diff --git a/core/dcb.c b/core/dcb.c
index d1699e458..df2f23edf 100644
--- a/core/dcb.c
+++ b/core/dcb.c
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ static	SPINLOCK	*dcbspin = NULL;
  * @return A newly allocated DCB or NULL if non could be allocated.
  */
 DCB *
-alloc_dcb()
+dcb_alloc()
 {
 DCB	*rval;
 
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ DCB	*rval;
  * @param dcb The DCB to free
  */
 void
-free_dcb(DCB *dcb)
+dcb_free(DCB *dcb)
 {
 	dcb->state = DCB_STATE_FREED;
 
@@ -132,18 +132,18 @@ free_dcb(DCB *dcb)
  * @param protocol	The protocol module to use
  */
 DCB *
-connect_dcb(SERVER *server, SESSION *session, const char *protocol)
+dcb_connect(SERVER *server, SESSION *session, const char *protocol)
 {
 DCB		*dcb;
 GWPROTOCOL	*funcs;
 
-	if ((dcb = alloc_dcb()) == NULL)
+	if ((dcb = dcb_alloc()) == NULL)
 	{
 		return NULL;
 	}
 	if ((funcs = (GWPROTOCOL *)load_module(protocol, MODULE_PROTOCOL)) == NULL)
 	{
-		free_dcb(dcb);
+		dcb_free(dcb);
 		return NULL;
 	}
 	memcpy(&(dcb->func), funcs, sizeof(GWPROTOCOL));
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ GWPROTOCOL	*funcs;
 
 	if ((dcb->fd = dcb->func.connect(dcb, server, session)) == -1)
 	{
-		free_dcb(dcb);
+		dcb_free(dcb);
 		return NULL;
 	}
 	server->stats.n_connections++;
diff --git a/core/hashtable.c b/core/hashtable.c
index 2455d1281..08e3d95f9 100644
--- a/core/hashtable.c
+++ b/core/hashtable.c
@@ -96,12 +96,12 @@ HASHTABLE 	*rval;
 	rval->n_readers = 0;
 	rval->writelock = 0;
 	spinlock_init(&rval->spin);
-	if ((rval->entries = calloc(size, sizeof(HASHENTRIES))) == NULL)
+	if ((rval->entries = (HASHENTRIES **)calloc(size, sizeof(HASHENTRIES *))) == NULL)
 	{
 		free(rval);
 		return NULL;
 	}
-	memset(rval->entries, 0, size * sizeof(HASHENTRIES));
+	memset(rval->entries, 0, size * sizeof(HASHENTRIES *));
 
 	return rval;
 }
@@ -121,12 +121,6 @@ HASHENTRIES	*entry, *ptr;
 	for (i = 0; i < table->hashsize; i++)
 	{
 		entry = table->entries[i];
-		if (entry->key)
-		{
-			table->freefn(entry->key);
-			table->freefn(entry->value);
-		}
-		entry = entry->next;
 		while (entry)
 		{
 			ptr = entry->next;
@@ -172,17 +166,11 @@ HASHENTRIES	*entry;
 
 	hashtable_write_lock(table);
 	entry = table->entries[hashkey % table->hashsize];
-	while (entry->next && entry->key && table->cmpfn(key, entry->key) != 0)
+	while (entry && table->cmpfn(key, entry->key) != 0)
 	{
 		entry = entry->next;
 	}
-	if (entry->key == NULL)
-	{
-		/* Entry is empty - special case for first insert */
-		entry->key = table->copyfn(key);
-		entry->value = table->copyfn(value);
-	}
-	else if (table->cmpfn(key, entry->key) == 0)
+	if (entry && table->cmpfn(key, entry->key) == 0)
 	{
 		/* Duplicate key value */
 		hashtable_write_unlock(table);
@@ -198,8 +186,8 @@ HASHENTRIES	*entry;
 		}
 		ptr->key = table->copyfn(key);
 		ptr->value = table->copyfn(value);
-		ptr->next = NULL;
-		entry->next = ptr;
+		ptr->next = table->entries[hashkey % table->hashsize];
+		table->entries[hashkey % table->hashsize] = ptr;
 	}
 	hashtable_write_unlock(table);
 	return 1;
@@ -224,7 +212,7 @@ HASHENTRIES	*entry, *ptr;
 	{
 		entry = entry->next;
 	}
-	if (entry == NULL || entry->key == NULL)
+	if (entry == NULL)
 	{
 		/* Not found */
 		hashtable_write_unlock(table);
@@ -233,24 +221,13 @@ HASHENTRIES	*entry, *ptr;
 
