diff --git a/address.go b/address.go
index 7c652abf..06708e97 100644
--- a/address.go
+++ b/address.go
@@ -4,11 +4,6 @@
 
 package btcscript
 
-import (
-	"github.com/conformal/btcutil"
-	"github.com/conformal/btcwire"
-)
-
 // ScriptType is an enum type that represents the type of a script. It is
 // returned from ScriptToAddress as part of the metadata about the script.
 // It implements the Stringer interface for nice printing.
@@ -62,8 +57,8 @@ const (
 	scrNoAddr
 )
 
-// ScriptToAddress extracts a payment address and the type out of a PkScript
-func ScriptToAddress(script []byte) (ScriptType, string, error) {
+// ScriptToAddrHash extracts a 20-byte public key hash and the type out of a PkScript
+func ScriptToAddrHash(script []byte) (ScriptType, []byte, error) {
 	// Currently this only understands one form of PkScript
 	validformats := []pkformat{
 		{ScriptAddr, scrPayAddr, 25, []pkbytes{{0, OP_DUP}, {1, OP_HASH160}, {2, OP_DATA_20}, {23, OP_EQUALVERIFY}, {24, OP_CHECKSIG}}, true},
@@ -91,10 +86,10 @@ func ScriptToAddress(script []byte) (ScriptType, string, error) {
 		{ScriptStrange, scrNoAddr, 33, []pkbytes{{0, OP_DATA_32}}, false},
 		{ScriptStrange, scrNoAddr, 33, []pkbytes{{0, OP_HASH160}, {1, OP_DATA_20}, {22, OP_EQUAL}}, false},
 	}
-	return scriptToAddressTemplate(script, validformats)
+	return scriptToAddrHashTemplate(script, validformats)
 }
 
-func scriptToAddressTemplate(script []byte, validformats []pkformat) (ScriptType, string, error) {
+func scriptToAddrHashTemplate(script []byte, validformats []pkformat) (ScriptType, []byte, error) {
 	var format pkformat
 	var success bool
 	for _, format = range validformats {
@@ -109,7 +104,7 @@ func scriptToAddressTemplate(script []byte, validformats []pkformat) (ScriptType
 		success = true
 		for _, pkbyte := range format.databytes {
 			if pkbyte.off >= len(script) {
-				return ScriptUnknown, "Unknown",
+				return ScriptUnknown, nil,
 					StackErrInvalidAddrOffset
 			}
 			if script[pkbyte.off] != pkbyte.val {
@@ -129,64 +124,50 @@ func scriptToAddressTemplate(script []byte, validformats []pkformat) (ScriptType
 		if len(script) > 1 {
 			// check for a few special case
 			if script[len(script)-1] == OP_CHECK_MULTISIG {
-				return ScriptStrange, "Unknown", nil
+				return ScriptStrange, nil, nil
 			}
 			if script[0] == OP_0 && (len(script) <= 75 && byte(len(script)) == script[1]+2) {
-				return ScriptStrange, "Unknown", nil
+				return ScriptStrange, nil, nil
 			}
 			if script[0] == OP_HASH160 && len(script) == 23 && script[22] == OP_EQUAL {
-				return ScriptStrange, "Unknown", nil
+				return ScriptStrange, nil, nil
 			}
 			if script[0] == OP_DATA_36 && len(script) == 37 {
 				// Multisig ScriptSig
-				return ScriptStrange, "Unknown", nil
+				return ScriptStrange, nil, nil
 			}
 		}
 
-		return ScriptUnknown, "Unknown", StackErrUnknownAddress
+		return ScriptUnknown, nil, StackErrUnknownAddress
 	}
 
