diff --git a/src/addon/java/lua/addon/luacompat/LuaCompat.java b/src/addon/java/lua/addon/luacompat/LuaCompat.java
index 20c8e386..2a35dc2b 100644
--- a/src/addon/java/lua/addon/luacompat/LuaCompat.java
+++ b/src/addon/java/lua/addon/luacompat/LuaCompat.java
@@ -152,20 +152,22 @@ public class LuaCompat extends LFunction {
 		
 		// String functions
 		case REP: {
-			String s = vm.getArgAsString( 0 );
+			LString s = vm.getArgAsLuaString( 0 );
 			int n = vm.getArgAsInt( 1 );
 			if ( n >= 0 ) {
-				StringBuffer sb = new StringBuffer( s.length() * n );
-				for ( int i = 0; i < n; ++i ) {
-					sb.append( s );
+				final byte[] bytes = new byte[ s.length() * n ];
+				int len = s.length();
+				for ( int offset = 0; offset < bytes.length; offset += len ) {
+					s.copyInto( 0, bytes, offset, len );
 				}
-				vm.setResult( new LString( sb.toString() ) );
+				
+				vm.setResult( new LString( bytes ) );
 			} else {
 				vm.setResult( LNil.NIL );
 			}
 		}	break;
 		case SUB: {
-			String s = vm.getArgAsString( 0 );
+			final LString s = vm.getArgAsLuaString( 0 );
 			final int len = s.length();
 			
 			int i = vm.getArgAsInt( 1 );
@@ -184,8 +186,8 @@ public class LuaCompat extends LFunction {
 				j = Math.min( Math.max( i, j ), len );
 			}
 			
-			String result = s.substring( i, j );
-			vm.setResult( new LString( result ) );
+			LString result = s.substring( i, j );
+			vm.setResult( result );
 		}	break;
 		
 		default:
@@ -298,7 +300,7 @@ public class LuaCompat extends LFunction {
 		
 		String script;
 		if ( fileName != null ) {
-			script = fileName.luaAsString();
+			script = fileName.luaAsString().toJavaString();
 			is = getClass().getResourceAsStream( "/"+script );
 		} else {
 			is = System.in;
diff --git a/src/addon/java/lua/addon/luajava/CoerceLuaToJava.java b/src/addon/java/lua/addon/luajava/CoerceLuaToJava.java
index 7354bddd..9755c853 100644
--- a/src/addon/java/lua/addon/luajava/CoerceLuaToJava.java
+++ b/src/addon/java/lua/addon/luajava/CoerceLuaToJava.java
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ public class CoerceLuaToJava {
 		};
 		Coercion stringCoercion = new Coercion() {
 			public Object coerce(LValue value) {
-				return value.luaAsString();
+				return value.luaAsString().toJavaString();
 			} 
 			public int score(LValue value) {
 				if ( value instanceof LUserData )
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ public class CoerceLuaToJava {
 				if ( value instanceof LUserData )
 					return ((LUserData)value).m_instance;
 				if ( value instanceof LString )
-					return value.luaAsString();
+					return value.luaAsString().toJavaString();
 				if ( value instanceof LInteger )
 					return Integer.valueOf(value.luaAsInt());
 				if ( value instanceof LDouble )
diff --git a/src/addon/java/lua/addon/luajava/LuaJava.java b/src/addon/java/lua/addon/luajava/LuaJava.java
index fbf3f512..7e6db2a6 100644
--- a/src/addon/java/lua/addon/luajava/LuaJava.java
+++ b/src/addon/java/lua/addon/luajava/LuaJava.java
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ import java.util.Map;
 import lua.GlobalState;
 import lua.VM;
 import lua.value.LFunction;
+import lua.value.LString;
 import lua.value.LTable;
 import lua.value.LUserData;
 import lua.value.LValue;
@@ -121,7 +122,7 @@ public final class LuaJava extends LFunction {
 			this.clazz = clazz;
 		}
 		public void luaGetTable(VM vm, LValue table, LValue key) {
-			final String s = key.luaAsString();
+			final String s = key.luaAsString().toJavaString();
 			try {
 				Field f = clazz.getField(s);
 				Object o = f.get(m_instance);
@@ -135,7 +136,7 @@ public final class LuaJava extends LFunction {
 		}
 		public void luaSetTable(VM vm, LValue table, LValue key, LValue val) {
 			Class c = m_instance.getClass();
-			String s = key.luaAsString();
+			String s = key.luaAsString().toJavaString();
 			try {
 				Field f = c.getField(s);
 				Object v = CoerceLuaToJava.coerceArg(val, f.getType());
diff --git a/src/main/java/lua/VM.java b/src/main/java/lua/VM.java
index ad7fdd16..e3c13ca0 100644
--- a/src/main/java/lua/VM.java
+++ b/src/main/java/lua/VM.java
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package lua;
 
