diff --git a/harbour/ChangeLog b/harbour/ChangeLog
index 1674412a9d..5fc05c31c3 100644
--- a/harbour/ChangeLog
+++ b/harbour/ChangeLog
@@ -8,6 +8,14 @@
    2002-12-01 23:12 UTC+0100 Foo Bar <foo.bar@foobar.org>
 */
 
+2003-03-05 13:35 UTC+0300 Alexander Kresin <alex@belacy.belgorod.su>
+  * source/vm/hvm.c
+  * source/vm/itemapi.c
+  * source/vm/asort.c
+    * Reverted changes, related to short strings optimization, because they
+      causes problems with arrays and inmplemented 1-byte length string
+      optimization, borrowed from xHarbour.
+
 2003-02-25 22:10 UTC+0300 Alexander Kresin <alex@belacy.belgorod.su>
   * contrib/rdd_ads/adsfunc.c
     + Transaction processing functions added.
diff --git a/harbour/source/vm/asort.c b/harbour/source/vm/asort.c
index 3186e510fa..f6883587af 100644
--- a/harbour/source/vm/asort.c
+++ b/harbour/source/vm/asort.c
@@ -117,13 +117,9 @@ static LONG hb_arraySortQuickPartition( PHB_ITEM pItems, LONG lb, LONG ub, PHB_I
 
 #ifdef HB_ASORT_OPT_ITEMCOPY
    memcpy( &pivot, pItems + p, sizeof( HB_ITEM ) );
-   if( HB_IS_STRING( &pivot ) && (&pivot)->item.asString.bStatic < 0 )
-      (&pivot)->item.asString.value  = (&pivot)->item.asString.u.value;
    if( p != lb )
    {
       memcpy( pItems + p, pItems + lb, sizeof( HB_ITEM ) );
-      if( HB_IS_STRING( pItems + p ) && (pItems + p)->item.asString.bStatic < 0 )
-         (pItems + p)->item.asString.value  = (pItems + p)->item.asString.u.value;
    }
 #else
    hb_itemInit( &pivot );
@@ -190,10 +186,6 @@ static LONG hb_arraySortQuickPartition( PHB_ITEM pItems, LONG lb, LONG ub, PHB_I
          memcpy( &temp, pItems + j, sizeof( HB_ITEM ) );
          memcpy( pItems + j, pItems + i, sizeof( HB_ITEM ) );
          memcpy( pItems + i, &temp, sizeof( HB_ITEM ) );
-         if( HB_IS_STRING( pItems + i ) && (pItems + i)->item.asString.bStatic < 0 )
-            (pItems + i)->item.asString.value  = (pItems + i)->item.asString.u.value;
-         if( HB_IS_STRING( pItems + j ) && (pItems + j)->item.asString.bStatic < 0 )
-            (pItems + j)->item.asString.value  = (pItems + j)->item.asString.u.value;
 #else
          hb_itemInit( &temp );
          hb_itemCopy( &temp, pItems + j );
@@ -212,12 +204,8 @@ static LONG hb_arraySortQuickPartition( PHB_ITEM pItems, LONG lb, LONG ub, PHB_I
    if( lb != j )
    {
       memcpy( pItems + lb, pItems + j, sizeof( HB_ITEM ) );
-      if( HB_IS_STRING( pItems + lb ) && (pItems + lb)->item.asString.bStatic < 0 )
-         (pItems + lb)->item.asString.value  = (pItems + lb)->item.asString.u.value;
    }
    memcpy( pItems + j, &pivot, sizeof( HB_ITEM ) );
-   if( HB_IS_STRING( pItems + j ) && (pItems + j)->item.asString.bStatic < 0 )
-      (pItems + j)->item.asString.value  = (pItems + j)->item.asString.u.value;
 #else
    if( lb != j )
       hb_itemCopy( pItems + lb, pItems + j );
diff --git a/harbour/source/vm/hvm.c b/harbour/source/vm/hvm.c
index 7d4c50f515..a5a1040c56 100644
--- a/harbour/source/vm/hvm.c
+++ b/harbour/source/vm/hvm.c
@@ -239,6 +239,25 @@ int hb_vm_iExtraIndex;
  */
 static USHORT   s_uiActionRequest;
 