-	var atype byte
-	var abuf []byte
-	var addr string
+	var addrhash []byte
 	switch format.parsetype {
 	case scrPayAddr:
-		atype = 0x00
-		abuf = script[3:23]
+		addrhash = script[3:23]
 	case scrCollectAddr:
 		// script is replaced with the md160 of the pubkey
 		slen := len(script)
 		pubkey := script[slen-65:]
-		abuf = calcHash160(pubkey)
+		addrhash = calcHash160(pubkey)
 	case scrCollectAddrComp:
 		// script is replaced with the md160 of the pubkey
 		slen := len(script)
 		pubkey := script[slen-33:]
-		abuf = calcHash160(pubkey)
+		addrhash = calcHash160(pubkey)
 	case scrGeneratePubkeyAddr:
-		atype = 0x00
-		addr = "Unknown"
+		// unable to determine address hash from script
 	case scrNoAddr:
-		addr = "Unknown"
+		// unable to determine address hash from script
 	case scrPubkeyAddr:
-		atype = 0x00
 		pubkey := script[1:66]
-		abuf = calcHash160(pubkey)
+		addrhash = calcHash160(pubkey)
 	case scrPubkeyAddrComp:
-		atype = 0x00
 		pubkey := script[1:34]
-		abuf = calcHash160(pubkey)
+		addrhash = calcHash160(pubkey)
 	default:
-		return ScriptUnknown, "Unknown", StackErrInvalidParseType
+		return ScriptUnknown, nil, StackErrInvalidParseType
 	}
 
-	if abuf != nil {
-		addrbytes := append([]byte{atype}, abuf[:]...)
-
-		cksum := btcwire.DoubleSha256(addrbytes)
-		addrbytes = append(addrbytes, cksum[:4]...)
-		addr = btcutil.Base58Encode(addrbytes)
-	}
-
-	return format.addrtype, addr, nil
+	return format.addrtype, addrhash, nil
 }
diff --git a/address_test.go b/address_test.go
index a969dd60..048f8a9f 100644
--- a/address_test.go
+++ b/address_test.go
@@ -4,13 +4,14 @@
 package btcscript_test
 
 import (
+	"bytes"
 	"github.com/conformal/btcscript"
 	"testing"
 )
 
