diff --git a/include/boost/mpi/datatype.hpp b/include/boost/mpi/datatype.hpp
index c23b051..517126b 100644
--- a/include/boost/mpi/datatype.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/mpi/datatype.hpp
@@ -339,8 +339,8 @@ BOOST_MPI_DATATYPE(boost::archive::class_id_optional_type, get_mpi_datatype(int_
 BOOST_MPI_DATATYPE(boost::archive::object_id_type, get_mpi_datatype(uint_least32_t()), integer);
 BOOST_MPI_DATATYPE(boost::archive::object_reference_type, get_mpi_datatype(uint_least32_t()), integer);
 BOOST_MPI_DATATYPE(boost::archive::tracking_type, get_mpi_datatype(bool()), builtin);
-BOOST_MPI_DATATYPE(boost::serialization::collection_size_type, get_mpi_datatype(std::size_t()), builtin);
-BOOST_MPI_DATATYPE(boost::serialization::item_version_type, get_mpi_datatype(uint_least8_t()), builtin);
+BOOST_MPI_DATATYPE(boost::serialization::collection_size_type, get_mpi_datatype(std::size_t()), integer);
+BOOST_MPI_DATATYPE(boost::serialization::item_version_type, get_mpi_datatype(uint_least8_t()), integer);
 
 #endif // Doxygen
 
diff --git a/include/boost/mpi/datatype_fwd.hpp b/include/boost/mpi/datatype_fwd.hpp
index 20dedb5..3a5f941 100644
--- a/include/boost/mpi/datatype_fwd.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/mpi/datatype_fwd.hpp
@@ -25,7 +25,9 @@ template<typename T> struct is_mpi_logical_datatype;
 template<typename T> struct is_mpi_complex_datatype;
 template<typename T> struct is_mpi_byte_datatype;
 template<typename T> struct is_mpi_datatype;
-template<typename T> MPI_Datatype get_mpi_datatype(const T& x = T());
+template<typename T> MPI_Datatype get_mpi_datatype(const T& x);
+template<typename T> MPI_Datatype get_mpi_datatype() 
+                                  { return get_mpi_datatype(T());}
 
 /// a dummy data type giving MPI_PACKED as its MPI_Datatype
 struct packed {};
diff --git a/include/boost/mpi/packed_iarchive.hpp b/include/boost/mpi/packed_iarchive.hpp
index 6b49def..d8b4376 100644
--- a/include/boost/mpi/packed_iarchive.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/mpi/packed_iarchive.hpp
@@ -20,10 +20,13 @@
 
 #include <boost/mpi/datatype.hpp>
 #include <boost/archive/detail/auto_link_archive.hpp>
-#include <boost/archive/basic_binary_iarchive.hpp>
+#include <boost/archive/detail/common_iarchive.hpp>
 #include <boost/archive/shared_ptr_helper.hpp>
 #include <boost/mpi/detail/packed_iprimitive.hpp>
 #include <boost/mpi/detail/binary_buffer_iprimitive.hpp>
+#include <boost/serialization/string.hpp>
+#include <boost/serialization/collection_size_type.hpp>
+#include <boost/serialization/item_version_type.hpp>
 #include <boost/assert.hpp>
 
 namespace boost { namespace mpi {
@@ -44,7 +47,7 @@ namespace boost { namespace mpi {
  */
 class BOOST_MPI_DECL packed_iarchive
   : public iprimitive
-  , public archive::basic_binary_iarchive<packed_iarchive>
+  , public archive::detail::common_iarchive<packed_iarchive>
   , public archive::detail::shared_ptr_helper
 {
 public:
@@ -67,7 +70,7 @@ public:
    */
   packed_iarchive(MPI_Comm const & comm, buffer_type & b, unsigned int flags = boost::archive::no_header, int position = 0)
         : iprimitive(b,comm,position),
-          archive::basic_binary_iarchive<packed_iarchive>(flags)
+          archive::detail::common_iarchive<packed_iarchive>(flags)
         {}
 
   /**
@@ -87,7 +90,7 @@ public:
           ( MPI_Comm const & comm , std::size_t s=0, 
            unsigned int flags = boost::archive::no_header)
          : iprimitive(internal_buffer_,comm)
-         , archive::basic_binary_iarchive<packed_iarchive>(flags)
+         , archive::detail::common_iarchive<packed_iarchive>(flags)
          , internal_buffer_(s)
         {}
 
