diff --git a/client.js b/client.js
index 0a605f3..f0c4546 100644
--- a/client.js
+++ b/client.js
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ Tracker.prototype.start = function (opts) {
   opts.event = 'started'
 
   debug('sent `start` to ' + self._announceUrl)
-  self._request(opts)
+  self._announce(opts)
   self.setInterval(self._intervalMs) // start announcing on intervals
 }
 
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ Tracker.prototype.stop = function (opts) {
   opts.event = 'stopped'
 
   debug('sent `stop` to ' + self._announceUrl)
-  self._request(opts)
+  self._announce(opts)
   self.setInterval(0) // stop announcing on intervals
 }
 
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ Tracker.prototype.complete = function (opts) {
   opts.downloaded = opts.downloaded || self.torrentLength || 0
 
   debug('sent `complete` to ' + self._announceUrl)
-  self._request(opts)
+  self._announce(opts)
 }
 
 Tracker.prototype.update = function (opts) {
@@ -167,10 +167,34 @@ Tracker.prototype.update = function (opts) {
   opts = opts || {}
 
   debug('sent `update` to ' + self._announceUrl)
-  self._request(opts)
+  self._announce(opts)
 }
 
-Tracker.prototype.scrape = function (opts) {
+/**
+ * Send an announce request to the tracker.
+ * @param {Object} opts
+ * @param {number=} opts.uploaded
+ * @param {number=} opts.downloaded
+ * @param {number=} opts.left (if not set, calculated automatically)
+ */
+Tracker.prototype._announce = function (opts) {
+  var self = this
+  opts = extend({
+    uploaded: 0, // default, user should provide real value
+    downloaded: 0 // default, user should provide real value
+  }, opts)
+
+  if (self.client.torrentLength != null && opts.left == null) {
+    opts.left = self.client.torrentLength - (opts.downloaded || 0)
+  }
+
+  self._requestImpl(self._announceUrl, opts)
+}
+
+/**
+ * Send a scrape request to the tracker.
+ */
+Tracker.prototype.scrape = function () {
   var self = this
 
   if (!self._scrapeUrl) {
@@ -189,12 +213,7 @@ Tracker.prototype.scrape = function (opts) {
   }
 
   debug('sent `scrape` to ' + self._announceUrl)
-
-  opts = extend({
-    info_hash: common.bytewiseEncodeURIComponent(self.client._infoHash)
-  }, opts)
-
-  self._requestImpl(self._scrapeUrl, opts)
+  self._requestImpl(self._scrapeUrl)
 }
 
 Tracker.prototype.setInterval = function (intervalMs) {
@@ -207,35 +226,28 @@ Tracker.prototype.setInterval = function (intervalMs) {
   }
 }
 
-/**
- * Send an announce request to the tracker
- */
-Tracker.prototype._request = function (opts) {
-  var self = this
-  opts = extend({
-    info_hash: common.bytewiseEncodeURIComponent(self.client._infoHash),
-    peer_id: common.bytewiseEncodeURIComponent(self.client._peerId),
-    port: self.client._port,
-    compact: 1,
-    numwant: self.client._numWant,
-    uploaded: 0, // default, user should provide real value
-    downloaded: 0 // default, user should provide real value
-  }, opts)
-
-  if (self.client.torrentLength !== undefined) {
-    opts.left = self.client.torrentLength - (opts.downloaded || 0)
-  }
-
-  if (self._trackerId) {
-    opts.trackerid = self._trackerId
-  }
-
-  self._requestImpl(self._announceUrl, opts)
-}
-
 Tracker.prototype._requestHttp = function (requestUrl, opts) {
   var self = this
-  var fullUrl = requestUrl + '?' + querystring.stringify(opts)
+
+  if (isScrapeUrl(requestUrl)) {
+    opts = extend({
+      info_hash: self.client._infoHash.toString('binary')
+    }, opts)
+  } else {
+    opts = extend({
+      info_hash: self.client._infoHash.toString('binary'),
+      peer_id: self.client._peerId.toString('binary'),
+      port: self.client._port,
+      compact: 1,
+      numwant: self.client._numWant
+    }, opts)
+
+    if (self._trackerId) {
+      opts.trackerid = self._trackerId
+    }
+  }
+
+  var fullUrl = requestUrl + '?' + common.querystringStringify(opts)
 
   var req = http.get(fullUrl, function (res) {
     if (res.statusCode !== 200) {
@@ -255,6 +267,7 @@ Tracker.prototype._requestHttp = function (requestUrl, opts) {
 
 Tracker.prototype._requestUdp = function (requestUrl, opts) {
   var self = this
+  opts = opts || {}
   var parsedUrl = url.parse(requestUrl)
   var socket = dgram.createSocket('udp4')
   var transactionId = new Buffer(hat(32), 'hex')
@@ -294,9 +307,8 @@ Tracker.prototype._requestUdp = function (requestUrl, opts) {
           return error('invalid udp handshake')
         }
 