 type addressTest struct {
 	script     []byte
-	address    string
+	addrhash   []byte
 	shouldFail error
 	class      btcscript.ScriptType
 }
@@ -26,8 +27,10 @@ var addressTests = []addressTest{
 		0xfa, 0x9b, 0x8b, 0x64, 0xf9, 0xd4, 0xc0, 0x3f,
 		0x99, 0x9b, 0x86, 0x43, 0xf6, 0x56, 0xb4, 0x12,
 		0xa3, btcscript.OP_CHECKSIG},
-		address: "12cbQLTFMXRnSzktFkuoG3eHoMeFtpTu3S",
-		class:   btcscript.ScriptPubKey,
+		addrhash: []byte{0x11, 0xb3, 0x66, 0xed, 0xfc, 0x0a,
+			0x8b, 0x66, 0xfe, 0xeb, 0xae, 0x5c, 0x2e,
+			0x25, 0xa7, 0xb6, 0xa5, 0xd1, 0xcf, 0x31},
+		class: btcscript.ScriptPubKey,
 	},
 	{script: []byte{btcscript.OP_DATA_65,
 		0x04, 0x11, 0xdb, 0x93, 0xe1, 0xdc, 0xdb, 0x8a,
@@ -51,8 +54,8 @@ var addressTests = []addressTest{
 		0xa4, 0xac, 0xdd, 0x12, 0x90, 0x9d, 0x83, 0x1c,
 		0xc5, 0x6c, 0xbb, 0xac, 0x46, 0x22, 0x08, 0x22,
 		0x21, 0xa8, 0x76, 0x8d, 0x1d, 0x09, 0x01},
-		address: "Unknown",
-		class:   btcscript.ScriptPubKey,
+		addrhash: nil,
+		class:    btcscript.ScriptPubKey,
 	},
 	{script: []byte{btcscript.OP_DUP, btcscript.OP_HASH160,
 		btcscript.OP_DATA_20,
@@ -61,8 +64,10 @@ var addressTests = []addressTest{
 		0x09, 0xa3, 0x05, 0x64,
 		btcscript.OP_EQUALVERIFY, btcscript.OP_CHECKSIG,
 	},
-		address: "1Gmt8AzabtngttF3PcZzLR1p7uCMaHNuGY",
-		class:   btcscript.ScriptAddr,
+		addrhash: []byte{0xad, 0x06, 0xdd, 0x6d, 0xde, 0xe5,
+			0x5c, 0xbc, 0xa9, 0xa9, 0xe3, 0x71, 0x3b,
+			0xd7, 0x58, 0x75, 0x09, 0xa3, 0x05, 0x64},
+		class: btcscript.ScriptAddr,
 	},
 	{script: []byte{btcscript.OP_DATA_73,
 		0x30, 0x46, 0x02, 0x21, 0x00, 0xdd, 0xc6, 0x97,
@@ -85,8 +90,10 @@ var addressTests = []addressTest{
 		0x93, 0x7d, 0x58, 0xe5, 0xa7, 0x5a, 0x71, 0x04,
 		0x2d, 0x40, 0x38, 0x8a, 0x4d, 0x30, 0x7f, 0x88,
 		0x7d},
-		address: "16tRBxwU7t5hEHaPLqiE35gS3jaGBppraH",
-		class:   btcscript.ScriptAddr,
+		addrhash: []byte{0x40, 0x92, 0x08, 0xf3, 0x87, 0xf4,
+			0x7f, 0xd2, 0x3a, 0x9f, 0x44, 0x5e, 0x14,
+			0xdc, 0x1f, 0x99, 0xbb, 0xb8, 0x0d, 0xaa},
+		class: btcscript.ScriptAddr,
 	},
 	{script: []byte{btcscript.OP_DATA_73,
 		0x30, 0x46, 0x02, 0x21, 0x00, 0xac, 0x7e, 0x4e,
@@ -106,8 +113,10 @@ var addressTests = []addressTest{
 		0x72, 0x3d, 0x5a, 0xd4, 0x06, 0x8d, 0xdd, 0x30,
 		0x36,
 	},
-		address: "1272555ceTPn2WepjzVgFESWdfNQjqdjgp",
-		class:   btcscript.ScriptAddr,
+		addrhash: []byte{0x0c, 0x1b, 0x83, 0xd0, 0x1d, 0x0f,
+			0xfb, 0x2b, 0xcc, 0xae, 0x60, 0x69, 0x63,
+			0x37, 0x6c, 0xca, 0x38, 0x63, 0xa7, 0xce},
+		class: btcscript.ScriptAddr,
 	},
 	{script: []byte{btcscript.OP_DATA_32,
 		0x30, 0x46, 0x02, 0x21, 0x00, 0xac, 0x7e, 0x4e,
@@ -115,8 +124,8 @@ var addressTests = []addressTest{
 		0x87, 0x2a, 0xb9, 0xd3, 0x2c, 0xdc, 0x08, 0x33,
 		0x80, 0x73, 0x3e, 0x3e, 0x98, 0x47, 0xff, 0x77,
 	},
-		address: "Unknown",
-		class:   btcscript.ScriptStrange,
+		addrhash: nil,
+		class:    btcscript.ScriptStrange,
 	},
 	{script: []byte{btcscript.OP_DATA_33,
 		0x02, 0x40, 0x05, 0xc9, 0x45, 0xd8, 0x6a, 0xc6,
@@ -126,8 +135,10 @@ var addressTests = []addressTest{
 		0x36,
 		btcscript.OP_CHECKSIG,
 	},
-		address: "1272555ceTPn2WepjzVgFESWdfNQjqdjgp",
-		class:   btcscript.ScriptPubKey,
+		addrhash: []byte{0x0c, 0x1b, 0x83, 0xd0, 0x1d, 0x0f,
+			0xfb, 0x2b, 0xcc, 0xae, 0x60, 0x69, 0x63,
+			0x37, 0x6c, 0xca, 0x38, 0x63, 0xa7, 0xce},
+		class: btcscript.ScriptPubKey,
 	},
 	{script: []byte{btcscript.OP_DATA_33,
 		0x02, 0x40, 0x05, 0xc9, 0x45, 0xd8, 0x6a, 0xc6,
@@ -137,8 +148,8 @@ var addressTests = []addressTest{
 		0x36,
 		btcscript.OP_CHECK_MULTISIG, // note this isn't a real tx
 	},
-		address: "Unknown",
-		class:   btcscript.ScriptStrange,
+		addrhash: nil,
+		class:    btcscript.ScriptStrange,
 	},
 	{script: []byte{btcscript.OP_0, btcscript.OP_DATA_33,
 		0x02, 0x40, 0x05, 0xc9, 0x45, 0xd8, 0x6a, 0xc6,
@@ -147,8 +158,8 @@ var addressTests = []addressTest{
 		0x72, 0x3d, 0x5a, 0xd4, 0x06, 0x8d, 0xdd, 0x30,
 		0x36, // note this isn't a real tx
 	},
-		address: "Unknown",
-		class:   btcscript.ScriptStrange,
+		addrhash: nil,
+		class:    btcscript.ScriptStrange,
 	},
 	{script: []byte{btcscript.OP_HASH160, btcscript.OP_DATA_20,
 		0x02, 0x40, 0x05, 0xc9, 0x45, 0xd8, 0x6a, 0xc6,
@@ -156,8 +167,8 @@ var addressTests = []addressTest{
 		0xa7, 0xa8, 0x45, 0xbd,
 		btcscript.OP_EQUAL, // note this isn't a real tx
 	},
-		address: "Unknown",
-		class:   btcscript.ScriptStrange,
+		addrhash: nil,
+		class:    btcscript.ScriptStrange,
 	},
 	{script: []byte{btcscript.OP_DATA_36,
 		0x02, 0x40, 0x05, 0xc9, 0x45, 0xd8, 0x6a, 0xc6,
@@ -167,8 +178,8 @@ var addressTests = []addressTest{
 		0xa7, 0xa8, 0x45, 0xbd,
 		// note this isn't a real tx
 	},
-		address: "Unknown",
-		class:   btcscript.ScriptStrange,
+		addrhash: nil,
+		class:    btcscript.ScriptStrange,
 	},
 	{script: []byte{},
 		shouldFail: btcscript.StackErrUnknownAddress,
@@ -177,7 +188,7 @@ var addressTests = []addressTest{
 