@@ -95,7 +98,7 @@ public:
   template<class T>
   void load_override(T& x, int version, mpl::false_)
   {
-    archive::basic_binary_iarchive<packed_iarchive>::load_override(x,version);
+    archive::detail::common_iarchive<packed_iarchive>::load_override(x,version);
   }
 
   // Load it directly using the primnivites
@@ -115,6 +118,16 @@ public:
     load_override(x, version, use_optimized());
   }
 
+  void load_override(archive::class_name_type & t, int)
+  {
+    std::string cn;
+    cn.reserve(BOOST_SERIALIZATION_MAX_KEY_SIZE);
+    * this->This() >> cn;
+    std::memcpy(t, cn.data(), cn.size());
+    // borland tweak
+    t.t[cn.size()] = '\0';
+  }
+
 private:
   /// An internal buffer to be used when the user does not supply his
   /// own buffer.
diff --git a/include/boost/mpi/packed_oarchive.hpp b/include/boost/mpi/packed_oarchive.hpp
index 274b1f0..c873bb4 100644
--- a/include/boost/mpi/packed_oarchive.hpp
+++ b/include/boost/mpi/packed_oarchive.hpp
@@ -20,9 +20,12 @@
 
 #include <boost/mpi/datatype.hpp>
 #include <boost/archive/detail/auto_link_archive.hpp>
-#include <boost/archive/basic_binary_oarchive.hpp>
+#include <boost/archive/detail/common_oarchive.hpp>
 #include <boost/mpi/detail/packed_oprimitive.hpp>
 #include <boost/mpi/detail/binary_buffer_oprimitive.hpp>
+#include <boost/serialization/string.hpp>
+#include <boost/serialization/collection_size_type.hpp>
+#include <boost/serialization/item_version_type.hpp>
 
 namespace boost { namespace mpi {
 
@@ -43,7 +46,7 @@ namespace boost { namespace mpi {
   
 class BOOST_MPI_DECL packed_oarchive
   : public oprimitive,
-    public archive::basic_binary_oarchive<packed_oarchive>
+    public archive::detail::common_oarchive<packed_oarchive>
 {
 public:
   /**
@@ -62,7 +65,7 @@ public:
    */
   packed_oarchive( MPI_Comm const & comm, buffer_type & b, unsigned int flags = boost::archive::no_header)
          : oprimitive(b,comm),
-           archive::basic_binary_oarchive<packed_oarchive>(flags)
+           archive::detail::common_oarchive<packed_oarchive>(flags)
         {}
 
   /**
@@ -78,14 +81,14 @@ public:
    */
   packed_oarchive ( MPI_Comm const & comm, unsigned int flags =  boost::archive::no_header)
          : oprimitive(internal_buffer_,comm),
-           archive::basic_binary_oarchive<packed_oarchive>(flags)
+           archive::detail::common_oarchive<packed_oarchive>(flags)
         {}
 
   // Save everything else in the usual way, forwarding on to the Base class
   template<class T>
   void save_override(T const& x, int version, mpl::false_)
   {
-    archive::basic_binary_oarchive<packed_oarchive>::save_override(x,version);
+    archive::detail::common_oarchive<packed_oarchive>::save_override(x,version);
   }
 
   // Save it directly using the primnivites
@@ -103,6 +106,12 @@ public:
     save_override(x, version, use_optimized());
   }
 
+  // explicitly convert to char * to avoid compile ambiguities
+  void save_override(const archive::class_name_type & t, int){
+      const std::string s(t);
+      * this->This() << s;
+  }
+
 private:
   /// An internal buffer to be used when the user does not supply his
   /// own buffer.
diff --git a/src/packed_iarchive.cpp b/src/packed_iarchive.cpp
index 4fceb73..a0ea5a6 100644
--- a/src/packed_iarchive.cpp
+++ b/src/packed_iarchive.cpp
@@ -11,15 +11,11 @@
 
 #include <boost/archive/detail/archive_serializer_map.hpp>
 #include <boost/archive/impl/archive_serializer_map.ipp>
-#include <boost/archive/binary_iarchive.hpp>
-#include <boost/archive/impl/basic_binary_iprimitive.ipp>
-#include <boost/archive/impl/basic_binary_iarchive.ipp>
 
 namespace boost { namespace archive {
 
 // explicitly instantiate all required templates
 
-template class basic_binary_iarchive<mpi::packed_iarchive> ;
 template class detail::archive_serializer_map<mpi::packed_iarchive> ;
 
 } } // end namespace boost::archive
diff --git a/src/packed_oarchive.cpp b/src/packed_oarchive.cpp
index 4f5ad28..d340a40 100644
--- a/src/packed_oarchive.cpp
+++ b/src/packed_oarchive.cpp
@@ -8,17 +8,12 @@
 
