diff --git a/lib/blockchain/chain.js b/lib/blockchain/chain.js
index 17c47023..89807fee 100644
--- a/lib/blockchain/chain.js
+++ b/lib/blockchain/chain.js
@@ -2334,7 +2334,7 @@ function ChainOptions(options) {
   this.maxFiles = 64;
   this.cacheSize = 32 << 20;
   this.compression = true;
-  this.bufferKeys = !util.isBrowser;
+  this.bufferKeys = ChainDB.layout.binary;
 
   this.spv = false;
   this.prune = false;
diff --git a/lib/blockchain/layout-browser.js b/lib/blockchain/layout-browser.js
index b755428c..dae23c50 100644
--- a/lib/blockchain/layout-browser.js
+++ b/lib/blockchain/layout-browser.js
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ var pad8 = util.pad8;
 var pad32 = util.pad32;
 
 var layout = {
+  binary: false,
   R: 'R',
   O: 'O',
   V: 'v',
diff --git a/lib/blockchain/layout.js b/lib/blockchain/layout.js
index 0249882f..ede79632 100644
--- a/lib/blockchain/layout.js
+++ b/lib/blockchain/layout.js
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
  */
 
 var layout = {
+  binary: true,
   R: new Buffer([0x52]),
   O: new Buffer([0x4f]),
   V: new Buffer([0x76]),
diff --git a/lib/mempool/layout-browser.js b/lib/mempool/layout-browser.js
index cfd8df64..3ea916be 100644
--- a/lib/mempool/layout-browser.js
+++ b/lib/mempool/layout-browser.js
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 'use strict';
 
 var layout = {
+  binary: false,
   R: 'R',
   V: 'V',
   e: function e(hash) {
diff --git a/lib/mempool/layout.js b/lib/mempool/layout.js
index a540eb4e..558c06a2 100644
--- a/lib/mempool/layout.js
+++ b/lib/mempool/layout.js
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
  */
 
 var layout = {
+  binary: true,
   R: new Buffer([0x52]),
   V: new Buffer([0x76]),
   e: function e(hash) {
diff --git a/lib/mempool/mempool.js b/lib/mempool/mempool.js
index 548ef070..d72da233 100644
--- a/lib/mempool/mempool.js
+++ b/lib/mempool/mempool.js
@@ -1929,7 +1929,7 @@ function MempoolOptions(options) {
   this.maxFiles = 64;
   this.cacheSize = 32 << 20;
   this.compression = true;
-  this.bufferKeys = !util.isBrowser;
+  this.bufferKeys = layout.binary;
 
   this.persistent = false;
 
diff --git a/lib/wallet/layout-browser.js b/lib/wallet/layout-browser.js
index 463ed260..9693c1e7 100644
--- a/lib/wallet/layout-browser.js
+++ b/lib/wallet/layout-browser.js
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ var pad32 = util.pad32;
 var layouts = exports;
 
 layouts.walletdb = {
+  binary: false,
   p: function p(hash) {
     return 'p' + hash;
   },
@@ -72,6 +73,7 @@ layouts.walletdb = {
 };
 
 layouts.txdb = {
+  binary: false,
   prefix: function prefix(wid, key) {
     return 't' + pad32(wid) + key;
   },
diff --git a/lib/wallet/layout.js b/lib/wallet/layout.js
index d493f3ab..1c98838b 100644
--- a/lib/wallet/layout.js
+++ b/lib/wallet/layout.js
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ var layouts = exports;
  */
 
 layouts.walletdb = {
+  binary: true,
   p: function p(hash) {
     var key = new Buffer(1 + (hash.length / 2));
     key[0] = 0x70;
@@ -149,6 +150,7 @@ layouts.walletdb = {
  */
 
 layouts.txdb = {
+  binary: true,
   prefix: function prefix(wid, key) {
     var out = new Buffer(5 + key.length);
     out[0] = 0x74;
diff --git a/lib/wallet/walletdb.js b/lib/wallet/walletdb.js
index 3069cbc2..a66e392f 100644
--- a/lib/wallet/walletdb.js
+++ b/lib/wallet/walletdb.js
@@ -2166,7 +2166,7 @@ function WalletOptions(options) {
   this.maxFiles = 64;
   this.cacheSize = 16 << 20;
   this.compression = true;
-  this.bufferKeys = !util.isBrowser;
+  this.bufferKeys = layout.binary;
 
   this.spv = false;
   this.witness = false;