--- deliantra/server/common/shstr.C	2006/09/03 00:18:40	1.3
+++ deliantra/server/common/shstr.C	2006/09/03 08:05:39	1.4
@@ -51,6 +51,9 @@
 const char *
 shstr::find (const char *s)
 {
+  if (!s)
+    return s;
+
   HT::iterator i = ht.find (s);
 
   return i != ht.end ()
@@ -61,10 +64,11 @@
 const char *
 shstr::intern (const char *s)
 {
-  HT::iterator i = ht.find (s);
+  if (!s)
+    return s;
 
-  if (i != ht.end ())
-    return (char *)*i;
+  if (const char *found = find (s))
+    return found;
 
   int len = strlen (s);