-        var scrapeStr = 'scrape'
-        if (requestUrl.substr(requestUrl.lastIndexOf('/') + 1, scrapeStr.length) === scrapeStr) {
-          scrape(msg.slice(8, 16), opts)
+        if (isScrapeUrl(requestUrl)) {
+          scrape(msg.slice(8, 16))
         } else {
           announce(msg.slice(8, 16), opts)
         }
@@ -395,7 +407,7 @@ Tracker.prototype._requestUdp = function (requestUrl, opts) {
     ]))
   }
 
-  function scrape (connectionId, opts) {
+  function scrape (connectionId) {
     genTransactionId()
 
     send(Buffer.concat([
@@ -477,10 +489,6 @@ Tracker.prototype._handleResponse = function (requestUrl, data) {
   }
 }
 
-//
-// HELPERS
-//
-
 function toUInt16 (n) {
   var buf = new Buffer(2)
   buf.writeUInt16BE(n, 0)
@@ -499,3 +507,7 @@ function toUInt64 (n) {
   }
   return Buffer.concat([common.toUInt32(0), common.toUInt32(n)])
 }
+
+function isScrapeUrl (u) {
+  return u.substr(u.lastIndexOf('/') + 1, 'scrape'.length) === 'scrape'
+}
diff --git a/lib/common.js b/lib/common.js
index a281f83..ccf1bd4 100644
--- a/lib/common.js
+++ b/lib/common.js
@@ -1,7 +1,13 @@
 /**
- * Functions and constants needed by both the tracker client and server.
+ * Functions/constants needed by both the client and server.
  */
 
+var querystring = require('querystring')
+
+exports.CONNECTION_ID = Buffer.concat([ toUInt32(0x417), toUInt32(0x27101980) ])
+exports.ACTIONS = { CONNECT: 0, ANNOUNCE: 1, SCRAPE: 2, ERROR: 3 }
+exports.EVENTS = { update: 0, completed: 1, started: 2, stopped: 3 }
+
 function toUInt32 (n) {
   var buf = new Buffer(4)
   buf.writeUInt32BE(n, 0)
@@ -9,14 +15,34 @@ function toUInt32 (n) {
 }
 exports.toUInt32 = toUInt32
 
-exports.CONNECTION_ID = Buffer.concat([ toUInt32(0x417), toUInt32(0x27101980) ])
-exports.ACTIONS = { CONNECT: 0, ANNOUNCE: 1, SCRAPE: 2, ERROR: 3 }
-exports.EVENTS = { update: 0, completed: 1, started: 2, stopped: 3 }
-
-exports.bytewiseDecodeURIComponent = function (str) {
-  return new Buffer(decodeURIComponent(str), 'binary')
+exports.binaryToUtf8 = function (str) {
+  return new Buffer(str, 'binary').toString('utf8')
 }
 
-exports.bytewiseEncodeURIComponent = function (buf) {
-  return encodeURIComponent(buf.toString('binary'))
+/**
+ * `querystring.parse` using `unescape` instead of decodeURIComponent, since bittorrent
+ * clients send non-UTF8 querystrings
+ * @param  {string} q
+ * @return {Object}
+ */
+exports.querystringParse = function (q) {
+  var saved = querystring.unescape
+  querystring.unescape = unescape // global
+  var ret = querystring.parse(q)
+  querystring.unescape = saved
+  return ret
+}
+
+/**
+ * `querystring.stringify` using `escape` instead of encodeURIComponent, since bittorrent
+ * clients send non-UTF8 querystrings
+ * @param  {Object} obj
+ * @return {string}
+ */
+exports.querystringStringify = function (obj) {
+  var saved = querystring.escape
+  querystring.escape = escape // global
+  var ret = querystring.stringify(obj)
+  querystring.escape = saved
+  return ret
 }
diff --git a/server.js b/server.js
index e5fa6be..64e8c05 100644
--- a/server.js
+++ b/server.js
@@ -122,14 +122,11 @@ Server.prototype._onHttpRequest = function (req, res) {
   var self = this
   var warning
   var s = req.url.split('?')
-  var params = querystring.parse(s[1])
-
+  var params = common.querystringParse(s[1])
   if (s[0] === '/announce') {
-    var infoHash = typeof params.info_hash === 'string' &&
-      common.bytewiseDecodeURIComponent(params.info_hash).toString('binary')
+    var infoHash = typeof params.info_hash === 'string' && params.info_hash
+    var peerId = typeof params.peer_id === 'string' && common.binaryToUtf8(params.peer_id)
     var port = Number(params.port)
-    var peerId = typeof params.peer_id === 'string' &&
-      common.bytewiseDecodeURIComponent(params.peer_id).toString('utf8')
 
     if (!infoHash) return error('invalid info_hash')
     if (infoHash.length !== 20) return error('invalid info_hash')
@@ -252,7 +249,6 @@ Server.prototype._onHttpRequest = function (req, res) {
     }
 
     params.info_hash.some(function (infoHash) {
-      infoHash = common.bytewiseDecodeURIComponent(infoHash).toString('binary')
       if (infoHash.length !== 20) {
         error('invalid info_hash')
         return true // early return
diff --git a/test/scrape.js b/test/scrape.js
index cce5a22..2c01aee 100644
--- a/test/scrape.js
+++ b/test/scrape.js
@@ -10,23 +10,19 @@ var querystring = require('querystring')
 var Server = require('../').Server
 var test = require('tape')
 