+char *hb_vm_sNull = "";
+
+char *hb_vm_acAscii[256] = { "\x00", "\x01", "\x02", "\x03", "\x04", "\x05", "\x06", "\x07", "\x08", "\x09", "\x0A", "\x0B", "\x0C", "\x0D", "\x0E", "\x0F",
+                             "\x10", "\x11", "\x12", "\x13", "\x14", "\x15", "\x16", "\x17", "\x18", "\x19", "\x1A", "\x1B", "\x1C", "\x1D", "\x1E", "\x1F",
+                             "\x20", "\x21", "\x22", "\x23", "\x24", "\x25", "\x26", "\x27", "\x28", "\x29", "\x2A", "\x2B", "\x2C", "\x2D", "\x2E", "\x2F",
+                             "\x30", "\x31", "\x32", "\x33", "\x34", "\x35", "\x36", "\x37", "\x38", "\x39", "\x3A", "\x3B", "\x3C", "\x3D", "\x3E", "\x3F",
+                             "\x40", "\x41", "\x42", "\x43", "\x44", "\x45", "\x46", "\x47", "\x48", "\x49", "\x4A", "\x4B", "\x4C", "\x4D", "\x4E", "\x4F",
+                             "\x50", "\x51", "\x52", "\x53", "\x54", "\x55", "\x56", "\x57", "\x58", "\x59", "\x5A", "\x5B", "\x5C", "\x5D", "\x5E", "\x5F",
+                             "\x60", "\x61", "\x62", "\x63", "\x64", "\x65", "\x66", "\x67", "\x68", "\x69", "\x6A", "\x6B", "\x6C", "\x6D", "\x6E", "\x6F",
+                             "\x70", "\x71", "\x72", "\x73", "\x74", "\x75", "\x76", "\x77", "\x78", "\x79", "\x7A", "\x7B", "\x7C", "\x7D", "\x7E", "\x7F",
+                             "\x80", "\x81", "\x82", "\x83", "\x84", "\x85", "\x86", "\x87", "\x88", "\x89", "\x8A", "\x8B", "\x8C", "\x8D", "\x8E", "\x8F",
+                             "\x90", "\x91", "\x92", "\x93", "\x94", "\x95", "\x96", "\x97", "\x98", "\x99", "\x9A", "\x9B", "\x9C", "\x9D", "\x9E", "\x9F",
+                             "\xA0", "\xA1", "\xA2", "\xA3", "\xA4", "\xA5", "\xA6", "\xA7", "\xA8", "\xA9", "\xAA", "\xAB", "\xAC", "\xAD", "\xAE", "\xAF",
+                             "\xB0", "\xB1", "\xB2", "\xB3", "\xB4", "\xB5", "\xB6", "\xB7", "\xB8", "\xB9", "\xBA", "\xBB", "\xBC", "\xBD", "\xBE", "\xBF",
+                             "\xC0", "\xC1", "\xC2", "\xC3", "\xC4", "\xC5", "\xC6", "\xC7", "\xC8", "\xC9", "\xCA", "\xCB", "\xCC", "\xCD", "\xCE", "\xCF",
+                             "\xD0", "\xD1", "\xD2", "\xD3", "\xD4", "\xD5", "\xD6", "\xD7", "\xD8", "\xD9", "\xDA", "\xDB", "\xDC", "\xDD", "\xDE", "\xDF",
+                             "\xE0", "\xE1", "\xE2", "\xE3", "\xE4", "\xE5", "\xE6", "\xE7", "\xE8", "\xE9", "\xEA", "\xEB", "\xEC", "\xED", "\xEE", "\xEF",
+                             "\xF0", "\xF1", "\xF2", "\xF3", "\xF4", "\xF5", "\xF6", "\xF7", "\xF8", "\xF9", "\xFA", "\xFB", "\xFC", "\xFD", "\xFE", "\xFF" };
+
 /* 21/10/00 - maurilio.longo@libero.it
    This Exception Handler gets called in case of an abnormal termination of an harbour program and
    displays a full stack trace at the harbour language level */
@@ -3968,13 +3987,16 @@ void hb_vmPushString( char * szText, ULONG length )
 
