diff --git a/deps/v8/include/v8.h b/deps/v8/include/v8.h
index 90c43831f4..c4b4db5001 100644
--- a/deps/v8/include/v8.h
+++ b/deps/v8/include/v8.h
@@ -865,6 +865,13 @@ class V8EXPORT String : public Primitive {
                 int length = -1,
                 int* nchars = NULL) const; // UTF-8
 
+  /**
+   * Flatten internal memory. Operations on the string tend to run faster
+   * after flattening especially if the string is a concatenation of many
+   * others.
+   */
+  void Flatten();
+
   /**
    * A zero length string.
    */
diff --git a/deps/v8/src/api.cc b/deps/v8/src/api.cc
index 3ba22d63ea..ed48503e24 100644
--- a/deps/v8/src/api.cc
+++ b/deps/v8/src/api.cc
@@ -2731,6 +2731,13 @@ int String::Write(uint16_t* buffer, int start, int length) const {
 }
 
 
+void v8::String::Flatten() {
+  EnsureInitialized("v8::String::Flatten()");
+  i::Handle<i::String> str = Utils::OpenHandle(this);
+  i::FlattenString(str);
+}
+
+
 bool v8::String::IsExternal() const {
   EnsureInitialized("v8::String::IsExternal()");
   i::Handle<i::String> str = Utils::OpenHandle(this);
diff --git a/deps/v8/test/cctest/test-strings.cc b/deps/v8/test/cctest/test-strings.cc
index a87398740b..b6eed3c361 100644
--- a/deps/v8/test/cctest/test-strings.cc
+++ b/deps/v8/test/cctest/test-strings.cc
@@ -347,6 +347,31 @@ TEST(Utf8Conversion) {
 }
 
 
+TEST(StringConcatFlatten) {
+  InitializeVM();
+  v8::HandleScope handle_scope;
+
+  const char* stringA = "abc";
+  const char* stringB = "def";
+
+  v8::Local<v8::String> a = v8::String::New(stringA);
+  v8::Local<v8::String> b = v8::String::New(stringB);
+
+  v8::Local<v8::String> cons = v8::String::Concat(a,b);
+  cons->Flatten();
+
+  char buffer[7];
+  cons->WriteUtf8(buffer);
+
+  int i;
+  for (i = 0; i < 3; i++)
+    CHECK_EQ(stringA[i], buffer[i]);
+
+  for (i = 0; i < 3; i++)
+    CHECK_EQ(stringB[i], buffer[i+3]);
+}
+
+
 TEST(ExternalShortStringAdd) {
   ZoneScope zone(DELETE_ON_EXIT);
 
diff --git a/src/node.cc b/src/node.cc
index 5dacd68b97..71405018ae 100644
--- a/src/node.cc
+++ b/src/node.cc
@@ -327,6 +327,7 @@ ssize_t DecodeWrite(char *buf,
 
   uint16_t * twobytebuf = new uint16_t[buflen];
 
+  str->Flatten();
   str->Write(twobytebuf, 0, buflen);
 
   for (size_t i = 0; i < buflen; i++) {
diff --git a/src/node_buffer.cc b/src/node_buffer.cc
index 7c32d6ec60..f524778f46 100644
--- a/src/node_buffer.cc
+++ b/src/node_buffer.cc
@@ -308,6 +308,7 @@ Handle<Value> Buffer::Utf8Write(const Arguments &args) {
 
   const char *p = buffer->data() + offset;
 
+  s->Flatten();
   int written = s->WriteUtf8((char*)p, buffer->length_ - offset);
 
   if (written > 0 && p[written-1] == '\0') written--;
@@ -340,6 +341,7 @@ Handle<Value> Buffer::AsciiWrite(const Arguments &args) {
 
   size_t towrite = MIN((unsigned long) s->Length(), buffer->length_ - offset);
 
+  s->Flatten();
   int written = s->WriteAscii((char*)p, 0, towrite);
   return scope.Close(Integer::New(written));
 }