diff --git a/linkhash.c b/linkhash.c
index f89859e..5a9a239 100644
--- a/linkhash.c
+++ b/linkhash.c
@@ -24,6 +24,27 @@
 #include "random_seed.h"
 #include "linkhash.h"
 
+/* hash functions */
+static unsigned long lh_char_hash(const void *k);
+static unsigned long lh_perllike_str_hash(const void *k);
+static lh_hash_fn *char_hash_fn = lh_char_hash;
+
+int
+json_global_set_string_hash(const int h)
+{
+	switch(h) {
+	case JSON_C_STR_HASH_DFLT:
+		char_hash_fn = lh_char_hash;
+		break;
+	case JSON_C_STR_HASH_PERLLIKE:
+		char_hash_fn = lh_perllike_str_hash;
+		break;
+	default:
+		return -1;
+	}
+	return 0;
+}
+
 void lh_abort(const char *msg, ...)
 {
 	va_list ap;
@@ -33,7 +54,7 @@ void lh_abort(const char *msg, ...)
 	exit(1);
 }
 
-unsigned long lh_ptr_hash(const void *k)
+static unsigned long lh_ptr_hash(const void *k)
 {
 	/* CAW: refactored to be 64bit nice */
 	return (unsigned long)((((ptrdiff_t)k * LH_PRIME) >> 4) & ULONG_MAX);
@@ -397,7 +418,21 @@ static uint32_t hashlittle( const void *key, size_t length, uint32_t initval)
   return c;
 }
 
-unsigned long lh_char_hash(const void *k)
+/* a simple hash function similiar to what perl does for strings.
+ * for good results, the string should not be excessivly large.
+ */
+static unsigned long lh_perllike_str_hash(const void *k) 
+{
+    const char *rkey = (char*) k;
+    unsigned hashval = 1;
+
+    while (*rkey)
+        hashval = hashval * 33 + *rkey++;
+
+    return hashval;
+}
+
+static unsigned long lh_char_hash(const void *k)
 {
 	static volatile int random_seed = -1;
 
@@ -448,7 +483,7 @@ struct lh_table* lh_table_new(int size, const char *name,
 struct lh_table* lh_kchar_table_new(int size, const char *name,
 				    lh_entry_free_fn *free_fn)
 {
-	return lh_table_new(size, name, free_fn, lh_char_hash, lh_char_equal);
+	return lh_table_new(size, name, free_fn, char_hash_fn, lh_char_equal);
 }
 
 struct lh_table* lh_kptr_table_new(int size, const char *name,
diff --git a/linkhash.h b/linkhash.h
index f967bf9..ba7e627 100644
--- a/linkhash.h
+++ b/linkhash.h
@@ -41,6 +41,23 @@ extern "C" {
  */
 #define LH_FREED (void*)-2
 
+/**
+ * default string hash function
+ */
+#define JSON_C_STR_HASH_DFLT 0
+
+/**
+ * perl-like string hash function
+ */
+#define JSON_C_STR_HASH_PERLLIKE 1
+
+/**
+ * This function sets the hash function to be used for strings.
+ * Must be one of the JSON_C_STR_HASH_* values.
+ * @returns 0 - ok, -1 if parameter was invalid
+ */
+int json_global_set_string_hash(const int h);
+
 struct lh_entry;
 
 /**
@@ -144,16 +161,6 @@ struct lh_table {
 };
 
 
-/**
- * Pre-defined hash and equality functions
- */
-extern unsigned long lh_ptr_hash(const void *k);
-extern int lh_ptr_equal(const void *k1, const void *k2);
-
-extern unsigned long lh_char_hash(const void *k);
-extern int lh_char_equal(const void *k1, const void *k2);
-
-
 /**
  * Convenience list iterator.
  */