 import lua.io.Closure;
+import lua.value.LString;
 import lua.value.LValue;
 
 public interface VM {
@@ -114,6 +115,13 @@ public interface VM {
 	 */
 	public String getArgAsString( int index );
 
+	/**
+	 * Get the index-th argument as an LString value, or "" if fewer than index arguments were supplied.
+	 * @param index
+	 * @return
+	 */
+	public LString getArgAsLuaString( int index );
+
 	/** Set top to base in preparation for pushing return values.
 	 * Can be used when returning no values.
 	 * 
diff --git a/src/main/java/lua/io/LoadState.java b/src/main/java/lua/io/LoadState.java
index 6a4ee22d..df5ff83c 100644
--- a/src/main/java/lua/io/LoadState.java
+++ b/src/main/java/lua/io/LoadState.java
@@ -99,8 +99,7 @@ public class LoadState {
 			return null;
 		byte[] bytes = new byte[size];
 		is.readFully( bytes );
-		String s = new String( bytes, 0, size-1 );
-		return new LString( s );
+		return new LString( bytes, 0, bytes.length - 1 );
 	}
 	
 	static LNumber longBitsToLuaNumber( long bits ) {
diff --git a/src/main/java/lua/value/LBoolean.java b/src/main/java/lua/value/LBoolean.java
index 6b57b027..bf4ef7b6 100644
--- a/src/main/java/lua/value/LBoolean.java
+++ b/src/main/java/lua/value/LBoolean.java
@@ -8,15 +8,15 @@ public final class LBoolean extends LValue {
 	
 	public static final LString TYPE_NAME = new LString("boolean");
 	
-	private final String m_name;
+	private final LString m_name;
 	private final boolean m_value;
 	
 	private LBoolean( String name, boolean value ) {
-		this.m_name = name;
+		this.m_name = new LString( name );
 		this.m_value = value;
 	}
 	
-	public final String luaAsString() {
+	public final LString luaAsString() {
 		return m_name;
 	}
 	
diff --git a/src/main/java/lua/value/LDouble.java b/src/main/java/lua/value/LDouble.java
index 4172b808..453d1272 100644
--- a/src/main/java/lua/value/LDouble.java
+++ b/src/main/java/lua/value/LDouble.java
@@ -14,8 +14,8 @@ public class LDouble extends LNumber {
 		return (int) m_value;
 	}
 
-	public String luaAsString() {
-		return String.valueOf(m_value);
+	public LString luaAsString() {
+		return LString.valueOf( m_value );
 	}
 	
 	public boolean isInteger() {
diff --git a/src/main/java/lua/value/LFunction.java b/src/main/java/lua/value/LFunction.java
index eed156bc..9aef0110 100644
--- a/src/main/java/lua/value/LFunction.java
+++ b/src/main/java/lua/value/LFunction.java
@@ -7,8 +7,8 @@ public class LFunction extends LValue {
 
 	public static final LString TYPE_NAME = new LString("function");
 	
-	public String luaAsString() {
-		return "function: "+hashCode();
+	public LString luaAsString() {
+		return new LString( "function: "+hashCode() );
 	}
 
 	public void luaSetTable(VM vm, LValue table, LValue key, LValue val) {
diff --git a/src/main/java/lua/value/LInteger.java b/src/main/java/lua/value/LInteger.java
index b66f44c4..16c4a5ad 100644
--- a/src/main/java/lua/value/LInteger.java
+++ b/src/main/java/lua/value/LInteger.java
@@ -22,8 +22,8 @@ public class LInteger extends LNumber {
 		return m_value;
 	}
 	
