diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index fefb73d..ebb9ebe 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,9 @@
+2008-04-08  Stephen Compall  <scompall@nocandysw.com>
+
+	* kernel/Class.st: Never answer nil from #sharedPoolDictionaries.
+	* kernel/DeferBinding.st: Remove symmetric nil check.
+	* kernel/Metaclass.st: Likewise.
+
 2008-04-08  Paolo Bonzini  <bonzini@gnu.org>
 
 	* kernel/FilePath.st: Add more abstract methods.  Implement
diff --git a/kernel/Class.st b/kernel/Class.st
index 3dd4b39..785f973 100644
--- a/kernel/Class.st
+++ b/kernel/Class.st
@@ -191,6 +191,7 @@ the class category.'>
 	"Add the given shared pool to the list of the class' pool dictionaries"
 
 	<category: 'accessing instances and variables'>
+	sharedPools ifNil: [sharedPools := #()].
 	(sharedPools includes: aDictionary) 
 	    ifFalse: [sharedPools := sharedPools copyWith: aDictionary]
     ]
@@ -199,6 +200,7 @@ the class category.'>
 	"Remove the given dictionary to the list of the class' pool dictionaries"
 
 	<category: 'accessing instances and variables'>
+	sharedPools ifNil: [sharedPools := #()].
 	sharedPools := sharedPools copyWithout: aDictionary
     ]
 
@@ -208,7 +210,7 @@ the class category.'>
 	<category: 'accessing instances and variables'>
 	| s |
 	s := Set new.
-	sharedPools notNil 
+	(sharedPools notNil and: [sharedPools notEmpty])
 	    ifTrue: 
 		[self environment associationsDo: 
 			[:each | 
@@ -604,14 +606,14 @@ the class category.'>
 	"Private - Set the receiver's shared pools to be those in anArray"
 
 	<category: 'private'>
-	sharedPools := anArray
+	sharedPools := anArray ifNil: [#()]
     ]
 
     sharedPoolDictionaries [
 	"Return the shared pools (not the names!) defined by the class"
 
 	<category: 'private'>
-	^sharedPools
+	^sharedPools ifNil: [#()]
     ]
 
     metaclassFor: classNameString [
diff --git a/kernel/DeferBinding.st b/kernel/DeferBinding.st
index e31e52c..c4f03c0 100644
--- a/kernel/DeferBinding.st
+++ b/kernel/DeferBinding.st
@@ -138,12 +138,9 @@ in the scope of a given class are used.'>
 		assoc := env environment associationAt: self key ifAbsent: [nil].
 		assoc isNil ifFalse: [^assoc].
 		pools := env sharedPoolDictionaries.
-		pools isNil 
-		    ifFalse: 
-			[pools do: 
-				[:each | 
-				assoc := each associationAt: self key ifAbsent: [nil].
-				assoc isNil ifFalse: [^assoc]]]].
+		pools do: [:each | 
+		    assoc := each associationAt: self key ifAbsent: [nil].
+		    assoc isNil ifFalse: [^assoc]]].
 
 	"Create it as a temporary."
 	defaultDictionary at: self key ifAbsentPut: [nil].
diff --git a/kernel/Metaclass.st b/kernel/Metaclass.st
index 4000952..bb991e3 100644
--- a/kernel/Metaclass.st
+++ b/kernel/Metaclass.st
@@ -285,7 +285,7 @@ it should be...the Smalltalk metaclass system is strange and complex.'>
 
 	"Now add/remove pool dictionaries.  FIXME: They may affect name binding,
 	 so we should probably recompile everything if they change."
-	aClass sharedPoolDictionaries isNil 
+	aClass sharedPoolDictionaries isEmpty
 	    ifTrue: [aClass setSharedPools: sharedPoolNames]
 	    ifFalse: 
 		[sharedPoolNames do: