diff --git a/core/coreunix/add.go b/core/coreunix/add.go
index 8ebc0cb0b..a01097b69 100644
--- a/core/coreunix/add.go
+++ b/core/coreunix/add.go
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"errors"
 	"io"
 	"os"
-	"path"
+	gopath "path"
 
 	"github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/commands/files"
 	core "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/core"
@@ -14,14 +14,13 @@ import (
 	"github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/pin"
 	"github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/thirdparty/eventlog"
 	unixfs "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/unixfs"
-	u "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/util"
 )
 
 var log = eventlog.Logger("coreunix")
 
 // Add builds a merkledag from the a reader, pinning all objects to the local
 // datastore. Returns a key representing the root node.
-func Add(n *core.IpfsNode, r io.Reader) (u.Key, error) {
+func Add(n *core.IpfsNode, r io.Reader) (string, error) {
 	// TODO more attractive function signature importer.BuildDagFromReader
 	dagNode, err := importer.BuildDagFromReader(
 		r,
@@ -35,7 +34,12 @@ func Add(n *core.IpfsNode, r io.Reader) (u.Key, error) {
 	if err := n.Pinning.Flush(); err != nil {
 		return "", err
 	}
-	return dagNode.Key()
+	k, err := dagNode.Key()
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+
+	return k.String(), nil
 }
 
 // AddR recursively adds files in |path|.
@@ -124,7 +128,7 @@ Loop:
 			return nil, err
 		}
 
-		_, name := path.Split(file.FileName())
+		_, name := gopath.Split(file.FileName())
 
 		err = tree.AddNodeLink(name, node)
 		if err != nil {
diff --git a/core/coreunix/cat.go b/core/coreunix/cat.go
index 464d1c608..4f094cfb3 100644
--- a/core/coreunix/cat.go
+++ b/core/coreunix/cat.go
@@ -8,7 +8,8 @@ import (
 	uio "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/unixfs/io"
 )
 
-func Cat(n *core.IpfsNode, p path.Path) (io.Reader, error) {
+func Cat(n *core.IpfsNode, pstr string) (io.Reader, error) {
+	p := path.FromString(pstr)
 	dagNode, err := n.Resolver.ResolvePath(p)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
diff --git a/path/path.go b/path/path.go
index bfbef7234..c76844b1e 100644
--- a/path/path.go
+++ b/path/path.go
@@ -3,12 +3,24 @@ package path
 import (
 	"path"
 	"strings"
+
+	u "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/util"
 )
 
 // TODO: debate making this a private struct wrapped in a public interface
 // would allow us to control creation, and cache segments.
 type Path string
 
+// FromString safely converts a string type to a Path type
+func FromString(s string) Path {
+	return Path(s)
+}
+
+// FromKey safely converts a Key type to a Path type
+func FromKey(k u.Key) Path {
+	return Path(k.String())
+}
+
 func (p Path) Segments() []string {
 	cleaned := path.Clean(string(p))
 	segments := strings.Split(cleaned, "/")
diff --git a/test/integration/addcat_test.go b/test/integration/addcat_test.go
index ac166448e..98936e5cd 100644
--- a/test/integration/addcat_test.go
+++ b/test/integration/addcat_test.go
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@ import (
 	coreunix "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/core/coreunix"
 	mocknet "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/p2p/net/mock"
 	"github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/p2p/peer"
-	path "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/path"
 	"github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/thirdparty/unit"
 	errors "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/util/debugerror"
 	testutil "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/util/testutil"
@@ -126,12 +125,12 @@ func DirectAddCat(data []byte, conf testutil.LatencyConfig) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	keyAdded, err := coreunix.Add(adder, bytes.NewReader(data))
+	added, err := coreunix.Add(adder, bytes.NewReader(data))
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	readerCatted, err := coreunix.Cat(catter, path.Path(keyAdded.String()))
+	readerCatted, err := coreunix.Cat(catter, added)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
diff --git a/test/integration/three_legged_cat_test.go b/test/integration/three_legged_cat_test.go
index 0165a8d75..9dae99eff 100644
--- a/test/integration/three_legged_cat_test.go
+++ b/test/integration/three_legged_cat_test.go
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@ import (
 	coreunix "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/core/coreunix"
 	mocknet "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/p2p/net/mock"
 	"github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/p2p/peer"
-	path "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/path"
 	"github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/thirdparty/unit"
 	errors "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/util/debugerror"
 	testutil "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/util/testutil"
@@ -106,12 +105,12 @@ func RunThreeLeggedCat(data []byte, conf testutil.LatencyConfig) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	keyAdded, err := coreunix.Add(adder, bytes.NewReader(data))
+	added, err := coreunix.Add(adder, bytes.NewReader(data))
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	readerCatted, err := coreunix.Cat(catter, path.Path(keyAdded.String()))
+	readerCatted, err := coreunix.Cat(catter, added)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}