diff --git a/headers/build/private/shared/TypeOperation.h b/headers/build/private/shared/TypeOperation.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..198dbb0b49
--- /dev/null
+++ b/headers/build/private/shared/TypeOperation.h
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+#include <../private/shared/TypeOperation.h>
diff --git a/headers/private/kernel/util/OpenHashTable.h b/headers/private/kernel/util/OpenHashTable.h
index b8804cb212..c58fba5445 100644
--- a/headers/private/kernel/util/OpenHashTable.h
+++ b/headers/private/kernel/util/OpenHashTable.h
@@ -13,6 +13,9 @@
 #ifdef _KERNEL_MODE
 #	include <KernelExport.h>
 #	include <util/kernel_cpp.h>
+#	include <util/TypeOperation.h>
+#else
+#	include <TypeOperation.h>
 #endif
 
 
@@ -136,7 +139,7 @@ public:
 		return fItemCount;
 	}
 
-	ValueType* Lookup(const KeyType& key) const
+	ValueType* Lookup(typename TypeOperation<KeyType>::ConstRefT key) const
 	{
 		if (fTableSize == 0)
 			return NULL;
@@ -364,7 +367,7 @@ public:
 		return Iterator(this);
 	}
 
-	Iterator GetIterator(const KeyType& key) const
+	Iterator GetIterator(typename TypeOperation<KeyType>::ConstRefT key) const
 	{
 		if (fTableSize == 0)
 			return Iterator(this, fTableSize, NULL);
diff --git a/headers/private/kernel/util/TypeOperation.h b/headers/private/kernel/util/TypeOperation.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..917188bcbc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/headers/private/kernel/util/TypeOperation.h
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+#include <../shared/TypeOperation.h>
diff --git a/headers/private/shared/TypeOperation.h b/headers/private/shared/TypeOperation.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ecbe619fd8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/headers/private/shared/TypeOperation.h
@@ -0,0 +1,76 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2014, Haiku, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
+ * Distributed under the terms of the MIT License.
+ *
+ * Based on TypeOp in "C++-Templates, The Complete Guide", which is
+ * Copyright 2003 by Pearson Education, Inc.
+ */
+#ifndef _TYPE_OPERATION_H
+#define _TYPE_OPERATION_H
+
+namespace BPrivate {
+
+
+// Generic type conversion operations.
+template<typename T>
+class TypeOperation {
+public:
+	typedef T					ArgT;
+	typedef T					BareT;
+	typedef T const				ConstT;
+
+	typedef T&					RefT;
+	typedef T&					BareRefT;
+	typedef T const&			ConstRefT;
+};
+
+
+// Specialization for constant types.
+template<typename T>
+class TypeOperation<T const> {
+public:
+	typedef T const				ArgT;
+	typedef T					BareT;
+	typedef T const				ConstT;
+
+	typedef T const&			RefT;
+	typedef T&					BareRefT;
+	typedef T const&			ConstRefT;
+};
+
+
+// Specialization for reference types.
+template<typename T>
+class TypeOperation<T&> {
+public:
+	typedef T&									ArgT;
+	typedef typename TypeOperation<T>::BareT	BareT;
+	typedef T const								ConstT;
+
+	typedef T&									RefT;
+	typedef typename TypeOperation<T>::BareRefT	BareRefT;
+	typedef T const&							ConstRefT;
+};
+
+
+// Specialization for void.
+template<>
+class TypeOperation<void> {
+public:
+	typedef void				ArgT;
+	typedef void				BareT;
+	typedef void const			ConstT;
+
+	typedef void				RefT;
+	typedef void				BareRefT;
+	typedef void				ConstRefT;
+};
+
+
+}	// namespace BPrivate
+
+
+using BPrivate::TypeOperation;
+
+
+#endif	// _TYPE_OPERATION_H
diff --git a/src/add-ons/kernel/file_systems/packagefs/volume/PackagesDirectory.h b/src/add-ons/kernel/file_systems/packagefs/volume/PackagesDirectory.h
index 2d55a350d0..0ea70253d1 100644
--- a/src/add-ons/kernel/file_systems/packagefs/volume/PackagesDirectory.h
+++ b/src/add-ons/kernel/file_systems/packagefs/volume/PackagesDirectory.h
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ private:
 
 
 struct PackagesDirectoryHashDefinition {
-	typedef const node_ref		KeyType;
+	typedef const node_ref&		KeyType;
 	typedef	PackagesDirectory	ValueType;
 
 	size_t HashKey(const node_ref& key) const