diff --git a/boot.php b/boot.php
old mode 100755
new mode 100644
index 04e16e64dc..56548160da
--- a/boot.php
+++ b/boot.php
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ require_once('include/cache.php');
 define ( 'FRIENDICA_PLATFORM',     'Friendica');
 define ( 'FRIENDICA_VERSION',      '2.3.1288' );
 define ( 'DFRN_PROTOCOL_VERSION',  '2.23'    );
-define ( 'DB_UPDATE_VERSION',      1133      );
+define ( 'DB_UPDATE_VERSION',      1134      );
 
 define ( 'EOL',                    "<br />\r\n"     );
 define ( 'ATOM_TIME',              'Y-m-d\TH:i:s\Z' );
diff --git a/database.sql b/database.sql
old mode 100755
new mode 100644
index 327b482c06..a039746e8e
--- a/database.sql
+++ b/database.sql
@@ -34,10 +34,11 @@ CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS `challenge` (
 
 CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS `config` (
   `id` int(10) unsigned NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT,
-  `cat` char(255) NOT NULL,
-  `k` char(255) NOT NULL,
+  `cat` char(255) CHARACTER SET ascii COLLATE ascii_general_ci NOT NULL,
+  `k` char(255) CHARACTER SET ascii COLLATE ascii_general_ci NOT NULL,
   `v` text NOT NULL,
-  PRIMARY KEY (`id`)
+  PRIMARY KEY (`id`), 
+  UNIQUE KEY `access`(`cat`,`k`)
 ) ENGINE=MyISAM DEFAULT CHARSET=utf8;
 
 
@@ -536,9 +537,10 @@ INDEX ( `batch` )
 CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS `pconfig` (
 `id` INT NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT PRIMARY KEY ,
 `uid` INT NOT NULL DEFAULT '0',
-`cat` CHAR( 255 ) NOT NULL ,
-`k` CHAR( 255 ) NOT NULL ,
-`v` MEDIUMTEXT NOT NULL
+`cat` CHAR( 255 ) CHARACTER SET ascii COLLATE ascii_general_ci NOT NULL ,
+`k` CHAR( 255 ) CHARACTER SET ascii COLLATE ascii_general_ci NOT NULL ,
+`v` MEDIUMTEXT NOT NULL, 
+UNIQUE KEY `access`(`cat`, `k`)
 ) ENGINE = MyISAM DEFAULT CHARSET=utf8;
 
 
diff --git a/include/config.php b/include/config.php
old mode 100755
new mode 100644
index 2cddda0b8d..f93cb52c95
--- a/include/config.php
+++ b/include/config.php
@@ -1,222 +1,224 @@
 <?php
-
 /**
  *
  * Arbitrary configuration storage
  * Note:
  * Please do not store booleans - convert to 0/1 integer values
  * The get_?config() functions return boolean false for keys that are unset,
- * and this could lead to subtle bugs.  
+ * and this could lead to subtle bugs.
  *
  * There are a few places in the code (such as the admin panel) where boolean
  * configurations need to be fixed as of 10/08/2011.
+ *
+ * @package config;
  */
 
 
-// retrieve a "family" of config variables from database to cached storage
-
+/**
+ * retrieve a "family" of config variables
+ * from database to cached storage
+ */
 if(! function_exists('load_config')) {
-function load_config($family) {
-	global $a;
-	$r = q("SELECT * FROM `config` WHERE `cat` = '%s'",
-		dbesc($family)
-	);
-	if(count($r)) {
-		foreach($r as $rr) {
-			$k = $rr['k'];
-			if ($rr['cat'] === 'config') {
-				$a->config[$k] = $rr['v'];
-			} else {
-				$a->config[$family][$k] = $rr['v'];
+	function load_config($family) {
+		global $a;
+		$r = q("SELECT * FROM `config` WHERE `cat` = '%s'",
+				dbesc($family)
+		);
+		if(count($r)) {
+			foreach($r as $rr) {
+				$k = $rr['k'];
+				if ($rr['cat'] === 'config') {
+					$a->config[$k] = $rr['v'];
+				} else {
+					$a->config[$family][$k] = $rr['v'];
+				}
 			}
 		}
 	}
-}}
-
-// get a particular config variable given the family name
-// and key. Returns false if not set.
-// $instore is only used by the set_config function
-// to determine if the key already exists in the DB
-// If a key is found in the DB but doesn't exist in
-// local config cache, pull it into the cache so we don't have
-// to hit the DB again for this item.
+}
 