    pStackTopItem->type = HB_IT_STRING;
    pStackTopItem->item.asString.length = length;
-   if( length < sizeof(USHORT*) )
+   if( length == 0 )
    {
-      ULONG i = 0;
-      pStackTopItem->item.asString.value = pStackTopItem->item.asString.u.value;
-      for( ; i<length; szText++, i++ )
-         pStackTopItem->item.asString.value[i] = *szText;
-      pStackTopItem->item.asString.value[ length ] = '\0';
+      pStackTopItem->item.asString.length  = 0;
+      pStackTopItem->item.asString.value   = hb_vm_sNull;
+      pStackTopItem->item.asString.bStatic = -1;
+   }
+   else if( length == 1 )
+   {
+      pStackTopItem->item.asString.length  = 1;
+      pStackTopItem->item.asString.value   = hb_vm_acAscii[ (unsigned char) ( szText[0] ) ];
       pStackTopItem->item.asString.bStatic = -1;
    }
    else
diff --git a/harbour/source/vm/itemapi.c b/harbour/source/vm/itemapi.c
index c71b86d1ce..84bb0137df 100644
--- a/harbour/source/vm/itemapi.c
+++ b/harbour/source/vm/itemapi.c
@@ -100,6 +100,8 @@
 #include "hbapicdp.h"
 
 extern PHB_CODEPAGE s_cdpage;
+extern char *hb_vm_sNull;
+extern char *hb_vm_acAscii[256];
 
 /* DJGPP can sprintf a float that is almost 320 digits long */
 #define HB_MAX_DOUBLE_LENGTH 320
@@ -204,33 +206,26 @@ PHB_ITEM hb_itemPutC( PHB_ITEM pItem, char * szText )
 
    pItem->type = HB_IT_STRING;
 
-   if( szText == NULL  || szText[0] == '\0' )
+   if( szText == NULL || szText[0] == '\0' )
    {
-      pItem->item.asString.length = 0;
-      pItem->item.asString.value  = pItem->item.asString.u.value;
-      pItem->item.asString.u.value[0] = '\0';
-      pItem->item.asString.bStatic = -1;
+      pItem->item.asString.length  = 0;
+      pItem->item.asString.value   = hb_vm_sNull;
+      pItem->item.asString.bStatic = TRUE;
+   }
+   else if( szText[1] == '\0' )
+   {
+      pItem->item.asString.length  = 1;
+      pItem->item.asString.value   = hb_vm_acAscii[ (unsigned char) ( szText[0] ) ];
+      pItem->item.asString.bStatic = TRUE;
    }
    else
    {
       pItem->item.asString.length = strlen( szText );
-      if( pItem->item.asString.length < sizeof(USHORT*) )
-      {
-         int i = 0;
-         pItem->item.asString.value = pItem->item.asString.u.value;
-         for( ; *szText; szText++, i++ )
-            pItem->item.asString.value[i] = *szText;
-         pItem->item.asString.u.value[i] = '\0';
-         pItem->item.asString.bStatic = -1;
-      }
-      else
-      {
-         pItem->item.asString.value = ( char * ) hb_xgrab( pItem->item.asString.length + 1 );
-         pItem->item.asString.bStatic = 0;
-         pItem->item.asString.u.puiHolders = ( USHORT * ) hb_xgrab( sizeof( USHORT ) );
-         * ( pItem->item.asString.u.puiHolders ) = 1;
-         strcpy( pItem->item.asString.value, szText );
-      }
+      pItem->item.asString.value = ( char * ) hb_xgrab( pItem->item.asString.length + 1 );
+      pItem->item.asString.bStatic = 0;
+      pItem->item.asString.u.puiHolders = ( USHORT * ) hb_xgrab( sizeof( USHORT ) );
+      * ( pItem->item.asString.u.puiHolders ) = 1;
+      strcpy( pItem->item.asString.value, szText );
    }
 
