diff --git a/lex.c b/lex.c
index d883fcb9..bc73a3f8 100644
--- a/lex.c
+++ b/lex.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-char *rcs_lex = "$Id: lex.c,v 2.26 1996/02/13 17:30:39 roberto Exp roberto $";
+char *rcs_lex = "$Id: lex.c,v 2.27 1996/02/14 13:35:51 roberto Exp roberto $";
  
 
 #include <ctype.h>
@@ -16,8 +16,6 @@ char *rcs_lex = "$Id: lex.c,v 2.26 1996/02/13 17:30:39 roberto Exp roberto $";
 
 #define MINBUFF 260
 
-#define lua_strcmp(a,b)	(a[0]<b[0]?(-1):(a[0]>b[0]?(1):strcmp(a,b)))
-
 #define next() { current = input(); }
 #define save(x) { *yytextLast++ = (x); }
 #define save_and_next()  { save(current); next(); }
@@ -165,12 +163,12 @@ int luaY_lex (void)
 	while (isalnum(current) || current == '_')
           save_and_next();
         *yytextLast = 0;
-	if (lua_strcmp(yytext, "debug") == 0)
+	if (strcmp(yytext, "debug") == 0)
 	{
 	  luaY_lval.vInt = 1;
 	  return DEBUG;
         }
-	else if (lua_strcmp(yytext, "nodebug") == 0)
+	else if (strcmp(yytext, "nodebug") == 0)
 	{
 	  luaY_lval.vInt = 0;
 	  return DEBUG;
diff --git a/tree.c b/tree.c
index 66577a78..8f0c08b4 100644
--- a/tree.c
+++ b/tree.c
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 ** TecCGraf - PUC-Rio
 */
  
-char *rcs_tree="$Id: tree.c,v 1.16 1996/02/12 18:32:40 roberto Exp roberto $";
+char *rcs_tree="$Id: tree.c,v 1.17 1996/02/14 13:35:51 roberto Exp roberto $";
 
 
 #include <string.h>
@@ -16,8 +16,6 @@ char *rcs_tree="$Id: tree.c,v 1.16 1996/02/12 18:32:40 roberto Exp roberto $";
 #include "table.h"
 
 
-#define lua_streq(a,b)	(a[0] == b[0] && strcmp(a,b) == 0)
-
 #define NUM_HASHS  64
 
 typedef struct {
@@ -30,7 +28,7 @@ static int initialized = 0;
 
 static stringtable string_root[NUM_HASHS];
 
-static TaggedString EMPTY = {NOT_USED, NOT_USED, 0, 0, {0}};
+static TaggedString EMPTY = {NOT_USED, NOT_USED, 0, 2, {0}};
 
 
 static unsigned long hash (char *str)
@@ -92,7 +90,7 @@ static TaggedString *insert (char *str, stringtable *tb)
   {
     if (tb->hash[i] == &EMPTY)
       j = i;
-    else if (lua_streq(str, tb->hash[i]->str))
+    else if (strcmp(str, tb->hash[i]->str) == 0)
       return tb->hash[i];
     i = (i+1)%tb->size;
   }
@@ -130,7 +128,7 @@ Long lua_strcollector (void)
     for (j=0; j<tb->size; j++)
     {
       TaggedString *t = tb->hash[j];
-      if (t != NULL && t != &EMPTY && t->marked <= 1)
+      if (t != NULL && t->marked <= 1)
       {
         if (t->marked)
           t->marked = 0;