-	public String luaAsString() {
-		return String.valueOf(m_value);
+	public LString luaAsString() {
+		return LString.valueOf(m_value);
 	}
 	
 	public boolean isInteger() {
diff --git a/src/main/java/lua/value/LNil.java b/src/main/java/lua/value/LNil.java
index b2239656..99fa3400 100644
--- a/src/main/java/lua/value/LNil.java
+++ b/src/main/java/lua/value/LNil.java
@@ -4,8 +4,8 @@ public final class LNil extends LValue {
 	public static final LNil NIL = new LNil();
 	public static final LString TYPE_NAME = new LString("nil");
 	
-	public final String luaAsString() {
-		return "nil";
+	public final LString luaAsString() {
+		return TYPE_NAME;
 	}
 
 	public boolean luaAsBoolean() {
diff --git a/src/main/java/lua/value/LString.java b/src/main/java/lua/value/LString.java
index 8e696f5c..d64f675f 100644
--- a/src/main/java/lua/value/LString.java
+++ b/src/main/java/lua/value/LString.java
@@ -1,42 +1,175 @@
 package lua.value;
 
+import java.io.IOException;
+import java.io.OutputStream;
+import java.io.UnsupportedEncodingException;
+
 import lua.Lua;
 
+/**
+ * A String implementation for Lua using bytes instead of chars.
+ * 
+ * This should have the following advantages:
+ * 
+ * (1) We can use strings as byte buffers, as Lua does, and therefore avoid
+ * questions about how to adapt Lua APIs that use strings with binary data.
+ * 
+ * (2) Half the memory usage when strings are primarily ASCII
+ * 
+ * 
+ * TODO: Decide if/when to copy the bytes to a new array to ensure memory does
+ * not "leak" in the form of unused portions of byte arrays. Currently, for
+ * efficiency, new LStrings and substrings never create copies.
+ */
 public class LString extends LValue {
 
 	public static final LString TYPE_NAME = new LString("string");
 	
-	final String m_string;
+	final byte[] m_bytes;
+	final int m_offset;
+	final int m_length;
 	final int m_hash;
 	
 	private static LTable s_stringMT;
 	
+	/**
+	 * Construct a Lua string from the given Java string. Characters are encoded
+	 * using UTF-8.
+	 */
 	public LString(String string) {
-		this.m_string = string;
-		this.m_hash = string.hashCode();
+		byte[] bytes;
+		try {
+			bytes = string.getBytes( "UTF-8" );
+		} catch ( UnsupportedEncodingException exn ) {
+			bytes = stringToUtf8Bytes( string );
+		}
+		this.m_bytes = bytes;
+		this.m_offset = 0;
+		this.m_length = m_bytes.length;
+		this.m_hash = hashBytes( m_bytes, 0, m_length );
 	}
-
+	
+	/**
+	 * Construct a string from the given byte array.
+	 * 
+	 * new LString(b) is identical to new LString(b, 0, b.length)
+	 */
+	public LString(byte[] bytes) {
+		this( bytes, 0, bytes.length );
+	}
+	
+	/**
+	 * Construct a string from the given byte array and range. For efficiency,
+	 * the byte array is not copied. Lua strings are immutable so the bytes must
+	 * not be modified after the string is constructed.
+	 */
+	public LString(byte[] bytes, int off, int len) {
+		if ( off < 0 || len < 0 || off+len > bytes.length )
+			throw new IndexOutOfBoundsException();
+		this.m_bytes = bytes;
+		this.m_offset = off;
+		this.m_length = len;
+		this.m_hash = hashBytes( bytes, off, len );
+	}
+	
 	public boolean equals(Object o) {
 		if ( o != null && o instanceof LString ) {
 			LString s = (LString) o;
-			return m_hash == s.m_hash && m_string.equals(s.m_string);
+			return m_hash == s.m_hash &&
+					m_length == s.m_length &&
+					( ( m_bytes == s.m_bytes && m_offset == s.m_offset ) ||
+					  equals( m_bytes, m_offset, s.m_bytes, s.m_offset, m_length ) );
 		}
 		return false;
 	}
-
+	
+	public int compareTo( LString o ) {
+		final byte[] a = this.m_bytes;
+		final byte[] b = o.m_bytes;
+		int i = this.m_offset;
+		int j = o.m_offset;
+		final int imax = i + m_length;
+		final int jmax = j + o.m_length;
+		
+		if ( a == b && i == j && imax == jmax )
+			return 0;
+		
+		while ( i < imax && j < jmax ) {
+			if ( a[i] != b[i] ) {
+				return ( ( (int)a[i] ) & 0x0FF ) - ( ( (int)b[j] ) & 0x0FF );
+			}
+			i++;
+			j++;
+		}
+		
+		return m_length - o.m_length;
+	}
+	
 	public int hashCode() {
 		return m_hash;
 	}
 