+/**
+ * get a particular config variable given the family name
+ * and key. Returns false if not set.
+ *
+ * If a key is found in the DB but doesn't exist in
+ * local config cache, pull it into the cache so we don't have
+ *to hit the DB again for this item.
+ */
 if(! function_exists('get_config')) {
-function get_config($family, $key, $instore = false) {
+	function get_config($family, $key) {
+
+		global $a;
 
-	global $a;
 
-	if(! $instore) {
 		if(isset($a->config[$family][$key])) {
 			if($a->config[$family][$key] === '!<unset>!') {
 				return false;
 			}
 			return $a->config[$family][$key];
 		}
-	}
-	$ret = q("SELECT `v` FROM `config` WHERE `cat` = '%s' AND `k` = '%s' LIMIT 1",
-		dbesc($family),
-		dbesc($key)
-	);
-	if(count($ret)) {
-		// manage array value
-		$val = (preg_match("|^a:[0-9]+:{.*}$|", $ret[0]['v'])?unserialize( $ret[0]['v']):$ret[0]['v']);
-		$a->config[$family][$key] = $val;
-		return $val;
-	}
-	else {
-		$a->config[$family][$key] = '!<unset>!';
-	}
-	return false;
-}}
-
-// Store a config value ($value) in the category ($family)
-// under the key ($key)
-// Return the value, or false if the database update failed
-
-if(! function_exists('set_config')) {
-function set_config($family,$key,$value) {
-	global $a;
-	
-	// manage array value
-	$dbvalue = (is_array($value)?serialize($value):$value);
-
-	if(get_config($family,$key,true) === false) {
-		$a->config[$family][$key] = $value;
-		$ret = q("INSERT INTO `config` ( `cat`, `k`, `v` ) VALUES ( '%s', '%s', '%s' ) ",
-			dbesc($family),
-			dbesc($key),
-			dbesc($dbvalue)
+		$ret = q("SELECT `v` FROM `config` WHERE `cat` = '%s' AND `k` = '%s' LIMIT 1",
+				dbesc($family),
+				dbesc($key)
 		);
-		if($ret) 
-			return $value;
-		return $ret;
+		if(count($ret)) {
+			// manage array value
+			$val = (preg_match("|^a:[0-9]+:{.*}$|", $ret[0]['v'])?unserialize( $ret[0]['v']):$ret[0]['v']);
+			$a->config[$family][$key] = $val;
+			return $val;
+		}
+		else {
+			$a->config[$family][$key] = '!<unset>!';
+		}
+		return false;
 	}
-	
-	$ret = q("UPDATE `config` SET `v` = '%s' WHERE `cat` = '%s' AND `k` = '%s' LIMIT 1",
-		dbesc($dbvalue),
-		dbesc($family),
-		dbesc($key)
-	);
+}
 
-	$a->config[$family][$key] = $value;
+/**
+ * Store a config value ($value) in the category ($family)
+ * under the key ($key)
+ * 
+ * Return the value, or false if the database update failed
+ */
+if(! function_exists('set_config')) {
+	function set_config($family,$key,$value) {
+		global $a;
 
-	if($ret)
-		return $value;
-	return $ret;
-}}
+		// manage array value
+		$dbvalue = (is_array($value)?serialize($value):$value);
+
+		$a->config[$family][$key] = $value;
+		$ret = q("REPLACE INTO `config` ( `cat`, `k`, `v` ) VALUES ( '%s', '%s', '%s' ) ",
+				dbesc($family),
+				dbesc($key),
+				dbesc($dbvalue)
+		);
+		if($ret) {
+			return $value;
+		}
+		return $ret;
+
+	}
+}
 
