diff --git a/archival/dpkg_deb.c b/archival/dpkg_deb.c
index 3cdd4ffae..fbdb14e26 100644
--- a/archival/dpkg_deb.c
+++ b/archival/dpkg_deb.c
@@ -20,12 +20,6 @@
 
 extern int dpkg_deb_main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
-	const int dpkg_deb_contents = 1;
-	const int dpkg_deb_control = 2;
-//	const int dpkg_deb_info = 4;
-	const int dpkg_deb_extract = 8;
-	const int dpkg_deb_verbose_extract = 16;
-	const int dpkg_deb_list = 32;
 	char *target_dir = NULL;
 	int opt = 0;
 	int optflag = 0;	
@@ -33,22 +27,22 @@ extern int dpkg_deb_main(int argc, char **argv)
 	while ((opt = getopt(argc, argv, "cexXl")) != -1) {
 		switch (opt) {
 			case 'c':
-				optflag |= dpkg_deb_contents;
+				optflag |= extract_contents;
 				break;
 			case 'e':
-				optflag |= dpkg_deb_control;
+				optflag |= extract_control;
 				break;
 			case 'X':
-				optflag |= dpkg_deb_verbose_extract;
+				optflag |= extract_verbose_extract;
 				break;
 			case 'x':
-				optflag |= dpkg_deb_extract;
+				optflag |= extract_extract;
 				break;
 			case 'l':
-				optflag |= dpkg_deb_list;
+				optflag |= extract_list;
 				break;
 /*			case 'I':
-				optflag |= dpkg_deb_info;
+				optflag |= extract_info;
 				break;
 */
 			default:
@@ -59,14 +53,19 @@ extern int dpkg_deb_main(int argc, char **argv)
 	if (((optind + 1 ) > argc) || (optflag == 0))  {
 		show_usage();
 	}
-	if ((optflag & dpkg_deb_control) || (optflag & dpkg_deb_extract) || (optflag & dpkg_deb_verbose_extract)) {
-		if ( (optind + 1) == argc ) {
-			target_dir = (char *) xmalloc(7);
-			strcpy(target_dir, "DEBIAN");
-		} else {
+	switch (optflag) {
+		case (extract_control):
+		case (extract_extract):
+		case (extract_verbose_extract):
+			if ( (optind + 1) == argc ) {
+				target_dir = (char *) xmalloc(7);
+				strcpy(target_dir, "DEBIAN");
+			}
+			break;
+		default: {
 			target_dir = (char *) xmalloc(strlen(argv[optind + 1]));
 			strcpy(target_dir, argv[optind + 1]);
-		}
+			}
 	}
 	deb_extract(argv[optind], optflag, target_dir);
 /*	else if (optflag & dpkg_deb_info) {
diff --git a/dpkg_deb.c b/dpkg_deb.c
index 3cdd4ffae..fbdb14e26 100644
--- a/dpkg_deb.c
+++ b/dpkg_deb.c
@@ -20,12 +20,6 @@
 
 extern int dpkg_deb_main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
-	const int dpkg_deb_contents = 1;
-	const int dpkg_deb_control = 2;
-//	const int dpkg_deb_info = 4;
-	const int dpkg_deb_extract = 8;
-	const int dpkg_deb_verbose_extract = 16;
-	const int dpkg_deb_list = 32;
 	char *target_dir = NULL;
 	int opt = 0;
 	int optflag = 0;	
@@ -33,22 +27,22 @@ extern int dpkg_deb_main(int argc, char **argv)
 	while ((opt = getopt(argc, argv, "cexXl")) != -1) {
 		switch (opt) {
 			case 'c':
-				optflag |= dpkg_deb_contents;
+				optflag |= extract_contents;
 				break;
 			case 'e':
-				optflag |= dpkg_deb_control;
+				optflag |= extract_control;
 				break;
 			case 'X':
-				optflag |= dpkg_deb_verbose_extract;
+				optflag |= extract_verbose_extract;
 				break;
 			case 'x':
-				optflag |= dpkg_deb_extract;
+				optflag |= extract_extract;
 				break;
 			case 'l':
-				optflag |= dpkg_deb_list;
+				optflag |= extract_list;
 				break;
 /*			case 'I':
-				optflag |= dpkg_deb_info;
+				optflag |= extract_info;
 				break;
 */
 			default:
@@ -59,14 +53,19 @@ extern int dpkg_deb_main(int argc, char **argv)
 	if (((optind + 1 ) > argc) || (optflag == 0))  {
 		show_usage();
 	}
-	if ((optflag & dpkg_deb_control) || (optflag & dpkg_deb_extract) || (optflag & dpkg_deb_verbose_extract)) {
-		if ( (optind + 1) == argc ) {
-			target_dir = (char *) xmalloc(7);
-			strcpy(target_dir, "DEBIAN");
-		} else {
+	switch (optflag) {
+		case (extract_control):
+		case (extract_extract):
+		case (extract_verbose_extract):
+			if ( (optind + 1) == argc ) {
+				target_dir = (char *) xmalloc(7);
+				strcpy(target_dir, "DEBIAN");
+			}
+			break;
+		default: {
 			target_dir = (char *) xmalloc(strlen(argv[optind + 1]));
 			strcpy(target_dir, argv[optind + 1]);
-		}
+			}
 	}
 	deb_extract(argv[optind], optflag, target_dir);
 /*	else if (optflag & dpkg_deb_info) {
diff --git a/include/libbb.h b/include/libbb.h
index 8a5e6756f..46a0682b2 100644
--- a/include/libbb.h
+++ b/include/libbb.h
@@ -227,8 +227,18 @@ typedef struct ar_headers_s {
 } ar_headers_t;
 extern ar_headers_t *get_ar_headers(FILE *in_file);
 extern int seek_ared_file(FILE *in_file, ar_headers_t *headers, const char *tar_gz_file);
-extern int deb_extract(const char *package_filename, const int function, char *target_dir);
-extern int untar(FILE *src_tar_file, int untar_function, char *base_path);
+
+typedef enum extract_function_e {
+	extract_contents = 1,
+	extract_control = 2,
+	extract_info = 4,
+	extract_extract = 8,
+	extract_verbose_extract = 16,
+	extract_list = 32
+} extract_function_t;
+extern int deb_extract(const char *package_filename, int function, char *target_dir);
+extern int untar(FILE *src_tar_file, int function, char *base_path);
+
 extern int unzip(FILE *l_in_file, FILE *l_out_file);
 extern void gz_close(int gunzip_pid);
 extern int gz_open(FILE *compressed_file, int *pid);
diff --git a/libbb/deb_extract.c b/libbb/deb_extract.c
index 35ff99671..e982c14bb 100644
--- a/libbb/deb_extract.c
+++ b/libbb/deb_extract.c
@@ -29,25 +29,27 @@
 #include <signal.h>
 #include "libbb.h"
 