+	public int length() {
+		return m_length;
+	}
+	
+	public LString substring( int beginIndex, int endIndex ) {
+		return new LString( m_bytes, m_offset + beginIndex, endIndex - beginIndex );
+	}
+	
+	public static LString valueOf( double d ) {
+		return new LString( String.valueOf( d ) );
+	}
+	
+	public static LString valueOf( int x ) {
+		return new LString( String.valueOf( x ) );
+	}
+	
+	public static LString concat( final LString[] strings ) {
+		int length = 0;
+		for ( int i = 0; i < strings.length; ++i ) {
+			length += strings[i].length();
+		}
+		byte[] bytes = new byte[length];
+		
+		for ( int i = 0, offset = 0; i < strings.length; ++i ) {
+			LString s = strings[i];
+			final int len = s.length();
+			System.arraycopy( s.m_bytes, s.m_offset, bytes, offset, len );
+			offset += len;
+		}
+		
+		return new LString( bytes );
+	}
+	
+	/**
+	 * Write the specified substring of this string to the given output stream.
+	 */
+	public void write( OutputStream os, int offset, int len ) throws IOException {
+		if ( offset < 0 || len < 0 )
+			throw new IndexOutOfBoundsException();
+		if ( offset + len > m_length )
+			throw new IndexOutOfBoundsException();
+
+		os.write( m_bytes, m_offset+offset, len );
+	}
+	
+	/**
+	 * Copy the bytes of the string into the given byte array.
+	 */
+	public void copyInto( int strOffset, byte[] bytes, int arrayOffset, int len ) {
+		System.arraycopy( m_bytes, m_offset+strOffset, bytes, arrayOffset, len );
+	}
+	
 	public boolean luaBinCmpUnknown(int opcode, LValue lhs) {
-		return lhs.luaBinCmpString(opcode, m_string);
+		return lhs.luaBinCmpString(opcode, this);
 	}
 
-	public boolean luaBinCmpString(int opcode, String rhs) {
+	public boolean luaBinCmpString(int opcode, LString rhs) {
 		switch ( opcode ) {
-		case Lua.OP_EQ: return m_string.equals(rhs);
-		case Lua.OP_LT: return m_string.compareTo(rhs) < 0;
-		case Lua.OP_LE: return m_string.compareTo(rhs) <= 0;
+		case Lua.OP_EQ: return equals(rhs);
+		case Lua.OP_LT: return compareTo(rhs) < 0;
+		case Lua.OP_LE: return compareTo(rhs) <= 0;
 		}
 		luaUnsupportedOperation();
 		return false;
@@ -64,7 +197,7 @@ public class LString extends LValue {
 	
 	public LValue luaToNumber( int base ) {
 		if ( base >= 2 && base <= 36 ) {
-			String str = m_string.trim();
+			String str = toJavaString().trim();
 			try {
 				return new LInteger( Integer.parseInt( str, base ) );
 			} catch ( NumberFormatException nfe ) {
@@ -80,13 +213,21 @@ public class LString extends LValue {
 		return LNil.NIL;
 	}
 	