 func TestAddresses(t *testing.T) {
 	for i, s := range addressTests {
-		class, address, err := btcscript.ScriptToAddress(s.script)
+		class, addrhash, err := btcscript.ScriptToAddrHash(s.script)
 		if s.shouldFail != nil {
 			if err != s.shouldFail {
 				t.Errorf("Address test %v failed is err [%v] should be [%v]", i, err, s.shouldFail)
@@ -186,8 +197,8 @@ func TestAddresses(t *testing.T) {
 			if err != nil {
 				t.Errorf("Address test %v failed err %v", i, err)
 			} else {
-				if s.address != address {
-					t.Errorf("Address test %v mismatch is [%v] want [%v]", i, address, s.address)
+				if !bytes.Equal(s.addrhash, addrhash) {
+					t.Errorf("Address test %v mismatch is [%v] want [%v]", i, addrhash, s.addrhash)
 				}
 				if s.class != class {
 					t.Errorf("Address test %v class mismatch is [%v] want [%v]", i, class, s.class)
diff --git a/internal_test.go b/internal_test.go
index 97d477af..9d75ce88 100644
--- a/internal_test.go
+++ b/internal_test.go
@@ -49,8 +49,8 @@ func TstSignatureScriptCustomReader(reader io.Reader, tx *btcwire.MsgTx, idx int
 		hashType, privkey, compress)
 }
 
-// Tests for internal error cases in ScriptToAddress.
-// We pass bad format definitions to  ScriptToAddrss to make sure the internal
+// Tests for internal error cases in ScriptToAddrHash.
+// We pass bad format definitions to ScriptToAddrHash to make sure the internal
 // checks work correctly. This is located in internal_test.go and not address.go
 // because of the ridiculous amount of internal types/constants that would
 // otherwise need to be exported here.
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ var TstPkFormats = []pkformatTest{
 
 func TestBadPkFormat(t *testing.T) {
 	for _, test := range TstPkFormats {
-		ty, addr, err := scriptToAddressTemplate(test.script,
+		ty, addr, err := scriptToAddrHashTemplate(test.script,
 			[]pkformat{test.format})
 		if err != nil {
 			if err != test.err {