diff --git a/kyototycoon/kt_http.py b/kyototycoon/kt_http.py
index b594d07..0e55c42 100644
--- a/kyototycoon/kt_http.py
+++ b/kyototycoon/kt_http.py
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@ class ProtocolHandler:
     def __init__(self, pickle_protocol=2):
         self.error_obj = kt_error.KyotoTycoonError()
         self.pickle_protocol = pickle_protocol
+        self.pack = self._pickle_packer
+        self.unpack = self._pickle_unpacker
 
     def error(self):
         return self.error_obj
@@ -51,12 +53,18 @@ def echo(self):
         return True if res.status == 200 else False
 
     def get(self, key):
-        if key is None: return False
+        if key is None:
+            return False
+
         key = urllib.quote(key.encode('UTF-8'))
         self.conn.request('GET', key)
         rv = self.conn.getresponse()
         body = rv.read()
-        return body if rv.status == 200 else None
+
+        if rv.status != 200:
+            return None
+
+        return self.unpack(body)
 
     def get_int(self, key):
         if key is None: return False
@@ -73,11 +81,9 @@ def get_int(self, key):
     def set(self, key, value, expire):
         if key is None:
             return False
-        if not isinstance(value, str):
-            value = str(value)
 
         key = urllib.quote(key.encode('UTF-8'))
-        value = value.encode('UTF-8')
+        value = self.pack(value)
         return self._rest_put(key, value, expire) == 201
 
     def set_int(self, key, value, expire):
@@ -91,18 +97,16 @@ def set_int(self, key, value, expire):
         return self._rest_put(key, value, expire) == 201
 
     def add(self, key, value, expire):
-        if key is None: return False
+        if key is None:
+            return False
 
         headers = { 'X-Kt-Mode' : 'add' }
         if expire != None:
             expire = int(time.time()) + expire;
             headers["X-Kt-Xt"] = str(expire)
 
-        if not isinstance(value, str):
-            value = str(value)
-        
         key = urllib.quote(key.encode('UTF-8'))
-        value = value.encode('UTF-8')
+        value = self.pack(value) 
 
         self.conn.request('PUT', key, value, headers)
         rv = self.conn.getresponse()
@@ -125,12 +129,9 @@ def replace(self, key, value, expire):
         if expire != None:
             expire = int(time.time()) + expire;
             headers["X-Kt-Xt"] = str(expire)
-
-        if not isinstance(value, str):
-            value = str(value)
         
         key = urllib.quote(key.encode('UTF-8'))
-        value = value.encode('UTF-8')
+        value = self.pack(value)
 
         self.conn.request('PUT', key, value, headers)
         rv = self.conn.getresponse()
diff --git a/tests/t_simple.py b/tests/t_simple.py
index c1d11d0..e057c4a 100644
--- a/tests/t_simple.py
+++ b/tests/t_simple.py
@@ -36,20 +36,15 @@ def test_set(self):
         self.assertFalse(self.kt_handle.get(None))
 
         self.assertTrue(self.kt_handle.set('cb', 1791))
-        self.assertEqual(self.kt_handle.get('cb'), '1791')
+        self.assertEqual(self.kt_handle.get('cb'), 1791)
 
         self.assertTrue(self.kt_handle.set('cb', 1791.1226))
-        self.assertEqual(self.kt_handle.get('cb'), '1791.1226')
+        self.assertEqual(self.kt_handle.get('cb'), 1791.1226)
 
     def test_set_int(self):
         self.assertTrue(self.kt_handle.clear())
         self.assertTrue(self.kt_handle.set_int('key', 1984))
-
-        # get() would fail due to the default serializer.
-        self.failIf(self.kt_handle.get('key') == 1984)
-        # get_int() must succeed.
         self.assertEqual(self.kt_handle.get_int('key'), 1984)
-        # this must fail since set_int() only accepts an integer.
         self.assertFalse(self.kt_handle.set_int('key', '1984'))
 
     def test_remove(self):
@@ -72,9 +67,9 @@ def test_replace(self):
         self.assertFalse(self.kt_handle.replace(None, 'value'))
 
         self.assertTrue(self.kt_handle.replace('apple', 212))
-        self.assertEqual(self.kt_handle.get('apple'), '212')
+        self.assertEqual(self.kt_handle.get('apple'), 212)
         self.assertTrue(self.kt_handle.replace('apple', 121))
-        self.assertEqual(self.kt_handle.get('apple'), '121')
+        self.assertEqual(self.kt_handle.get('apple'), 121)
 
     def test_add(self):
         self.assertTrue(self.kt_handle.clear())
@@ -91,7 +86,7 @@ def test_add(self):
         self.assertFalse(self.kt_handle.add(None, 'value'))
 
         self.assertTrue(self.kt_handle.add('number', 111))
-        self.assertEqual(self.kt_handle.get('number'), '111')
+        self.assertEqual(self.kt_handle.get('number'), 111)
 
     def test_large_key(self):
         large_key = 'x' * self.LARGE_KEY_LEN