 
 if(! function_exists('load_pconfig')) {
-function load_pconfig($uid,$family) {
-	global $a;
-	$r = q("SELECT * FROM `pconfig` WHERE `cat` = '%s' AND `uid` = %d",
-		dbesc($family),
-		intval($uid)
-	);
-	if(count($r)) {
-		foreach($r as $rr) {
-			$k = $rr['k'];
-			$a->config[$uid][$family][$k] = $rr['v'];
+	function load_pconfig($uid,$family) {
+		global $a;
+		$r = q("SELECT * FROM `pconfig` WHERE `cat` = '%s' AND `uid` = %d",
+				dbesc($family),
+				intval($uid)
+		);
+		if(count($r)) {
+			foreach($r as $rr) {
+				$k = $rr['k'];
+				$a->config[$uid][$family][$k] = $rr['v'];
+			}
 		}
 	}
-}}
-
+}
 
 
+/**
+ * get a particular user-specific config variable given the family name, 
+ * the user id and key. Returns false if not set.
+ *
+ * If a key is found in the DB but doesn't exist in
+ * local config cache, pull it into the cache so we don't have
+ * to hit the DB again for this item.
+ */
 if(! function_exists('get_pconfig')) {
-function get_pconfig($uid,$family, $key, $instore = false) {
+	function get_pconfig($uid,$family, $key) {
+
+		global $a;
 
-	global $a;
 
-	if(! $instore) {
 		if(isset($a->config[$uid][$family][$key])) {
 			if($a->config[$uid][$family][$key] === '!<unset>!') {
 				return false;
 			}
 			return $a->config[$uid][$family][$key];
 		}
-	}
-
-	$ret = q("SELECT `v` FROM `pconfig` WHERE `uid` = %d AND `cat` = '%s' AND `k` = '%s' LIMIT 1",
-		intval($uid),
-		dbesc($family),
-		dbesc($key)
-	);
-
-	if(count($ret)) {
-		$val = (preg_match("|^a:[0-9]+:{.*}$|", $ret[0]['v'])?unserialize( $ret[0]['v']):$ret[0]['v']);
-		$a->config[$uid][$family][$key] = $val;
-		return $val;
-	}
-	else {
-		$a->config[$uid][$family][$key] = '!<unset>!';
-	}
-	return false;
-}}
-
-if(! function_exists('del_config')) {
-function del_config($family,$key) {
-
-	global $a;
-	if(x($a->config[$family],$key))
-		unset($a->config[$family][$key]);
-	$ret = q("DELETE FROM `config` WHERE `cat` = '%s' AND `k` = '%s' LIMIT 1",
-		dbesc($family),
-		dbesc($key)
-	);
-	return $ret;
-}}
 
 
-
-// Same as above functions except these are for personal config storage and take an
-// additional $uid argument.
-
-if(! function_exists('set_pconfig')) {
-function set_pconfig($uid,$family,$key,$value) {
-
-	global $a;
-
-	// manage array value
-	$dbvalue = (is_array($value)?serialize($value):$value);
-
-	if(get_pconfig($uid,$family,$key,true) === false) {
-		$a->config[$uid][$family][$key] = $value;
-		$ret = q("INSERT INTO `pconfig` ( `uid`, `cat`, `k`, `v` ) VALUES ( %d, '%s', '%s', '%s' ) ",
-			intval($uid),
-			dbesc($family),
-			dbesc($key),
-			dbesc($dbvalue)
+		$ret = q("SELECT `v` FROM `pconfig` WHERE `uid` = %d AND `cat` = '%s' AND `k` = '%s' LIMIT 1",
+				intval($uid),
+				dbesc($family),
+				dbesc($key)
+		);
+
+		if(count($ret)) {
+			$val = (preg_match("|^a:[0-9]+:{.*}$|", $ret[0]['v'])?unserialize( $ret[0]['v']):$ret[0]['v']);
+			$a->config[$uid][$family][$key] = $val;
+			return $val;
+		}
+		else {
+			$a->config[$uid][$family][$key] = '!<unset>!';
+		}
+		return false;
+	}
+}
+
+/**
+ * Delete a value from config. This function 
+ * deletes both: db value and cache entry. 
+ */
+if(! function_exists('del_config')) {
+	function del_config($family,$key) {
+
+		global $a;
+		if(x($a->config[$family],$key))
+			unset($a->config[$family][$key]);
+		$ret = q("DELETE FROM `config` WHERE `cat` = '%s' AND `k` = '%s' LIMIT 1",
+				dbesc($family),
+				dbesc($key)
 		);
-		if($ret) 
-			return $value;
 		return $ret;
 	}
-	$ret = q("UPDATE `pconfig` SET `v` = '%s' WHERE `uid` = %d AND `cat` = '%s' AND `k` = '%s' LIMIT 1",
-		dbesc($dbvalue),
-		intval($uid),
-		dbesc($family),
-		dbesc($key)
-	);
+}
 
