tmp2=tmp2->next)
+    {
+      if(tmp2 == tmp)
+	fprintf(stderr,"!!%p!!->",tmp2);
+      else
+	fprintf(stderr,"%p->",tmp2);
+    }
+    fprintf(stderr,"0\n");
+
+    for(e=0;e<htable_size;e++)
+    {
+      for(tmp2=base_table[e];tmp2;tmp2=tmp2->next)
+      {
+	if(tmp2 == tmp)
+	  fprintf(stderr,"String found in hashbin %ld (not %ld)\n",
+		  (long)e,
+		  (long)(foo->hval % htable_size));
+      }
+    }
+  }
+#endif
+  return tmp;
+}
+
 void dump_stralloc_strings()
 {
-  int e;
+  unsigned INT32 e;
   struct pike_string *p;
-  for(e=0;e<HTABLE_SIZE;e++)
+  for(e=0;e<htable_size;e++)
     for(p=base_table[e];p;p=p->next)
       printf("%ld refs \"%s\"\n",(long)p->refs,p->str);
 }
 
+#endif
+
+
+/*** String compare functions ***/
+
+/* does not take locale into account */
+int low_quick_binary_strcmp(char *a,INT32 alen,
+			    char *b,INT32 blen)
+{
+  int tmp;
+  if(alen > blen)
+  {
+    tmp=MEMCMP(a, b, blen);
+    if(tmp) return tmp;
+    return 1;
+  }else if(alen < blen){
+    tmp=MEMCMP(a, b, alen);
+    if(tmp) return tmp;
+    return -1;
+  }else{
+    return MEMCMP(a, b, alen);
+  }
+}
+
+#ifndef HAVE_STRCOLL
+/* No locale function available */
+static int low_binary_strcmp(char *a,INT32 alen,
+		      char *b,INT32 blen)
+{
+  low_quick_binary_strcmp(a,alen,b,blen);
+}
+#else
+
+/* takes locale into account */
+static int low_binary_strcmp(char *a,INT32 alen,
+			     char *b,INT32 blen)
+{
+  INT32 tmp;
+  while(alen>0 && blen>0)
+  {
+    tmp=strcoll(a,b);
+    if(tmp) return (int)tmp;
+    tmp=strlen(a)+1;
+    a+=tmp;
+    b+=tmp;
+    alen-=tmp;
+    blen-=tmp;
+  }
+  if(alen==blen) return 0;
+  if(alen > blen) return 1;
+  return -1;
+}
+#endif
+
+/* Does not take locale into account */
+int my_quick_strcmp(struct pike_string *a,struct pike_string *b)
+{
+  if(a==b) return 0;
+
+  return low_quick_binary_strcmp(a->str,a->len,b->str,b->len);
+}
+
+/* Does take locale into account */
+int my_strcmp(struct pike_string *a,struct pike_string *b)
+{
+  if(a==b) return 0;
+
+  return low_binary_strcmp(a->str,a->len,b->str,b->len);
+}
+
+/*** Add strings ***/
 struct pike_string *add_shared_strings(struct pike_string *a,
 					 struct pike_string *b)
 {
@@ -405,6 +453,7 @@ struct pike_string *add_shared_strings(struct pike_string *a,
   return ret;
 }
 
+/*** replace function ***/
 struct pike_string *string_replace(struct pike_string *str,
 				     struct pike_string *del,
 				     struct pike_string *to)
@@ -449,11 +498,19 @@ struct pike_string *string_replace(struct pike_string *str,
   return end_shared_string(ret);
 }
 
+/*** init/exit memory ***/
+void init_shared_string_table()
+{
+  htable_size=BEGIN_HASH_SIZE;
+  base_table=(struct pike_string **)xalloc(sizeof(struct pike_string *)*htable_size);
+  MEMSET((char *)base_table,0,sizeof(struct pike_string *)*htable_size);
+}
+
 void cleanup_shared_string_table()
 {
-  int e;
+  unsigned INT32 e;
   struct pike_string *s,*next;
-  for(e=0;e<HTABLE_SIZE;e++)
+  for(e=0;e<htable_size;e++)
   {
     for(s=base_table[e];s;s=next)
     {
diff --git a/src/stralloc.h b/src/stralloc.h
index c9979ccf8766f1fb4288af925fc03fad8894bf61..a0201a1b5585a69648d1f8f0973810b1fd92e0ce 100644
--- a/src/stralloc.h
+++ b/src/stralloc.h
@@ -32,27 +32,29 @@ struct pike_string *debug_findstring(const struct pike_string *foo);
 #define copy_shared_string(to,s) ((to)=(s))->refs++
 
 /* Prototypes begin here */
-void check_string(struct pike_string *s);
-void verify_shared_strings_tables();
-struct pike_string *binary_findstring(const char *foo, INT32 len);
+struct pike_string *binary_findstring(const char *foo, INT32 l);
 struct pike_string *findstring(const char *foo);
-struct pike_string *debug_findstring(const struct pike_string *foo);
 struct pike_string *begin_shared_string(int len);
 struct pike_string *end_shared_string(struct pike_string *s);
 struct pike_string * make_shared_binary_string(const char *str,int len);
 struct pike_string *make_shared_string(const char *str);
+void unlink_pike_string(struct pike_string *s);
+void really_free_string(struct pike_string *s);
+struct pike_string *add_string_status(int verbose);
+void check_string(struct pike_string *s);
+void verify_shared_strings_tables();
+struct pike_string *debug_findstring(const struct pike_string *foo);
+void dump_stralloc_strings();
 int low_quick_binary_strcmp(char *a,INT32 alen,
 			    char *b,INT32 blen);
 int my_quick_strcmp(struct pike_string *a,struct pike_string *b);
 int my_strcmp(struct pike_string *a,struct pike_string *b);
-void really_free_string(struct pike_string *s);
-struct pike_string *add_string_status(int verbose);
-void dump_stralloc_strings();
 struct pike_string *add_shared_strings(struct pike_string *a,
 					 struct pike_string *b);
 struct pike_string *string_replace(struct pike_string *str,
 				     struct pike_string *del,
 				     struct pike_string *to);
+void init_shared_string_table();
 void cleanup_shared_string_table();
 /* Prototypes end here */