diff --git a/ase/awk/map.c b/ase/awk/map.c
index 5b4bc0c2..945dedeb 100644
--- a/ase/awk/map.c
+++ b/ase/awk/map.c
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * $Id: map.c,v 1.11 2006-04-16 04:31:38 bacon Exp $
+ * $Id: map.c,v 1.12 2006-04-18 14:49:42 bacon Exp $
  */
 
 #include <xp/awk/awk_i.h>
@@ -102,6 +102,7 @@ xp_awk_pair_t* xp_awk_map_get (xp_awk_map_t* map, xp_char_t* key)
 
 xp_awk_pair_t* xp_awk_map_put (xp_awk_map_t* map, xp_char_t* key, void* val)
 {
+/*
 	xp_awk_pair_t* pair;
 	xp_size_t hc;
 
@@ -133,6 +134,54 @@ xp_awk_pair_t* xp_awk_map_put (xp_awk_map_t* map, xp_char_t* key, void* val)
 	map->size++;
 
 	return pair;
+*/
+	int n;
+	xp_awk_pair_t* px;
+
+	n = xp_awk_map_putx (map, key, val, &px);
+	if (n < 0) return XP_NULL;
+	return px;
+}
+
+int xp_awk_map_putx (xp_awk_map_t* map, xp_char_t* key, void* val, xp_awk_pair_t** px)
+{
+	xp_awk_pair_t* pair;
+	xp_size_t hc;
+
+	hc = __hash(key) % map->capa;
+	pair = map->buck[hc];
+
+	while (pair != XP_NULL) 
+	{
+		if (xp_strcmp(pair->key,key) == 0) 
+		{
+			if (pair->key != key) 
+			{
+				xp_free ((xp_char_t*)pair->key);
+				pair->key = key;
+			}
+
+			if (px != XP_NULL)
+				*px = xp_awk_map_setpair (map, pair, val);
+			else
+				xp_awk_map_setpair (map, pair, val);
+
+			return 0; /* value changed for the existing key */
+		}
+		pair = pair->next;
+	}
+
+	pair = (xp_awk_pair_t*) xp_malloc (xp_sizeof(xp_awk_pair_t));
+	if (pair == XP_NULL) return -1; /* error */
+
+	pair->key = key;
+	pair->val = val;
+	pair->next = map->buck[hc];
+	map->buck[hc] = pair;
+	map->size++;
+
+	if (px != XP_NULL) *px = pair;
+	return 1; /* new key added */
 }
 
 xp_awk_pair_t* xp_awk_map_set (xp_awk_map_t* map, xp_char_t* key, void* val)
diff --git a/ase/awk/map.h b/ase/awk/map.h
index adf2a8a9..0afa0cc4 100644
--- a/ase/awk/map.h
+++ b/ase/awk/map.h
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * $Id: map.h,v 1.7 2006-04-16 04:31:38 bacon Exp $
+ * $Id: map.h,v 1.8 2006-04-18 14:49:42 bacon Exp $
  */
 
 #ifndef _XP_AWK_MAP_H_
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ void xp_awk_map_clear (xp_awk_map_t* map);
 
 xp_awk_pair_t* xp_awk_map_get (xp_awk_map_t* map, xp_char_t* key);
 xp_awk_pair_t* xp_awk_map_put (xp_awk_map_t* map, xp_char_t* key, void* val);
+int xp_awk_map_putx (xp_awk_map_t* map, xp_char_t* key, void* val, xp_awk_pair_t** px);
 xp_awk_pair_t* xp_awk_map_set (xp_awk_map_t* map, xp_char_t* key, void* val);
 
 xp_awk_pair_t* xp_awk_map_getpair (
diff --git a/ase/awk/run.c b/ase/awk/run.c
index 769f3e07..61a65000 100644
--- a/ase/awk/run.c
+++ b/ase/awk/run.c
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * $Id: run.c,v 1.56 2006-04-18 11:26:48 bacon Exp $
+ * $Id: run.c,v 1.57 2006-04-18 14:49:42 bacon Exp $
  */
 
 #include <xp/awk/awk_i.h>
@@ -841,7 +841,7 @@ static xp_awk_val_t* __do_assignment_map (
 	xp_awk_val_map_t* map;
 	xp_awk_nde_t* nde;
 	xp_char_t* str;
-	xp_awk_pair_t* pair;
+	int n;
 
 	xp_assert (
 		(var->type == XP_AWK_NDE_GLOBALIDX ||
@@ -862,6 +862,8 @@ static xp_awk_val_t* __do_assignment_map (
 		tmp = xp_awk_makemapval (awk);
 		if (tmp == XP_NULL) PANIC (awk, XP_AWK_ENOMEM);
 
+		/* decrease the reference count of the previous value - 
+		 * in fact, this is not necessary as map is always xp_awk_val_nil here. */
 		xp_awk_refdownval (awk, (xp_awk_val_t*)map);
 
 		if (var->type == XP_AWK_NDE_GLOBALIDX)
@@ -909,22 +911,19 @@ static xp_awk_val_t* __do_assignment_map (
 /*
 xp_printf (XP_TEXT("**** index str=>%s, map->ref=%d, map->type=%d\n"), str, map->ref, map->type);
 */
-	pair = xp_awk_map_get (map->map, str);
-	if (xp_awk_map_put(map->map, str, val) == XP_NULL)
+	n = xp_awk_map_putx(map->map, str, val, XP_NULL);
+	if (n < 0)
 	{
 		xp_free (str);
 		PANIC (awk, XP_AWK_ENOMEM);
 	}
 
-	if (pair != XP_NULL) 
+	if (n == 0)
 	{
-		/* str is freed only if the key is in the map. 
+		/* the value for the existing key has changed.
+		 * str is freed only if the key is in the map. 
 		 * otherwise, it will be taken by the map */
 		xp_free (str);
-
-		/* decrease the reference count for the old value
-		 * only when the assignment is successful */
-		xp_awk_refdownval (awk, pair->val);
 	}
 
 	xp_awk_refupval (val);