diff --git a/include/cache.h b/include/cache.h
index f60b5b9..64fb30c 100644
--- a/include/cache.h
+++ b/include/cache.h
@@ -43,5 +43,8 @@ extern void load_help(void);
 extern void send_user_motd(struct Client *);
 extern void send_oper_motd(struct Client *);
 
+struct Dictionary;
+extern struct Dictionary *help_dict;
+
 #endif
 
diff --git a/modules/m_help.c b/modules/m_help.c
index 85f9de3..24c562f 100644
--- a/modules/m_help.c
+++ b/modules/m_help.c
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@
 #include "modules.h"
 #include "hash.h"
 #include "cache.h"
+#include "irc_dictionary.h"
 
 static int m_help(struct Client *, struct Client *, int, const char **);
 static int mo_help(struct Client *, struct Client *, int, const char **);
@@ -61,24 +62,6 @@ DECLARE_MODULE_AV1(help, NULL, NULL, help_clist, NULL, NULL, "$Revision: 254 $")
 static int
 m_help(struct Client *client_p, struct Client *source_p, int parc, const char *parv[])
 {
-	static time_t last_used = 0;
-
-	/* HELP is always local */
-	if((last_used + ConfigFileEntry.pace_wait_simple) > CurrentTime)
-	{
-		/* safe enough to give this on a local connect only */
-		sendto_one(source_p, form_str(RPL_LOAD2HI), 
-			   me.name, source_p->name, "HELP");
-		sendto_one(source_p, form_str(RPL_ENDOFHELP),
-			   me.name, source_p->name,
-			   (parc > 1 && !EmptyString(parv[1])) ? parv[1] : "index");
-		return 0;
-	}
-	else
-	{
-		last_used = CurrentTime;
-	}
-
 	dohelp(source_p, HELP_USER, parc > 1 ? parv[1] : NULL);
 
 	return 0;
@@ -119,9 +102,9 @@ dohelp(struct Client *source_p, int flags, const char *topic)
 	if(EmptyString(topic))
 		topic = ntopic;
 
-	hptr = hash_find_help(topic, flags);
+	hptr = irc_dictionary_retrieve(help_dict, topic);
 
-	if(hptr == NULL)
+	if(hptr == NULL || !(hptr->flags & flags))
 	{
 		sendto_one(source_p, form_str(ERR_HELPNOTFOUND),
 			   me.name, source_p->name, topic);
diff --git a/src/cache.c b/src/cache.c
index c55364a..3321e64 100644
--- a/src/cache.c
+++ b/src/cache.c
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@
 #include "hash.h"
 #include "cache.h"
 #include "sprintf_irc.h"
+#include "irc_dictionary.h"
 
 static BlockHeap *cachefile_heap = NULL;
 static BlockHeap *cacheline_heap = NULL;
@@ -52,6 +53,8 @@ struct cachefile *user_motd = NULL;
 struct cachefile *oper_motd = NULL;
 char user_motd_changed[MAX_DATE_STRING];
 
+struct Dictionary *help_dict = NULL;
+
 /* init_cache()
  *
  * inputs	-
@@ -68,6 +71,8 @@ init_cache(void)
 
 	user_motd = cache_file(MPATH, "ircd.motd", 0);
 	oper_motd = cache_file(OPATH, "opers.motd", 0);
+
+	help_dict = irc_dictionary_create(strcasecmp);
 }
 
 /* cache_file()
@@ -180,7 +185,7 @@ load_help(void)
 	{
 		ircsnprintf(filename, sizeof(filename), "%s/%s", HPATH, ldirent->d_name);
 		cacheptr = cache_file(filename, ldirent->d_name, HELP_OPER);
-		add_to_help_hash(cacheptr->name, cacheptr);
+		irc_dictionary_add(help_dict, cacheptr->name, cacheptr);
 	}
 
 	closedir(helpfile_dir);
@@ -202,9 +207,9 @@ load_help(void)
 		 */
 		if(S_ISLNK(sb.st_mode))
 		{
-			cacheptr = hash_find_help(ldirent->d_name, HELP_OPER);
+			cacheptr = irc_dictionary_retrieve(help_dict, ldirent->d_name);
 
