diff --git a/src/getdns/getdns.h b/src/getdns/getdns.h
index ff665f25..c33a816d 100644
--- a/src/getdns/getdns.h
+++ b/src/getdns/getdns.h
@@ -246,6 +246,7 @@
 #define GETDNS_STR_IPV6 "IPv6"
 #define GETDNS_STR_ADDRESS_TYPE "address_type"
 #define GETDNS_STR_ADDRESS_DATA "address_data"
+#define GETDNS_STR_PORT "port"
 #define GETDNS_STR_EXTENSION_RETURN_BOTH_V4_AND_V6 "return_both_v4_and_v6"
 
 /** @}
diff --git a/src/nameserver-internal.c b/src/nameserver-internal.c
index 2286b7b3..b440633a 100644
--- a/src/nameserver-internal.c
+++ b/src/nameserver-internal.c
@@ -90,8 +90,12 @@ void nameserver_free(getdns_nameserver* nameserver) {
 
 }
 
-/* TODO */
 getdns_dict* nameserver_to_dict(getdns_nameserver* nameserver) {
-    return NULL;
+    if (!nameserver) {
+        return NULL;
+    }
+    getdns_dict* result = NULL;
+    sockaddr_to_dict(&nameserver->address, &result);
+    return result;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/util-internal.c b/src/util-internal.c
index 78db5e05..28103acd 100644
--- a/src/util-internal.c
+++ b/src/util-internal.c
@@ -32,7 +32,8 @@
 
 getdns_return_t getdns_dict_util_set_string(getdns_dict* dict, char* name,
                                             char* value) {
-    getdns_bindata type_bin = { strlen(value), (uint8_t*) value };
+    /* account for the null term */
+    getdns_bindata type_bin = { strlen(value) + 1, (uint8_t*) value };
     return getdns_dict_set_bindata(dict, name, &type_bin);
 }
 
@@ -47,40 +48,71 @@ getdns_return_t getdns_dict_util_get_string(getdns_dict* dict, char* name,
     if (!bindata) {
         return GETDNS_RETURN_GENERIC_ERROR;
     }
-    *result = malloc(bindata->size + 1);
-    *result[bindata->size] = 0;
-    memcpy(*result, bindata->data, bindata->size);
+    *result = (char*) bindata->data;
     return GETDNS_RETURN_GOOD;
 }
 
 getdns_return_t dict_to_sockaddr(getdns_dict* ns, struct sockaddr_storage* output) {
-    struct getdns_bindata *address_type = NULL;
+    char* address_type = NULL;
     struct getdns_bindata *address_data = NULL;
-    uint16_t port = htons(53);
+    uint32_t port = 53;
     memset(output, 0, sizeof(struct sockaddr_storage));
     output->ss_family = AF_UNSPEC;
     
-    getdns_dict_get_bindata(ns, GETDNS_STR_ADDRESS_TYPE, &address_type);
+    uint32_t prt = 0;
+    if (getdns_dict_get_int(ns, GETDNS_STR_PORT, &prt) == GETDNS_RETURN_GOOD) {
+        port = prt;
+    }
+    
+    getdns_dict_util_get_string(ns, GETDNS_STR_ADDRESS_TYPE, &address_type);
     getdns_dict_get_bindata(ns, GETDNS_STR_ADDRESS_DATA, &address_data);
     if (!address_type || !address_data) {
         return GETDNS_RETURN_GENERIC_ERROR;
     }
-    if (strncmp(GETDNS_STR_IPV4, (char*) address_type->data, strlen(GETDNS_STR_IPV4)) == 0) {
+    if (strncmp(GETDNS_STR_IPV4, address_type, strlen(GETDNS_STR_IPV4)) == 0) {
         /* data is an in_addr_t */
         struct sockaddr_in* addr = (struct sockaddr_in*) output;
         addr->sin_family = AF_INET;
-        addr->sin_port = port;
+        addr->sin_port = htons((uint16_t)port);
         memcpy(&(addr->sin_addr), address_data->data, address_data->size);
     } else {
         /* data is a v6 addr in host order */
         struct sockaddr_in6* addr = (struct sockaddr_in6*) output;
         addr->sin6_family = AF_INET6;
-        addr->sin6_port = port;
+        addr->sin6_port = htons((uint16_t)port);
         memcpy(&(addr->sin6_addr), address_data->data, address_data->size);
     }
     return GETDNS_RETURN_GOOD;
 }
 
+getdns_return_t sockaddr_to_dict(struct sockaddr_storage* address, getdns_dict** output) {
+    if (!output || !address) {
+        return GETDNS_RETURN_GENERIC_ERROR;
+    }
+    getdns_bindata addr_data;
+    *output = NULL;
+    getdns_dict* result = getdns_dict_create();
+    if (address->ss_family == AF_INET) {
+        struct sockaddr_in* addr = (struct sockaddr_in*) address;
+        getdns_dict_util_set_string(result, GETDNS_STR_ADDRESS_TYPE, GETDNS_STR_IPV4);
+        addr_data.size = sizeof(addr->sin_addr);
+        addr_data.data = (uint8_t*) &(addr->sin_addr);
+        getdns_dict_set_bindata(result, GETDNS_STR_ADDRESS_DATA, &addr_data);
+    } else if (address->ss_family == AF_INET6) {
+        struct sockaddr_in6* addr = (struct sockaddr_in6*) address;
+        getdns_dict_util_set_string(result, GETDNS_STR_ADDRESS_TYPE, GETDNS_STR_IPV6);
+        addr_data.size = sizeof(addr->sin6_addr);
+        addr_data.data = (uint8_t*) &(addr->sin6_addr);
+        getdns_dict_set_bindata(result, GETDNS_STR_ADDRESS_DATA, &addr_data);
+    } else {
+        // invalid
+        getdns_dict_destroy(result);
+        return GETDNS_RETURN_GENERIC_ERROR;
+    }
+    *output = result;
+    return GETDNS_RETURN_GOOD;
+}
+
 /* TODO: flags */
 ldns_pkt *create_new_pkt(getdns_context_t context,
                          const char* name,
diff --git a/src/util-internal.h b/src/util-internal.h
index c080fa2a..5e144d56 100644
--- a/src/util-internal.h
+++ b/src/util-internal.h
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@
 
 /* convert an ip address dict to a sock storage */
 getdns_return_t dict_to_sockaddr(getdns_dict* ns, struct sockaddr_storage* output);
+getdns_return_t sockaddr_to_dict(struct sockaddr_storage* sockaddr, getdns_dict** output);
 
 /* create a dns packet for the given request type and extensions */
 ldns_pkt *create_new_pkt(getdns_context_t context,
@@ -42,11 +43,10 @@ ldns_pkt *create_new_pkt(getdns_context_t context,
 getdns_dict *create_getdns_response(ldns_pkt* pkt);
 
 /* dict util */
-/* set a string as bindata - non null terminated */
+/* set a string as bindata */
 getdns_return_t getdns_dict_util_set_string(getdns_dict* dict, char* name,
                                             char* value);
 
-/* get a string which was a non null terminated bindata. *result must
- * be freed if the call is successful */
+/* get a string from a dict.  result is valid as long as dict is valid */
 getdns_return_t getdns_dict_util_get_string(getdns_dict* dict, char* name,
                                             char** result);