 	if (entry == table->entries[hashkey % table->hashsize])
 	{
-		/* We are removing from the special first entry */
-		if (entry->next)
-		{
-			table->freefn(entry->key);
-			table->freefn(entry->value);
-			entry->key = entry->next->key;
-			entry->value = entry->next->value;
-			ptr = entry->next;
-			entry->next = ptr->next;
-			free(ptr);
-		}
-		else
-		{
-			table->freefn(entry->key);
-			table->freefn(entry->value);
-			entry->key = NULL;
-			entry->value = NULL;
-		}
+		/* We are removing from the first entry */
+		table->entries[hashkey % table->hashsize] = entry->next;
+		table->freefn(entry->key);
+		table->freefn(entry->value);
+		entry->key = entry->next->key;
+		entry->value = entry->next->value;
+		free(entry);
 	}
 	else
 	{
@@ -290,7 +267,7 @@ HASHENTRIES	*entry;
 	{
 		entry = entry->next;
 	}
-	if (entry == NULL || entry->key == NULL)
+	if (entry == NULL)
 	{
 		hashtable_read_unlock(table);
 		return NULL;
diff --git a/core/service.c b/core/service.c
index 36c9ffbe7..8682f054a 100644
--- a/core/service.c
+++ b/core/service.c
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ GWPROTOCOL	*funcs;
 	port = service->ports;
 	while (port)
 	{
-		if ((port->listener = alloc_dcb()) == NULL)
+		if ((port->listener = dcb_alloc()) == NULL)
 		{
 			break;
 		}
diff --git a/include/dcb.h b/include/dcb.h
index 74ebb9329..ccb038e6d 100644
--- a/include/dcb.h
+++ b/include/dcb.h
@@ -129,9 +129,9 @@ typedef struct dcb {
 #define	DCB_SESSION(x)			(x)->session
 #define DCB_PROTOCOL(x, type)		(type *)((x)->protocol)
 
-extern DCB		*alloc_dcb();			/* Allocate a DCB */
-extern void		free_dcb(DCB *);		/* Free a DCB */
-extern DCB		*connect_dcb(struct server *, struct session *, const char *);
+extern DCB		*dcb_alloc();			/* Allocate a DCB */
+extern void		dcb_free(DCB *);		/* Free a DCB */
+extern DCB		*dcb_connect(struct server *, struct session *, const char *);
 extern int		dcb_read(DCB *, GWBUF **);	/* Generic read routine */
 extern int		dcb_write(DCB *, GWBUF *);	/* Generic write routine */
 extern int		dcb_drain_writeq(DCB *);	/* Generic write routine */
diff --git a/modules/protocol/mysql_client.c b/modules/protocol/mysql_client.c
index 938e2bb7c..7e7c76fbd 100644
--- a/modules/protocol/mysql_client.c
+++ b/modules/protocol/mysql_client.c
@@ -1036,7 +1036,7 @@ int gw_MySQLAccept(DCB *listener) {
 		setsockopt(c_sock, SOL_SOCKET, SO_SNDBUF, &sendbuf, optlen);
 		setnonblocking(c_sock);
 
-		client = alloc_dcb();
+		client = dcb_alloc();
 		client->service = listener->session->service;
 		client->fd = c_sock;
 		client->remote = strdup(inet_ntoa(local.sin_addr));
diff --git a/modules/protocol/telnetd.c b/modules/protocol/telnetd.c
index 0119cdc67..2a8f1381c 100644
--- a/modules/protocol/telnetd.c
+++ b/modules/protocol/telnetd.c
@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ int	n_connect = 0;
 		else
 		{
 			atomic_add(&dcb->stats.n_accepts, 1);
-			client = alloc_dcb();
+			client = dcb_alloc();
 			client->fd = so;
 			client->remote = strdup(inet_ntoa(addr.sin_addr));
 			memcpy(&client->func, &MyObject, sizeof(GWPROTOCOL));
diff --git a/modules/routing/readconnroute.c b/modules/routing/readconnroute.c
index 4033a6f0a..acf9e1ef9 100644
--- a/modules/routing/readconnroute.c
+++ b/modules/routing/readconnroute.c
@@ -210,7 +210,7 @@ int		i;
 	 * connection in the client->dcb
 	 */
 
-	client->dcb = connect_dcb(candidate->server, session, candidate->server->protocol);
+	client->dcb = dcb_connect(candidate->server, session, candidate->server->protocol);
 
 	/* Add this session to the list of active sessions */
 	spinlock_acquire(&inst->lock);