-			if(cacheptr != NULL)
+			if(cacheptr != NULL && cacheptr->flags & HELP_OPER)  /* is this really needed? --nenolod */
 			{
 				cacheptr->flags |= HELP_USER;
 				continue;
@@ -213,7 +218,7 @@ load_help(void)
 #endif
 
 		cacheptr = cache_file(filename, ldirent->d_name, HELP_USER);
-		add_to_help_hash(cacheptr->name, cacheptr);
+		irc_dictionary_add(help_dict, cacheptr->name, cacheptr);
 	}
 
 	closedir(helpfile_dir);
diff --git a/src/hash.c b/src/hash.c
index f10c5ae..6f2bd65 100644
--- a/src/hash.c
+++ b/src/hash.c
@@ -46,7 +46,6 @@ dlink_list *channelTable;
 dlink_list *idTable;
 dlink_list *resvTable;
 dlink_list *hostTable; 
-dlink_list *helpTable;
 
 /*
  * look in whowas.c for the missing ...[WW_MAX]; entry
@@ -97,7 +96,6 @@ init_hash(void)
 	channelTable = MyMalloc(sizeof(dlink_list) * CH_MAX);
 	hostTable = MyMalloc(sizeof(dlink_list) * HOST_MAX);
 	resvTable = MyMalloc(sizeof(dlink_list) * R_MAX);
-	helpTable = MyMalloc(sizeof(dlink_list) * HELP_MAX);
 }
 
 #ifndef RICER_HASHING
@@ -209,19 +207,6 @@ hash_resv(const char *name)
 	return fnv_hash_upper_len((const unsigned char *) name, R_MAX_BITS, 30);
 }
 
-static unsigned int
-hash_help(const char *name)
-{
-	unsigned int h = 0;
-
-	while(*name)
-	{
-		h += (unsigned int) (ToLower(*name++) & 0xDF);
-	}
-
-	return (h % HELP_MAX);
-}
-
 /* add_to_id_hash()
  *
  * adds an entry to the id hash table
@@ -292,18 +277,6 @@ add_to_resv_hash(const char *name, struct ConfItem *aconf)
 	dlinkAddAlloc(aconf, &resvTable[hashv]);
 }
 
-void
-add_to_help_hash(const char *name, struct cachefile *hptr)
-{
-	unsigned int hashv;
-
-	if(EmptyString(name) || hptr == NULL)
-		return;
-
-	hashv = hash_help(name);
-	dlinkAddAlloc(hptr, &helpTable[hashv]);
-}
-
 /* del_from_id_hash()
  *
  * removes an id from the id hash table
@@ -396,21 +369,6 @@ del_from_resv_hash(const char *name, struct ConfItem *aconf)
 	dlinkFindDestroy(aconf, &resvTable[hashv]);
 }
 
-void
-clear_help_hash(void)
-{
-	dlink_node *ptr;
-	dlink_node *next_ptr;
-	int i;
-
-	HASH_WALK_SAFE(i, HELP_MAX, ptr, next_ptr, helpTable)
-	{
-		free_cachefile(ptr->data);
-		dlinkDestroy(ptr, &helpTable[i]);
-	}
-	HASH_WALK_END
-}
-
 /* find_id()
  *
  * finds a client entry from the id hash table
@@ -678,30 +636,6 @@ hash_find_resv(const char *name)
 	return NULL;
 }
 
-struct cachefile *
-hash_find_help(const char *name, int flags)
-{
-	struct cachefile *hptr;
-	dlink_node *ptr;
-	unsigned int hashv;
-
-	if(EmptyString(name))
-		return NULL;
-
-	hashv = hash_help(name);
-
-	DLINK_FOREACH(ptr, helpTable[hashv].head)
-	{
-		hptr = ptr->data;
-
-		if((irccmp(name, hptr->name) == 0) &&
-		   (hptr->flags & flags))
-			return hptr;
-	}
-
-	return NULL;
-}
-
 void
 clear_resv_hash(void)
 {