diff --git a/core/corerepo/pinning.go b/core/corerepo/pinning.go
index 0c30b5592..4cb1ec7f2 100644
--- a/core/corerepo/pinning.go
+++ b/core/corerepo/pinning.go
@@ -60,22 +60,21 @@ func Pin(n *core.IpfsNode, ctx context.Context, paths []string, recursive bool)
 
 func Unpin(n *core.IpfsNode, ctx context.Context, paths []string, recursive bool) ([]key.Key, error) {
 
-	dagnodes := make([]*merkledag.Node, 0)
-	for _, fpath := range paths {
-		dagnode, err := core.Resolve(ctx, n, path.Path(fpath))
+	var unpinned []key.Key
+	for _, p := range paths {
+		p, err := path.ParsePath(p)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
-		dagnodes = append(dagnodes, dagnode)
-	}
 
-	var unpinned []key.Key
-	for _, dagnode := range dagnodes {
-		k, _ := dagnode.Key()
+		k, err := core.ResolveToKey(ctx, n, p)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
 
 		ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(ctx)
 		defer cancel()
-		err := n.Pinning.Unpin(ctx, k, recursive)
+		err = n.Pinning.Unpin(ctx, k, recursive)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
diff --git a/core/pathresolver.go b/core/pathresolver.go
index 153f560bc..515899969 100644
--- a/core/pathresolver.go
+++ b/core/pathresolver.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 
 	context "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/Godeps/_workspace/src/golang.org/x/net/context"
 
+	key "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/blocks/key"
 	merkledag "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/merkledag"
 	path "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/path"
 )
@@ -55,3 +56,31 @@ func Resolve(ctx context.Context, n *IpfsNode, p path.Path) (*merkledag.Node, er
 	// ok, we have an ipfs path now (or what we'll treat as one)
 	return n.Resolver.ResolvePath(ctx, p)
 }
+
+// ResolveToKey resolves a path to a key.
+//
+// It first checks if the path is already in the form of just a key (<key> or
+// /ipfs/<key>) and returns immediately if so. Otherwise, it falls back onto
+// Resolve to perform resolution of the dagnode being referenced.
+func ResolveToKey(ctx context.Context, n *IpfsNode, p path.Path) (key.Key, error) {
+
+	// If the path is simply a key, parse and return it. Parsed paths are already
+	// normalized (read: prepended with /ipfs/ if needed), so segment[1] should
+	// always be the key.
+	if p.IsJustAKey() {
+		return key.B58KeyDecode(p.Segments()[1]), nil
+	}
+
+	// Fall back onto regular dagnode resolution.
+	dagnode, err := Resolve(ctx, n, p)
+	if err != nil {
+		return key.Key(""), err
+	}
+
+	// Extract and return the node's key.
+	k, err := dagnode.Key()
+	if err != nil {
+		return key.Key(""), err
+	}
+	return k, nil
+}
diff --git a/test/sharness/t0081-repo-pinning.sh b/test/sharness/t0081-repo-pinning.sh
index f57a86303..be0e2e7ea 100755
--- a/test/sharness/t0081-repo-pinning.sh
+++ b/test/sharness/t0081-repo-pinning.sh
@@ -279,6 +279,13 @@ test_expect_success "test add nopin dir" '
 
 '
 
+FICTIONAL_HASH="QmXV4f9v8a56MxWKBhP3ETsz4EaafudU1cKfPaaJnenc48"
+test_launch_ipfs_daemon
+test_expect_success "test unpinning a hash that's not pinned" "
+  test_expect_code 1 ipfs pin rm $FICTIONAL_HASH --timeout=5s
+"
+test_kill_ipfs_daemon
+
 # test_kill_ipfs_daemon
 
 test_done