--- Downloads/Python-2.4.3/Modules/cPickle.c	2004-07-26 22:22:33.000000000 -0700
+++ cPickle.c	2009-02-25 13:13:35.000000000 -0800
@@ -4319,8 +4319,20 @@
 
 		i = 0;
 		while (PyDict_Next(state, &i, &d_key, &d_value)) {
-			if (PyObject_SetItem(dict, d_key, d_value) < 0)
-				goto finally;
+			/* normally the keys for instance attributes are
+			   interned.  we should try to do that here. */
+			if (PyString_CheckExact(d_key)) {
+				Py_INCREF(d_key);
+				PyString_InternInPlace(&d_key);
+				if (PyObject_SetItem(dict, d_key, d_value) < 0) {
+					Py_DECREF(d_key);
+					goto finally;
+				}
+				Py_DECREF(d_key);
+			} else {
+				if (PyObject_SetItem(dict, d_key, d_value) < 0)
+					goto finally;
+			}
 		}
 		Py_DECREF(dict);
 	}