diff --git a/common/include/hash.h b/common/include/hash.h
index 1714c3b42..bde91b888 100644
--- a/common/include/hash.h
+++ b/common/include/hash.h
@@ -23,21 +23,19 @@ COPYRIGHT 1993-1999 PARALLAX SOFTWARE CORPORATION.  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
 #define _HASH_H
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
+#include <map>
 
 struct hashtable
 {
-	int 				bitsize;
-	int				and_mask;
-	int				size;
-	int				nitems;
-	const char				**key;
-	int				*value;
+	struct compare_t
+	{
+		bool operator()(const char *l, const char *r) const;
+	};
+	std::map<const char *, int, compare_t> m;
 };
 
-int hashtable_init( hashtable *ht, int size );
-void hashtable_free( hashtable *ht );
-int hashtable_search( hashtable *ht, char *key );
-void hashtable_insert( hashtable *ht, char *key, int value );
+int hashtable_search( hashtable *ht, const char *key );
+void hashtable_insert( hashtable *ht, const char *key, int value );
 
 #endif
 
diff --git a/common/main/piggy.h b/common/main/piggy.h
index dabdeb161..d815b1446 100644
--- a/common/main/piggy.h
+++ b/common/main/piggy.h
@@ -86,8 +86,8 @@ int properties_init();
 void piggy_close();
 bitmap_index piggy_register_bitmap( grs_bitmap * bmp, const char * name, int in_file );
 int piggy_register_sound( digi_sound * snd, const char * name, int in_file );
-bitmap_index piggy_find_bitmap( char * name );
-int piggy_find_sound( char * name );
+bitmap_index piggy_find_bitmap(const char *name);
+int piggy_find_sound(const char *name);
 
 void piggy_read_bitmap_data(grs_bitmap * bmp);
 void piggy_read_sound_data(digi_sound *snd);
diff --git a/similar/editor/group.cpp b/similar/editor/group.cpp
index d4ecc308a..a8e7fa921 100644
--- a/similar/editor/group.cpp
+++ b/similar/editor/group.cpp
@@ -1315,9 +1315,6 @@ static int med_load_group( const char *filename, group::vertex_array_type_t &ver
 	Assert (NumTextures < MAX_TEXTURES);
 {
 	hashtable ht;
-
-	hashtable_init( &ht, NumTextures );
-
 	// Remove all the file extensions in the textures list
 
 	for (i=0;i<NumTextures;i++)	{
@@ -1333,13 +1330,11 @@ static int med_load_group( const char *filename, group::vertex_array_type_t &ver
 		temptr = strchr(&old_tmap_list[j][0u], '.');
 		if (temptr) *temptr = '\0';
 
-		tmap_xlate_table[j] = hashtable_search( &ht,&old_tmap_list[j][0u]);
+		tmap_xlate_table[j] = hashtable_search( &ht, static_cast<const char *>(old_tmap_list[j]));
 		if (tmap_xlate_table[j]	< 0 )
 			tmap_xlate_table[j] = 0;
 		if (tmap_xlate_table[j] != j ) translate = 1;
 	}
-
-	hashtable_free( &ht );
 }
 
 
diff --git a/similar/main/gamemine.cpp b/similar/main/gamemine.cpp
index 61a7eee99..9dd364367 100644
--- a/similar/main/gamemine.cpp
+++ b/similar/main/gamemine.cpp
@@ -551,9 +551,6 @@ int load_mine_data(PHYSFS_file *LoadFile)
 
 	{
 		hashtable ht;
-	
-		hashtable_init( &ht, NumTextures );
-	
 		// Remove all the file extensions in the textures list
 	
 		for (i=0;i<NumTextures;i++)	{
@@ -575,8 +572,6 @@ int load_mine_data(PHYSFS_file *LoadFile)
 			}
 			if (tmap_xlate_table[j] != j ) translate = 1;
 		}
-	
-		hashtable_free( &ht );
 	}
 
 	//====================== READ VERTEX INFO ==========================
diff --git a/similar/main/piggy.cpp b/similar/main/piggy.cpp
index b49f05d8e..a3978a863 100644
--- a/similar/main/piggy.cpp
+++ b/similar/main/piggy.cpp
@@ -352,7 +352,7 @@ int piggy_register_sound( digi_sound * snd, const char * name, int in_file )
 	return i;
 }
 
-bitmap_index piggy_find_bitmap( char * name )   
+bitmap_index piggy_find_bitmap(const char * name)
 {
 	bitmap_index bmp;
 	int i;
@@ -361,7 +361,7 @@ bitmap_index piggy_find_bitmap( char * name )
 
 #if defined(DXX_BUILD_DESCENT_II)
 	size_t namelen;
-	char *t;
+	const char *t;
 	if ((t=strchr(name,'#'))!=NULL)
 		namelen = t - name;
 	else
@@ -391,7 +391,7 @@ bitmap_index piggy_find_bitmap( char * name )
 	return bmp;
 }
 
-int piggy_find_sound( char * name )     
+int piggy_find_sound(const char *name)
 {
 	int i;
 