-	public String luaAsString() {
-		return m_string;
+	public LString luaAsString() {
+		return this;
 	}
-
+	
+	public String toJavaString() {
+		try {
+			return new String( m_bytes, m_offset, m_length, "UTF-8" );
+		} catch ( UnsupportedEncodingException uee ) {
+			throw new RuntimeException("toJavaString: UTF-8 decoding not implemented");
+		}
+	}
+	
 	/** Built-in opcode LEN, for Strings and Tables */
 	public LValue luaLength() {
-		return new LInteger( m_string.length() );
+		return new LInteger( length() );
 	}
 
 	public LString luaGetType() {
@@ -112,4 +253,72 @@ public class LString extends LValue {
 		}
 		return s_stringMT;
 	}
+	
+	public static boolean equals( byte[] a, int i, byte[] b, int j, int n ) {
+		final int imax = i + n;
+		final int jmax = j + n;
+		while ( i < imax && j < jmax ) {
+			if ( a[i++] != b[j++] )
+				return false;
+		}
+		return true;
+	}
+	
+	private static int hashBytes( byte[] bytes, int offset, int length ) {
+		// Compute the hash of the given bytes.
+		// This code comes right out of Lua 5.1.2 (translated from C to Java)
+		int h = length;  /* seed */
+		int step = (length>>5)+1;  /* if string is too long, don't hash all its chars */
+		for (int l1=length; l1>=step; l1-=step)  /* compute hash */
+		    h = h ^ ((h<<5)+(h>>2)+(((int) bytes[offset+l1-1] ) & 0x0FF ));
+		return h;
+	}
+	
+	private static byte[] stringToUtf8Bytes( final String string ) {
+		final int strlen = string.length();
+		byte[] bytes = new byte[ strlen ];
+		byte b1 = 0, b2 = 0, b3 = 0;
+		
+		int j = 0;
+		for ( int i = 0; i < strlen; ++i ) {
+			int c = string.charAt( i );
+			// TODO: combine 2-character combinations
+			int count;
+			if ( c > 0x07FF ) {
+				count = 3;
+				b3 = (byte)( 0xE0 | (   c >> 12 ) );
+				b2 = (byte)( 0x80 | ( ( c >> 6  ) & 0x03F ) );
+				b1 = (byte)( 0x80 | ( ( c       ) & 0x03F ) );
+			} else if ( c > 0x07F ) {
+				count = 2;
+				b2 = (byte)( 0xC0 | ( c >> 6 ) );
+				b1 = (byte)( 0x80 | ( c & 0x03F ) );
+			} else {
+				count = 1;
+				b1 = (byte) c;
+			}
+			if ( j + count > bytes.length ) {
+				bytes = realloc( bytes, ( j + count ) * 2 );
+			}
+			switch ( count ) {
+			case 3:
+				bytes[j++] = b3;
+			case 2:
+				bytes[j++] = b2;
+			case 1:
+				bytes[j++] = b1;
+			}
+		}
+		
+		if ( j != bytes.length ) {
+			bytes = realloc( bytes, j );
+		}
+		return bytes;
+	}
+	
+	private static byte[] realloc( byte[] a, int newSize ) {
+		final byte[] newbytes = new byte[ newSize ];
+		System.arraycopy( a, 0, newbytes, 0, Math.min( newSize, a.length ) );
+		return newbytes;
+	}
 }
diff --git a/src/main/java/lua/value/LTable.java b/src/main/java/lua/value/LTable.java
index 83b5e43f..7e8d3315 100644
--- a/src/main/java/lua/value/LTable.java
+++ b/src/main/java/lua/value/LTable.java
@@ -128,16 +128,7 @@ public class LTable extends LValue {
 	 * initializing a table. Bypasses the metatable, if any.
 	 */
 	public void put( String key, LValue value ) {
-		if (value == null || value == LNil.NIL) {
-			remove( key );
-			return;
-		}
-		if (checkLoadFactor())
-			rehash();
-		int slot = findSlot( key );
-		if (fillHashSlot( slot, value ))
-			return;
-		m_hashKeys[slot] = new LString( key );
+		put( new LString( key ), value );
 	}
 	
 	/**
@@ -267,8 +258,8 @@ public class LTable extends LValue {
 					(LTable) metatable : null;
 	}
 
-	public String luaAsString() {
-		return "table: "+id();
+	public LString luaAsString() {
+		return new LString("table: "+id());
 	}
 
 	public LString luaGetType() {
@@ -334,13 +325,6 @@ public class LTable extends LValue {
 		}
 	}
 	
