diff --git a/core/java/src/net/i2p/stat/Rate.java b/core/java/src/net/i2p/stat/Rate.java
index 26778cd07..e37f9db9f 100644
--- a/core/java/src/net/i2p/stat/Rate.java
+++ b/core/java/src/net/i2p/stat/Rate.java
@@ -533,10 +533,13 @@ public class Rate {
         if ((obj == null) || !(obj instanceof Rate)) return false;
         if (obj == this) return true;
         Rate r = (Rate) obj;
-        return _period == r.getPeriod() && _creationDate == r.getCreationDate() &&
-               // do this the easy way to avoid NPEs.
-               // Alternative: compare name and group name (very carefully to avoid NPEs)
-               _stat == r._stat;
+        if (_period != r.getPeriod() || _creationDate != r.getCreationDate())
+            return false;
+        if (_stat == null && r._stat == null)
+            return true;
+        if (_stat != null && r._stat != null) 
+            return _stat.nameGroupDescEquals(r._stat);
+        return false;
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/core/java/src/net/i2p/stat/RateStat.java b/core/java/src/net/i2p/stat/RateStat.java
index a9fe94b80..512fd6402 100644
--- a/core/java/src/net/i2p/stat/RateStat.java
+++ b/core/java/src/net/i2p/stat/RateStat.java
@@ -166,13 +166,16 @@ public class RateStat {
         if (obj == this)
             return true;
         RateStat rs = (RateStat) obj;
-        if (DataHelper.eq(getGroupName(), rs.getGroupName()) && DataHelper.eq(getDescription(), rs.getDescription())
-            && DataHelper.eq(getName(), rs.getName())) {
+        if (nameGroupDescEquals(rs)) 
             return deepEquals(this._rates, rs._rates);
-        } 
         
         return false;
     }
+    
+    boolean nameGroupDescEquals(RateStat rs) {
+        return DataHelper.eq(getGroupName(), rs.getGroupName()) && DataHelper.eq(getDescription(), rs.getDescription())
+                && DataHelper.eq(getName(), rs.getName());
+    }
 
     public void store(OutputStream out, String prefix) throws IOException {
         StringBuilder buf = new StringBuilder(1024);
diff --git a/core/java/test/junit/net/i2p/stat/RateStatTest.java b/core/java/test/junit/net/i2p/stat/RateStatTest.java
index fe02a9b08..67a4ad233 100644
--- a/core/java/test/junit/net/i2p/stat/RateStatTest.java
+++ b/core/java/test/junit/net/i2p/stat/RateStatTest.java
@@ -2,34 +2,55 @@ package net.i2p.stat;
 
 import java.util.Properties;
 
+import org.junit.Test;
+
 import junit.framework.TestCase;
 
 
 public class RateStatTest extends TestCase {
+    
+    @Test
+    public void testNoRates() throws Exception {
+        final long emptyArray[] = new long[0];
+        try {
+            new RateStat("test", "test RateStat getters etc", "tests", emptyArray);
+            fail("created a rate stat with no periods");
+        } catch (IllegalArgumentException expected){}
+    }
+    
+    @Test
     public void testGettersEtc() throws Exception{
-        long emptyArray[] = new long[0];
-        RateStat rs = new RateStat("test", "test RateStat getters etc", "tests", emptyArray);
+        final long periods[] = new long[]{10};
+        RateStat rs = new RateStat("test", "test RateStat getters etc", "tests", periods);
 
         // Test basic getters
         assertEquals("test", rs.getName());
         assertEquals("tests", rs.getGroupName());
         assertEquals("test RateStat getters etc", rs.getDescription());
 
-        // There should be no periods, so other getters should return defaults
-        // TODO: Fix this so it checks that the array is empty rather than comparing objects
-        //assertEquals(rs.getPeriods(), emptyArray);
+        // There should be no data, so other getters should return defaults
         assertEquals(0.0, rs.getLifetimeAverageValue());
         assertEquals(0, rs.getLifetimeEventCount());
         assertNull(rs.getRate(2000));
+    }
+    
+    @SuppressWarnings("deprecation")
+    @Test
+    public void testAddingAndRemovingThrows() throws Exception {
+        final long periods[] = new long[]{10};
+        RateStat rs = new RateStat("test", "test RateStat getters etc", "tests", periods);
 
-        // Test adding and removing a period
-        assertFalse(rs.containsRate(1000));
-        rs.addRate(1000);
-        assertTrue(rs.containsRate(1000));
-        rs.removeRate(1000);
-        assertFalse(rs.containsRate(1000));
+        try {
+            rs.addRate(1000);
+            fail("adding periods should not be supported");
+        } catch (UnsupportedOperationException expected){}
+        try {
+            rs.removeRate(10);
+            fail("removing periods should not be supported");
+        } catch (UnsupportedOperationException expected){}
     }
 
+    @Test
     public void testRateStat() throws Exception{
         RateStat rs = new RateStat("moo", "moo moo moo", "cow trueisms", new long[] { 60 * 1000, 60 * 60 * 1000,
                                                                                      24 * 60 * 60 * 1000});
diff --git a/core/java/test/junit/net/i2p/stat/RateTest.java b/core/java/test/junit/net/i2p/stat/RateTest.java
index 82235a785..45d9278a8 100644
--- a/core/java/test/junit/net/i2p/stat/RateTest.java
+++ b/core/java/test/junit/net/i2p/stat/RateTest.java
@@ -3,10 +3,14 @@ package net.i2p.stat;
 import java.io.ByteArrayInputStream;
 import java.util.Properties;
 
+import org.junit.Test;
+
 import junit.framework.TestCase;
 
 
 public class RateTest extends TestCase {
+    
+    @Test
     public void testRate() throws Exception{
         Rate rate = new Rate(5000);
         for (int i = 0; i < 50; i++) {