-	$a->config[$uid][$family][$key] = $value;
 
-	if($ret)
-		return $value;
-	return $ret;
-}}
+/**
+ * Store a user-specific config value ($value) for user $uid in the category ($family)
+ * under the key ($key). 
+ * 
+ * Return the value, or false if the database update failed
+ */
+if(! function_exists('set_pconfig')) {
+	function set_pconfig($uid,$family,$key,$value) {
+
+		global $a;
+
+		// manage array value
+		$dbvalue = (is_array($value)?serialize($value):$value);
+
+
+		$a->config[$uid][$family][$key] = $value;
+		$ret = q("REPLACE INTO `pconfig` ( `uid`, `cat`, `k`, `v` ) VALUES ( %d, '%s', '%s', '%s' ) ",
+				intval($uid),
+				dbesc($family),
+				dbesc($key),
+				dbesc($dbvalue)
+		);
+		if($ret) {
+			return $value;
+		}
+		return $ret;
+
+	}
+}
 
 if(! function_exists('del_pconfig')) {
-function del_pconfig($uid,$family,$key) {
+	function del_pconfig($uid,$family,$key) {
 
-	global $a;
-	if(x($a->config[$uid][$family],$key))
-		unset($a->config[$uid][$family][$key]);
-	$ret = q("DELETE FROM `pconfig` WHERE `uid` = %d AND `cat` = '%s' AND `k` = '%s' LIMIT 1",
-		intval($uid),
-		dbesc($family),
-		dbesc($key)
-	);
-	return $ret;
-}}
+		global $a;
+		if(x($a->config[$uid][$family],$key))
+			unset($a->config[$uid][$family][$key]);
+		$ret = q("DELETE FROM `pconfig` WHERE `uid` = %d AND `cat` = '%s' AND `k` = '%s' LIMIT 1",
+				intval($uid),
+				dbesc($family),
+				dbesc($key)
+		);
+		return $ret;
+	}
+}
diff --git a/update.php b/update.php
old mode 100755
new mode 100644
index a69742a949..adb96b8319
--- a/update.php
+++ b/update.php
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 <?php
 
-define( 'UPDATE_VERSION' , 1133 );
+define( 'UPDATE_VERSION' , 1134 );
 
 /**
  *
@@ -1136,3 +1136,17 @@ INDEX ( `username` )
 
 }
 
+function update_1133() {
+	//there can't be indexes with more than 1000 bytes in mysql, 
+	//so change charset to be smaller
+	q("ALTER TABLE `config` CHANGE `cat` `cat` CHAR( 255 ) CHARACTER SET ascii COLLATE ascii_general_ci NOT NULL ,
+CHANGE `k` `k` CHAR( 255 ) CHARACTER SET ascii COLLATE ascii_general_ci NOT NULL"); 
+	//and add the index
+	q("ALTER TABLE `friendica`.`config` ADD UNIQUE `access` ( `cat` , `k` ) "); 
+	
+	//same thing for pconfig
+	q("ALTER TABLE `pconfig` CHANGE `cat` `cat` CHAR( 255 ) CHARACTER SET ascii COLLATE ascii_general_ci NOT NULL ,
+	CHANGE `k` `k` CHAR( 255 ) CHARACTER SET ascii COLLATE ascii_general_ci NOT NULL"); 
+	
+	q("ALTER TABLE `friendica`.`pconfig` ADD UNIQUE `access` ( `uid` , `cat` , `k` )"); 
+}