-	private void remove( String key ) {
-		if ( m_hashKeys != null ) {
-			int slot = findSlot( key );
-			clearSlot( slot );
-		}
-	}
-	
 	private void remove( LValue key ) {
 		if ( m_hashKeys != null ) {
 			int slot = findSlot( key );
@@ -385,20 +369,6 @@ public class LTable extends LValue {
 		}
 		return i;
 	}
-
-	private int findSlot( String key ) {
-		// NOTE: currently LString uses the String's hashCode.
-		int i = hashToIndex( key.hashCode() );
-		
-		// This loop is guaranteed to terminate as long as we never allow the
-		// table to get 100% full.
-		LValue k;
-		while ( ( k = m_hashKeys[i] ) != null &&
-				  !k.luaBinCmpString( Lua.OP_EQ, key ) ) {
-			i = ( i + 1 ) % m_hashKeys.length;
-		}
-		return i;
-	}
 	
 	private int findSlot( int key ) {
 		int i = hashToIndex( LInteger.hashCodeOf( key ) );
diff --git a/src/main/java/lua/value/LThread.java b/src/main/java/lua/value/LThread.java
index 76f6f5e6..03faf58c 100644
--- a/src/main/java/lua/value/LThread.java
+++ b/src/main/java/lua/value/LThread.java
@@ -7,4 +7,7 @@ public class LThread extends LValue {
 		return TYPE_NAME;
 	}
 
+	public LString luaAsString() {
+		return new LString("thread: "+hashCode());
+	}
 }
diff --git a/src/main/java/lua/value/LUserData.java b/src/main/java/lua/value/LUserData.java
index ab26121d..a89d347d 100644
--- a/src/main/java/lua/value/LUserData.java
+++ b/src/main/java/lua/value/LUserData.java
@@ -10,8 +10,8 @@ public class LUserData extends LValue {
 		m_instance = obj;
 	}
 	
-	public String luaAsString() {
-		return m_instance.toString();
+	public LString luaAsString() {
+		return new LString(m_instance.toString());
 	}
 	
 	public boolean equals(Object obj) {
diff --git a/src/main/java/lua/value/LValue.java b/src/main/java/lua/value/LValue.java
index c730b9d8..845f6f3d 100644
--- a/src/main/java/lua/value/LValue.java
+++ b/src/main/java/lua/value/LValue.java
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ public class LValue {
 	}
 	
 	// unsupported except for strings
-	public boolean luaBinCmpString(int opcode, String rhs) {
+	public boolean luaBinCmpString(int opcode, LString rhs) {
 		if ( opcode == Lua.OP_EQ )
 			return false;
 		luaUnsupportedOperation();
@@ -122,13 +122,11 @@ public class LValue {
 	
 	/** Get the value as a String
 	 */
-	public String luaAsString() {
-		return super.toString();
-	}
+	public abstract LString luaAsString();
 	
 	/** Override standard toString with lua String conversion by default */
 	public String toString() {
-		return luaAsString();
+		return luaAsString().toJavaString();
 	}
 
 	/** Return value as an integer */
diff --git a/src/test/java/lua/StandardTest.java b/src/test/java/lua/StandardTest.java
index 1a069f10..73cf208e 100644
--- a/src/test/java/lua/StandardTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/lua/StandardTest.java
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ public class StandardTest extends TestCase {
 					CallInfo call = state.calls[i];
 					Proto p = call.closure.p;
 					int line = p.lineinfo[call.pc];
-					String func = call.closure.luaAsString();
+					String func = call.closure.luaAsString().toJavaString();
 					stackTrace[state.cc - i] = new StackTraceElement(getName(), func, getName()+".lua", line );
 				}
 				
diff --git a/src/test/java/lua/value/LTableTest.java b/src/test/java/lua/value/LTableTest.java
index 214daff1..ba05618a 100644
--- a/src/test/java/lua/value/LTableTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/lua/value/LTableTest.java
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ public class LTableTest extends TestCase {
 				assertTrue( ( intKeys & mask ) == 0 );
 				intKeys |= mask;
 			} else if ( k instanceof LString ) {
-				final int ik = Integer.parseInt( k.luaAsString() );
+				final int ik = Integer.parseInt( k.luaAsString().toJavaString() );
 				assertEquals( String.valueOf( ik ), k.luaAsString() );
 				assertTrue( ik >= 0 && ik < 10 );
 				final int mask = 1 << ik;