 #define BOOST_ARCHIVE_SOURCE
 #include <boost/mpi/packed_oarchive.hpp>
-
 #include <boost/archive/detail/archive_serializer_map.hpp>
 #include <boost/archive/impl/archive_serializer_map.ipp>
-#include <boost/archive/binary_oarchive.hpp>
-#include <boost/archive/impl/basic_binary_oprimitive.ipp>
-#include <boost/archive/impl/basic_binary_oarchive.ipp>
 
 namespace boost { namespace archive {
 // explicitly instantiate all required templates
 
 template class detail::archive_serializer_map<mpi::packed_oarchive> ;
-template class basic_binary_oarchive<mpi::packed_oarchive> ;
 
 } } // end namespace boost::archive
diff --git a/src/packed_skeleton_iarchive.cpp b/src/packed_skeleton_iarchive.cpp
index 99b7d04..97115c2 100644
--- a/src/packed_skeleton_iarchive.cpp
+++ b/src/packed_skeleton_iarchive.cpp
@@ -10,22 +10,16 @@
 
 #include <boost/archive/detail/archive_serializer_map.hpp>
 #include <boost/archive/impl/archive_serializer_map.ipp>
-
 #include <boost/mpi/skeleton_and_content.hpp>
 
-#include <boost/archive/binary_iarchive.hpp>
-#include <boost/archive/impl/basic_binary_iprimitive.ipp>
-#include <boost/archive/impl/basic_binary_iarchive.ipp>
-
 namespace boost { namespace archive {
 
 // explicitly instantiate all required templates
 
-template class basic_binary_iarchive<mpi::packed_skeleton_iarchive> ;
+// template class basic_binary_iarchive<mpi::packed_skeleton_iarchive> ;
 template class detail::archive_serializer_map<mpi::packed_skeleton_iarchive> ;
 template class detail::archive_serializer_map<
   mpi::detail::forward_skeleton_iarchive<
     boost::mpi::packed_skeleton_iarchive, boost::mpi::packed_iarchive> > ;
-//template class binary_iarchive_impl<packed_skeleton_iarchive> ;
 
 } } // end namespace boost::archive
diff --git a/src/packed_skeleton_oarchive.cpp b/src/packed_skeleton_oarchive.cpp
index 8a33241..5cfecc0 100644
--- a/src/packed_skeleton_oarchive.cpp
+++ b/src/packed_skeleton_oarchive.cpp
@@ -8,12 +8,8 @@
 
 #define BOOST_ARCHIVE_SOURCE
 #include <boost/mpi/skeleton_and_content.hpp>
-
 #include <boost/archive/detail/archive_serializer_map.hpp>
 #include <boost/archive/impl/archive_serializer_map.ipp>
-#include <boost/archive/binary_oarchive.hpp>
-#include <boost/archive/impl/basic_binary_oprimitive.ipp>
-#include <boost/archive/impl/basic_binary_oarchive.ipp>
 
 namespace boost { namespace archive {
 // explicitly instantiate all required templates
@@ -22,7 +18,5 @@ template class detail::archive_serializer_map<mpi::packed_skeleton_oarchive> ;
 template class detail::archive_serializer_map<
   mpi::detail::forward_skeleton_oarchive<
     boost::mpi::packed_skeleton_oarchive, boost::mpi::packed_oarchive> > ;
-template class basic_binary_oarchive<mpi::packed_skeleton_oarchive> ;
-//template class binary_oarchive_impl<mpi_packed_oarchive> ;
 
 } } // end namespace boost::archive
diff --git a/src/text_skeleton_oarchive.cpp b/src/text_skeleton_oarchive.cpp
index dea8c8f..7817ea7 100644
--- a/src/text_skeleton_oarchive.cpp
+++ b/src/text_skeleton_oarchive.cpp
@@ -11,13 +11,10 @@
 
 #include <boost/archive/detail/archive_serializer_map.hpp>
 #include <boost/archive/impl/archive_serializer_map.ipp>
-#include <boost/archive/binary_oarchive.hpp>
-#include <boost/archive/impl/basic_binary_oprimitive.ipp>
-#include <boost/archive/impl/basic_binary_oarchive.ipp>
 
 namespace boost { namespace archive {
 // explicitly instantiate all required templates
 
-template class detail::archive_serializer_map<text_oarchive>;
+// template class detail::archive_serializer_map<text_oarchive>;
 
 } } // end namespace boost::archive