diff --git a/core/hashtables/hashtables-docs.factor b/core/hashtables/hashtables-docs.factor
index 3cd9ee23af..07517afdf7 100755
--- a/core/hashtables/hashtables-docs.factor
+++ b/core/hashtables/hashtables-docs.factor
@@ -93,11 +93,6 @@ HELP: hash-deleted+
 { $description "Called to increment the deleted entry counter when an entry is removed with " { $link delete-at } }
 { $side-effects "hash" } ;
 
-HELP: (set-hash)
-{ $values { "value" "a value" } { "key" "a key to add" } { "hash" hashtable } { "new?" "a boolean" } }
-{ $description "Stores the key/value pair into the hashtable. This word does not grow the hashtable if it exceeds capacity, therefore a hang can result. User code should use " { $link set-at } " instead, which grows the hashtable if necessary." }
-{ $side-effects "hash" } ;
-
 HELP: grow-hash
 { $values { "hash" hashtable } }
 { $description "Enlarges the capacity of a hashtable. User code does not need to call this word directly." }
diff --git a/core/hashtables/hashtables-tests.factor b/core/hashtables/hashtables-tests.factor
index 4e80ed1f6e..32684b92dc 100755
--- a/core/hashtables/hashtables-tests.factor
+++ b/core/hashtables/hashtables-tests.factor
@@ -164,3 +164,16 @@ H{ } "x" set
 [ { "one" "two" 3 } ] [
     { 1 2 3 } H{ { 1 "one" } { 2 "two" } } substitute
 ] unit-test
+
+! We want this to work
+[ ] [ hashtable new "h" set ] unit-test
+
+[ 0 ] [ "h" get assoc-size ] unit-test
+
+[ f f ] [ "goo" "h" get at* ] unit-test
+
+[ ] [ 1 2 "h" get set-at ] unit-test
+
+[ 1 ] [ "h" get assoc-size ] unit-test
+
+[ 1 ] [ 2 "h" get at ] unit-test
diff --git a/core/hashtables/hashtables.factor b/core/hashtables/hashtables.factor
index 3b794d1715..e804bb76fa 100755
--- a/core/hashtables/hashtables.factor
+++ b/core/hashtables/hashtables.factor
@@ -20,15 +20,18 @@ TUPLE: hashtable
 : probe ( array i -- array i )
     2 fixnum+fast over wrap ; inline
 
-: (key@) ( key keys i -- array n ? )
+: no-key ( key array -- array n ? ) nip f f ; inline
+
+: (key@) ( key array i -- array n ? )
     3dup swap array-nth
     dup ((empty)) eq?
-    [ 3drop nip f f ] [
+    [ 3drop no-key ] [
         = [ rot drop t ] [ probe (key@) ] if
     ] if ; inline
 
 : key@ ( key hash -- array n ? )
-    array>> 2dup hash@ (key@) ; inline
+    array>> dup array-capacity 0 eq?
+    [ no-key ] [ 2dup hash@ (key@) ] if ; inline
 
 : <hash-array> ( n -- array )
     1+ next-power-of-2 4 * ((empty)) <array> ; inline
@@ -63,25 +66,20 @@ TUPLE: hashtable
 : hash-deleted+ ( hash -- )
     [ 1+ ] change-deleted drop ; inline
 
-: (set-hash) ( value key hash -- new? )
-    2dup new-key@
-    [ rot hash-count+ set-nth-pair t ]
-    [ rot drop set-nth-pair f ] if ; inline
-
 : (rehash) ( hash alist -- )
-    swap [ swapd (set-hash) drop ] curry assoc-each ;
+    swap [ swapd set-at ] curry assoc-each ; inline
 
 : hash-large? ( hash -- ? )
-    [ count>> 3 fixnum*fast  ]
-    [ array>> array-capacity ] bi > ;
+    [ count>> 3 fixnum*fast 1 fixnum+fast ]
+    [ array>> array-capacity ] bi fixnum> ; inline
 
 : hash-stale? ( hash -- ? )
-    [ deleted>> 10 fixnum*fast ] [ count>> ] bi fixnum> ;
+    [ deleted>> 10 fixnum*fast ] [ count>> ] bi fixnum> ; inline
 
 : grow-hash ( hash -- )
     [ dup >alist swap assoc-size 1+ ] keep
     [ reset-hash ] keep
-    swap (rehash) ;
+    swap (rehash) ; inline
 
 : ?grow-hash ( hash -- )
     dup hash-large? [
@@ -122,7 +120,10 @@ M: hashtable assoc-size ( hash -- n )
     r> (rehash) ;
 
 M: hashtable set-at ( value key hash -- )
-    dup >r (set-hash) [ r> ?grow-hash ] [ r> drop ] if ;
+    dup ?grow-hash
+    2dup new-key@
+    [ rot hash-count+ set-nth-pair ]
+    [ rot drop set-nth-pair ] if ;
 
 : associate ( value key -- hash )
     2 <hashtable> [ set-at ] keep ;