@@ -428,11 +428,6 @@ int properties_init()
 	int Pigdata_start;
 	int pigsize;
 	int retval;
-
-	hashtable_init( &AllBitmapsNames, MAX_BITMAP_FILES );
-	hashtable_init( &AllDigiSndNames, MAX_SOUND_FILES );
-
-	
 	for (i=0; i<MAX_SOUND_FILES; i++ )	{
 #ifdef ALLEGRO
 		GameSounds[i].len = 0;
@@ -1150,10 +1145,6 @@ int properties_init(void)
 {
 	int ham_ok=0,snd_ok=0;
 	int i;
-
-	hashtable_init( &AllBitmapsNames, MAX_BITMAP_FILES );
-	hashtable_init( &AllDigiSndNames, MAX_SOUND_FILES );
-
 	for (i=0; i<MAX_SOUND_FILES; i++ )	{
 		GameSounds[i].length = 0;
 		GameSounds[i].data = NULL;
@@ -1657,10 +1648,6 @@ void piggy_close()
 	for (i = 0; i < Num_sound_files; i++)
 		if (SoundOffset[i] == 0)
 			d_free(GameSounds[i].data);
-	
-	hashtable_free( &AllBitmapsNames );
-	hashtable_free( &AllDigiSndNames );
-
 #if defined(DXX_BUILD_DESCENT_II)
 	free_bitmap_replacements();
 	free_d1_tmap_nums();
diff --git a/similar/misc/hash.cpp b/similar/misc/hash.cpp
index cb6b7a11e..f7720e4ff 100644
--- a/similar/misc/hash.cpp
+++ b/similar/misc/hash.cpp
@@ -18,110 +18,34 @@ COPYRIGHT 1993-1999 PARALLAX SOFTWARE CORPORATION.  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
 */
 
 
+#include <cctype>
+#include <cstdint>
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <string.h>
-
-#include "u_mem.h"
-#include "strutil.h"
-#include "dxxerror.h"
 #include "hash.h"
-	
-int hashtable_init( hashtable *ht, int size )	{
-	int i;
 
-	ht->size=0;
-
-#if defined(DXX_BUILD_DESCENT_I)
-#define ITERATION_COUNT	12
-#elif defined(DXX_BUILD_DESCENT_II)
-#define ITERATION_COUNT 13
-#endif
-
-	for (i=1; i<ITERATION_COUNT; i++ )	{
-		if ( (1<<i) >= size )	{
-			ht->bitsize = i;
-			ht->size = 1<<i;
-			break;
-		}
+bool hashtable::compare_t::operator()(const char *l, const char *r) const
+{
+	for (;; ++l, ++r)
+	{
+		uint_fast32_t ll = tolower(static_cast<unsigned>(*l)), lr = tolower(static_cast<unsigned>(*r));
+		if (ll < lr)
+			return true;
+		if (lr < ll || !ll)
+			return false;
 	}
-	size = ht->size;
-	ht->and_mask = ht->size - 1;
-	if (ht->size==0)
-		Error( "Hashtable has size of 0" );
-
-	MALLOC(ht->key, const char *, size );
-	if (ht->key==NULL)
-		Error( "Not enough memory to create a hash table of size %d", size );
-
-	for (i=0; i<size; i++ )
-		ht->key[i] = NULL;
-
-	// Use calloc cause we want zero'd array.
-	CALLOC(ht->value, int, size);
-	if (ht->value==NULL)	{
-		d_free(ht->key);
-		Error( "Not enough memory to create a hash table of size %d\n", size );
-	}
-
-	ht->nitems = 0;
-
-	return 0;
 }
 
-void hashtable_free( hashtable *ht )	{
-	if (ht->key != NULL )
-		d_free( ht->key );
-	if (ht->value != NULL )
-		d_free( ht->value );
-	ht->size = 0;
-}
-
-static int hashtable_getkey( const char *key )	{
-	int k = 0, i=0;
-
-	while( *key )	{
-		k^=((int)(*key++))<<i;
-		i++;
-	}
-	return k;
-}
-
-int hashtable_search( hashtable *ht, char *key )	{
-	int i,j,k;
-
-	d_strlwr( key );
-
-	k = hashtable_getkey( key );
-	i = 0;
-	
-	while(i < ht->size )	{
-		j = (k+(i++)) & ht->and_mask;
-		if ( ht->key[j] == NULL )
-			return -1;
-		if (!d_stricmp(ht->key[j], key ))
-			return ht->value[j];
-	}
+int hashtable_search(hashtable *ht, const char *key)
+{
+	auto i = ht->m.find(key);
+	if (i != ht->m.end())
+		return i->second;
 	return -1;
 }
 
-void hashtable_insert( hashtable *ht, char *key, int value )	{
-	int i,j,k;
-
-	d_strlwr( key );
-	k = hashtable_getkey( key );
-	i = 0;
-
-	while(i < ht->size)	{
-		j = (k+(i++)) & ht->and_mask;
-		if ( ht->key[j] == NULL )	{
-			ht->nitems++;
-			ht->key[j] = key;
-			ht->value[j] = value;
-			return;
-		} else if (!d_stricmp( key, ht->key[j] ))	{
-			return;
-		}
-	}
-	Error( "Out of hash slots\n" );
+void hashtable_insert(hashtable *ht, const char *key, int value)
+{
+	ht->m.insert(std::make_pair(key, value));
 }