    return pItem;
@@ -277,32 +272,26 @@ PHB_ITEM hb_itemPutCL( PHB_ITEM pItem, char * szText, ULONG ulLen )
 
    pItem->type = HB_IT_STRING;
 
-   if( szText == NULL || ulLen == 0)
+   if( szText == NULL || ulLen == 0 )
    {
-      pItem->item.asString.length = 0;
-      pItem->item.asString.value  = pItem->item.asString.u.value;
-      pItem->item.asString.u.value[0] = '\0';
-      pItem->item.asString.bStatic = -1;
+      pItem->item.asString.length  = 0;
+      pItem->item.asString.value   = hb_vm_sNull;
+      pItem->item.asString.bStatic = TRUE;
+   }
+   else if( ulLen == 1 )
+   {
+      pItem->item.asString.length  = 1;
+      pItem->item.asString.value   = hb_vm_acAscii[ (unsigned char) ( szText[0] ) ];
+      pItem->item.asString.bStatic = TRUE;
    }
    else
    {
       pItem->item.asString.length = ulLen;
-      if( ulLen < sizeof(USHORT*) )
-      {
-         ULONG i = 0;
-         pItem->item.asString.value  = pItem->item.asString.u.value;
-         for( ; i<ulLen; szText++, i++ )
-            pItem->item.asString.value[i] = *szText;
-         pItem->item.asString.bStatic = -1;
-      }
-      else
-      {
-         pItem->item.asString.value = ( char * ) hb_xgrab( ulLen + 1 );
-         pItem->item.asString.bStatic = 0;
-         pItem->item.asString.u.puiHolders = ( USHORT * ) hb_xgrab( sizeof( USHORT ) );
-         * ( pItem->item.asString.u.puiHolders ) = 1;
-         hb_xmemcpy( pItem->item.asString.value, szText, ulLen );
-      }
+      pItem->item.asString.value = ( char * ) hb_xgrab( ulLen + 1 );
+      pItem->item.asString.bStatic = 0;
+      pItem->item.asString.u.puiHolders = ( USHORT * ) hb_xgrab( sizeof( USHORT ) );
+      * ( pItem->item.asString.u.puiHolders ) = 1;
+      hb_xmemcpy( pItem->item.asString.value, szText, ulLen );
       pItem->item.asString.value[ ulLen ] = '\0';
    }
 
@@ -922,12 +911,7 @@ void hb_itemCopy( PHB_ITEM pDest, PHB_ITEM pSource )
 
    if( HB_IS_STRING( pSource ) )
    {
-      if( pSource->item.asString.bStatic )
-      {
-         if( pSource->item.asString.bStatic < 0 )
-            pDest->item.asString.value  = pDest->item.asString.u.value;
-      }
-      else
+      if( !pSource->item.asString.bStatic )
          ++*( pSource->item.asString.u.puiHolders );
    }
    else if( HB_IS_ARRAY( pSource ) )
@@ -953,8 +937,6 @@ void hb_itemMove( PHB_ITEM pDest, PHB_ITEM pSource )
       hb_itemClear( pDest );
 
    memcpy( pDest, pSource, sizeof( HB_ITEM ) );
-   if( HB_IS_STRING( pSource ) && pSource->item.asString.bStatic < 0 )
-      pDest->item.asString.value  = pDest->item.asString.u.value;
    pSource->type = HB_IT_NIL;
 
 }