diff --git a/include/boost/unordered/detail/hash_table.hpp b/include/boost/unordered/detail/hash_table.hpp
index aabe0586..59c7f072 100644
--- a/include/boost/unordered/detail/hash_table.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/unordered/detail/hash_table.hpp
@@ -35,10 +35,6 @@
 
 #include <boost/mpl/aux_/config/eti.hpp>
 
-#if !BOOST_WORKAROUND(BOOST_MSVC, < 1300)
-#include <boost/compressed_pair.hpp>
-#endif
-
 // See hash_table::swap() for details about this.
 #if !defined(BOOST_UNORDERED_SWAP_METHOD)
 #define BOOST_UNORDERED_SWAP_METHOD 3
@@ -65,6 +61,7 @@ namespace boost {
         template <class T> struct type_wrapper {};
 
         const static std::size_t default_initial_bucket_count = 50;
+        const static float minimum_max_load_factor = 1e-3;
         inline std::size_t next_prime(std::size_t n);
 
         template <class T>
@@ -73,7 +70,7 @@ namespace boost {
 #if defined(BOOST_NO_ARGUMENT_DEPENDENT_LOOKUP)
             std::swap(x,y);
 #else
-            using namespace std;
+            using std::swap;
             swap(x, y);
 #endif
         }
diff --git a/include/boost/unordered/detail/hash_table_impl.hpp b/include/boost/unordered/detail/hash_table_impl.hpp
index 62c3c22f..7d52c9f6 100644
--- a/include/boost/unordered/detail/hash_table_impl.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/unordered/detail/hash_table_impl.hpp
@@ -1056,25 +1056,9 @@ namespace boost {
 
         private:
 
-            // From the compressed functions docs:
-            //
-            // "Finally, a word of caution for Visual C++ 6 users: if either
-            // argument is an empty type, then assigning to that member will
-            // produce memory corruption, unless the empty type has a "do
-            // nothing" assignment operator defined. This is due to a bug in
-            // the way VC6 generates implicit assignment operators."
-            //
-            // Nice.
-            //
-            // So use std::pair for Visual C++.
-
             class functions
             {
-#if !BOOST_WORKAROUND(BOOST_MSVC, < 1300)
-                boost::compressed_pair<hasher, key_equal> functions_;
-#else
                 std::pair<hasher, key_equal> functions_;
-#endif
 
             public:
 
@@ -1083,20 +1067,12 @@ namespace boost {
 
                 hasher const& hash_function() const
                 {
-#if !BOOST_WORKAROUND(BOOST_MSVC, < 1300)
-                    return functions_.first();
-#else
                     return functions_.first;
-#endif
                 }
 
                 key_equal const& key_eq() const
                 {
-#if !BOOST_WORKAROUND(BOOST_MSVC, < 1300)
-                    return functions_.second();
-#else
                     return functions_.second;
-#endif
                 }
             };
 
@@ -1429,8 +1405,9 @@ namespace boost {
             {
                 bool need_to_reserve = n >= max_load_;
                 // throws - basic:
-                if (need_to_reserve) rehash_impl(min_buckets_for_size(n)); 
-                BOOST_ASSERT(n < max_load_);
+                if (need_to_reserve) rehash_impl(min_buckets_for_size(n));
+                // TODO: Deal with this special case better:
+                BOOST_ASSERT(n < max_load_ || this->bucket_count_ == max_bucket_count());
                 return need_to_reserve;
             }
 
@@ -1443,13 +1420,10 @@ namespace boost {
             }
 
             // no throw
-            //
-            // TODO: the argument is a hint. So don't use it if it's
-            // unreasonably small.
             void max_load_factor(float z)
             {
                 BOOST_ASSERT(z > 0);
-                mlf_ = z;
+                mlf_ = (std::max)(z, minimum_max_load_factor);
                 calculate_max_load();
             }