+function hexToBinary (str) {
+  return new Buffer(str, 'hex').toString('binary')
+}
+
 var infoHash1 = 'aaa67059ed6bd08362da625b3ae77f6f4a075aaa'
-var encodedInfoHash1 = common.bytewiseEncodeURIComponent(
-  new Buffer(infoHash1, 'hex')
-)
-var binaryinfoHash1 = new Buffer(infoHash1, 'hex').toString('binary')
+var binaryInfoHash1 = hexToBinary(infoHash1)
 var infoHash2 = 'bbb67059ed6bd08362da625b3ae77f6f4a075bbb'
-var encodedInfoHash2 = common.bytewiseEncodeURIComponent(
-  new Buffer(infoHash2, 'hex')
-)
-var binaryinfoHash2 = new Buffer(infoHash2, 'hex').toString('binary')
+var binaryInfoHash2 = hexToBinary(infoHash2)
 
 var bitlove = fs.readFileSync(__dirname + '/torrents/bitlove-intro.torrent')
 var parsedBitlove = parseTorrent(bitlove)
-var encodedBitlove = common.bytewiseEncodeURIComponent(
-  new Buffer(parsedBitlove.infoHash, 'hex')
-)
-var binaryBitlove = new Buffer(parsedBitlove.infoHash, 'hex').toString('binary')
+var binaryBitlove = hexToBinary(parsedBitlove.infoHash)
+
 var peerId = new Buffer('01234567890123456789')
 
 test('server: single info_hash scrape', function (t) {
@@ -44,8 +40,8 @@ test('server: single info_hash scrape', function (t) {
     var scrapeUrl = 'http://127.0.0.1:' + port + '/scrape'
 
     server.once('listening', function () {
-      var url = scrapeUrl + '?' + querystring.stringify({
-        info_hash: encodedInfoHash1
+      var url = scrapeUrl + '?' + common.querystringStringify({
+        info_hash: binaryInfoHash1
       })
       http.get(url, function (res) {
         t.equal(res.statusCode, 200)
@@ -53,10 +49,10 @@ test('server: single info_hash scrape', function (t) {
           data = bencode.decode(data)
           t.ok(data.files)
           t.equal(Object.keys(data.files).length, 1)
-          t.ok(data.files[binaryinfoHash1])
-          t.equal(typeof data.files[binaryinfoHash1].complete, 'number')
-          t.equal(typeof data.files[binaryinfoHash1].incomplete, 'number')
-          t.equal(typeof data.files[binaryinfoHash1].downloaded, 'number')
+          t.ok(data.files[binaryInfoHash1])
+          t.equal(typeof data.files[binaryInfoHash1].complete, 'number')
+          t.equal(typeof data.files[binaryInfoHash1].incomplete, 'number')
+          t.equal(typeof data.files[binaryInfoHash1].downloaded, 'number')
 
           server.close(function () {
             t.end()
@@ -84,8 +80,8 @@ test('server: multiple info_hash scrape', function (t) {
     var scrapeUrl = 'http://127.0.0.1:' + port + '/scrape'
 
     server.once('listening', function () {
-      var url = scrapeUrl + '?' + querystring.stringify({
-        info_hash: [ encodedInfoHash1, encodedInfoHash2 ]
+      var url = scrapeUrl + '?' + common.querystringStringify({
+        info_hash: [ binaryInfoHash1, binaryInfoHash2 ]
       })
       http.get(url, function (res) {
         t.equal(res.statusCode, 200)
@@ -94,15 +90,15 @@ test('server: multiple info_hash scrape', function (t) {
           t.ok(data.files)
           t.equal(Object.keys(data.files).length, 2)
 
-          t.ok(data.files[binaryinfoHash1])
-          t.equal(typeof data.files[binaryinfoHash1].complete, 'number')
-          t.equal(typeof data.files[binaryinfoHash1].incomplete, 'number')
-          t.equal(typeof data.files[binaryinfoHash1].downloaded, 'number')
+          t.ok(data.files[binaryInfoHash1])
+          t.equal(typeof data.files[binaryInfoHash1].complete, 'number')
+          t.equal(typeof data.files[binaryInfoHash1].incomplete, 'number')
+          t.equal(typeof data.files[binaryInfoHash1].downloaded, 'number')
 
-          t.ok(data.files[binaryinfoHash2])
-          t.equal(typeof data.files[binaryinfoHash2].complete, 'number')
-          t.equal(typeof data.files[binaryinfoHash2].incomplete, 'number')
-          t.equal(typeof data.files[binaryinfoHash2].downloaded, 'number')
+          t.ok(data.files[binaryInfoHash2])
+          t.equal(typeof data.files[binaryInfoHash2].complete, 'number')
+          t.equal(typeof data.files[binaryInfoHash2].incomplete, 'number')
+          t.equal(typeof data.files[binaryInfoHash2].downloaded, 'number')
 
           server.close(function () {
             t.end()