diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index 0d9ade9..0cf71e5 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -4,4 +4,4 @@ script: lein2 test-all
 jdk:
   - openjdk7
   - openjdk6
-  - oraclejdk7
+  - oraclejdk7
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 7d89e2d..1a0136e 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -5,7 +5,11 @@ Current [semantic](http://semver.org/) version:
 [com.taoensso/nippy "2.0.0-beta1"] ; Development (notes below)
 ```
 
-v2 adds pluggable compression, crypto support (also pluggable), an improved API (including much better error messages), easier integration into other tools/libraries, and hugely improved performance. It **is backwards compatible**, but please note that the old `freeze-to-bytes`/`thaw-from-bytes` API has been **deprecated** in favor of `freeze`/`thaw`. **PLEASE REPORT ANY PROBLEMS!**
+v2 adds pluggable compression, crypto support (also pluggable), an improved API (including much better error messages), easier integration into other tools/libraries, and hugely improved performance. 
+
+v2 **is backwards compatible**, but please note that the old `freeze-to-bytes`/`thaw-from-bytes` API has been **deprecated** in favor of `freeze`/`thaw`. 
+
+**PLEASE REPORT ANY PROBLEMS!**
 
 # Nippy, a Clojure serialization library
 
diff --git a/project.clj b/project.clj
index 551f716..64dca4d 100644
--- a/project.clj
+++ b/project.clj
@@ -5,7 +5,8 @@
             :url  "http://www.eclipse.org/legal/epl-v10.html"}
   :dependencies [[org.clojure/clojure    "1.4.0"]
                  [expectations           "1.4.43"]
-                 [org.iq80.snappy/snappy "0.3"]]
+                 [org.iq80.snappy/snappy "0.3"]
+                 [cc.qbits/grease        "0.2.1"]]
   :profiles {:1.4   {:dependencies [[org.clojure/clojure "1.4.0"]]}
              :1.5   {:dependencies [[org.clojure/clojure "1.5.1"]]}
              :dev   {:dependencies []}
@@ -20,4 +21,4 @@
             [lein-autoexpect   "0.2.5"]
             [codox             "0.6.4"]]
   :min-lein-version "2.0.0"
-  :warn-on-reflection true)
\ No newline at end of file
+  :warn-on-reflection true)
diff --git a/src/taoensso/nippy.clj b/src/taoensso/nippy.clj
index bdc2e33..de014f7 100644
--- a/src/taoensso/nippy.clj
+++ b/src/taoensso/nippy.clj
@@ -6,8 +6,8 @@
              (utils       :as utils)
              (compression :as compression :refer (snappy-compressor))
              (encryption  :as encryption  :refer (aes128-encryptor))])
-  (:import  [java.io DataInputStream DataOutputStream ByteArrayOutputStream
-             ByteArrayInputStream]
+  (:import  [java.io DataInputStream DataOutputStream]
+            [cc.qbits.grease.io FastByteArrayInputStream FastByteArrayOutputStream]
             [clojure.lang Keyword BigInt Ratio PersistentQueue PersistentTreeMap
              PersistentTreeSet IPersistentList IPersistentVector IPersistentMap
              IPersistentSet IPersistentCollection]))
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@
                        compressor snappy-compressor
                        encryptor  aes128-encryptor}}]]
   (when legacy-mode (assert-legacy-args compressor password))
-  (let [ba     (ByteArrayOutputStream.)
+  (let [ba     (FastByteArrayOutputStream.)
         stream (DataOutputStream. ba)]
     (binding [*print-dup* print-dup?] (freeze-to-stream x stream))
     (let [ba (.toByteArray ba)
@@ -283,7 +283,7 @@
               (let [ba data-ba
                     ba (if password (encryption/decrypt encryptor password ba) ba)
                     ba (if compressor (compression/decompress compressor ba) ba)
-                    stream (DataInputStream. (ByteArrayInputStream. ba))]
+                    stream (DataInputStream. (FastByteArrayInputStream. ba))]
                 (binding [*read-eval* read-eval?] (thaw-from-stream stream)))
               (catch Exception e
                 (cond
@@ -390,4 +390,4 @@
          :or   {compressed? true}}]
   (thaw ba {:legacy-opts  {:compressed? compressed?}
             :read-eval?   read-eval?
-            :password     nil}))
\ No newline at end of file
+            :password     nil}))