diff --git a/lib/parse.js b/lib/parse.js
index c46202eb..f95d9f9d 100644
--- a/lib/parse.js
+++ b/lib/parse.js
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@ var internals = {
     allowDots: false
 };
 
+var has = Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty;
+
 internals.parseValues = function (str, options) {
     var obj = {};
     var parts = str.split(options.delimiter, options.parameterLimit === Infinity ? undefined : options.parameterLimit);
@@ -31,7 +33,7 @@ internals.parseValues = function (str, options) {
             var key = Utils.decode(part.slice(0, pos));
             var val = Utils.decode(part.slice(pos + 1));
 
-            if (Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty.call(obj, key)) {
+            if (has.call(obj, key)) {
                 obj[key] = [].concat(obj[key]).concat(val);
             } else {
                 obj[key] = val;
@@ -84,26 +86,27 @@ internals.parseKeys = function (givenKey, val, options) {
 
     // The regex chunks
 
-    var parent = /^([^[]*)/;
+    var brackets = /(\[[^[\]]*])/;
     var child = /(\[[^[\]]*])/g;
 
     // Get the parent
 
-    var segment = parent.exec(key);
+    var segment = brackets.exec(key);
+    var parent = segment ? key.slice(0, segment.index) : key;
 
     // Stash the parent if it exists
 
     var keys = [];
-    if (segment[1]) {
+    if (parent) {
         // If we aren't using plain objects, optionally prefix keys
         // that would overwrite object prototype properties
-        if (!options.plainObjects && Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty(segment[1])) {
+        if (!options.plainObjects && has.call(Object.prototype, parent)) {
             if (!options.allowPrototypes) {
                 return;
             }
         }
 
-        keys.push(segment[1]);
+        keys.push(parent);
     }
 
     // Loop through children appending to the array until we hit depth
@@ -111,7 +114,7 @@ internals.parseKeys = function (givenKey, val, options) {
     var i = 0;
     while ((segment = child.exec(key)) !== null && i < options.depth) {
         i += 1;
-        if (!options.plainObjects && Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty.call(Object.prototype, segment[1].slice(1, -1))) {
+        if (!options.plainObjects && has.call(Object.prototype, segment[1].slice(1, -1))) {
             if (!options.allowPrototypes) {
                 return;
             }
diff --git a/lib/utils.js b/lib/utils.js
index d829b082..a80989fe 100644
--- a/lib/utils.js
+++ b/lib/utils.js
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ var hexTable = (function () {
     return array;
 }());
 
+var has = Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty;
+
 exports.arrayToObject = function (source, options) {
     var obj = options.plainObjects ? Object.create(null) : {};
     for (var i = 0; i < source.length; ++i) {
@@ -51,7 +53,7 @@ exports.merge = function (target, source, options) {
 	return Object.keys(source).reduce(function (acc, key) {
         var value = source[key];
 
-        if (Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty.call(acc, key)) {
+        if (has.call(acc, key)) {
             acc[key] = exports.merge(acc[key], value, options);
         } else {
             acc[key] = value;
diff --git a/test/parse.js b/test/parse.js
index 65f6f287..35711823 100644
--- a/test/parse.js
+++ b/test/parse.js
@@ -399,16 +399,15 @@ test('parse()', function (t) {
 
     t.test('params starting with a closing bracket', function (st) {
         st.deepEqual(qs.parse(']=toString'), { ']': 'toString' });
+        st.deepEqual(qs.parse(']]=toString'), { ']]': 'toString' });
+        st.deepEqual(qs.parse(']hello]=toString'), { ']hello]': 'toString' });
         st.end();
     });
 
     t.test('params starting with a starting bracket', function (st) {
-        st.deepEqual(qs.parse('[=toString'), {});
-        st.end();
-    });
-
-    t.test('params starting with a starting bracket', function (st) {
-        st.deepEqual(qs.parse('[=toString'), {});
+        st.deepEqual(qs.parse('[=toString'), { '[': 'toString' });
+        st.deepEqual(qs.parse('[[=toString'), { '[[': 'toString' });
+        st.deepEqual(qs.parse('[hello[=toString'), { '[hello[': 'toString' });
         st.end();
     });