-const int dpkg_deb_contents = 1;
-const int dpkg_deb_control = 2;
-const int dpkg_deb_info = 4;
-const int dpkg_deb_extract = 8;
-const int dpkg_deb_verbose_extract = 16;
-const int dpkg_deb_list = 32;
-
-extern int deb_extract(const char *package_filename, const int function, char *target_dir)
+extern int deb_extract(const char *package_filename, int function, char *target_dir)
 {
 
 	FILE *deb_file, *uncompressed_file;
 	ar_headers_t *headers = NULL;
-	char *ared_file;
+	char *ared_file = NULL;
 	int gunzip_pid;
 
-	if ((function == dpkg_deb_info) || (function == dpkg_deb_control)) {
-		ared_file = xstrdup("control.tar.gz");
-	} else {
-		ared_file = xstrdup("data.tar.gz");
+	switch (function) {
+		case (extract_info):
+		case (extract_control):
+			ared_file = xstrdup("control.tar.gz");
+			break;
+		case (extract_contents):
+		case (extract_extract):
+		case (extract_verbose_extract):
+		case (extract_list):
+			ared_file = xstrdup("data.tar.gz");
+			break;
+		default:
+			error_msg("Unknown extraction function");
 	}
 
 	/* open the debian package to be worked on */
@@ -70,12 +72,14 @@ extern int deb_extract(const char *package_filename, const int function, char *t
 	uncompressed_file = fdopen(gz_open(deb_file, &gunzip_pid), "r");
 
 	/* get a list of all tar headers inside the .gz file */
-	untar(uncompressed_file, dpkg_deb_extract, target_dir);
+	untar(uncompressed_file, function, target_dir);
 
 	/* we are deliberately terminating the child so we can safely ignore this */
-	signal(SIGTERM, SIG_IGN);
 	gz_close(gunzip_pid);
+
 	fclose(deb_file);
 	fclose(uncompressed_file);
+	free(ared_file);
+
 	return(EXIT_SUCCESS);
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/libbb/libbb.h b/libbb/libbb.h
index 8a5e6756f..46a0682b2 100644
--- a/libbb/libbb.h
+++ b/libbb/libbb.h
@@ -227,8 +227,18 @@ typedef struct ar_headers_s {
 } ar_headers_t;
 extern ar_headers_t *get_ar_headers(FILE *in_file);
 extern int seek_ared_file(FILE *in_file, ar_headers_t *headers, const char *tar_gz_file);
-extern int deb_extract(const char *package_filename, const int function, char *target_dir);
-extern int untar(FILE *src_tar_file, int untar_function, char *base_path);
+
+typedef enum extract_function_e {
+	extract_contents = 1,
+	extract_control = 2,
+	extract_info = 4,
+	extract_extract = 8,
+	extract_verbose_extract = 16,
+	extract_list = 32
+} extract_function_t;
+extern int deb_extract(const char *package_filename, int function, char *target_dir);
+extern int untar(FILE *src_tar_file, int function, char *base_path);
+
 extern int unzip(FILE *l_in_file, FILE *l_out_file);
 extern void gz_close(int gunzip_pid);
 extern int gz_open(FILE *compressed_file, int *pid);
diff --git a/libbb/untar.c b/libbb/untar.c
index 1542e390d..cb312d597 100644
--- a/libbb/untar.c
+++ b/libbb/untar.c
@@ -44,13 +44,6 @@ extern int untar(FILE *src_tar_file, int untar_function, char *base_path)
         char padding[12];             /* 500-512 */
 	} raw_tar_header_t;
 
-//	const int dpkg_deb_contents = 1;
-//	const int dpkg_deb_control = 2;
-//	const int dpkg_deb_info = 4;
-	const int untar_extract = 8;
-//	const int dpkg_deb_verbose_extract = 16;
-//	const int dpkg_deb_list = 32;
-
 	raw_tar_header_t raw_tar_header;
 	unsigned char *temp = (unsigned char *) &raw_tar_header;
 	long i;
@@ -61,7 +54,7 @@ extern int untar(FILE *src_tar_file, int untar_function, char *base_path)
 
 //	signal(SIGCHLD, child_died);
 
-	while (fread((char *) &raw_tar_header, 1, 512, src_tar_file)==512) {
+	while (fread((char *) &raw_tar_header, 1, 512, src_tar_file) == 512) {
 		long sum = 0;
 		char *dir;
 
@@ -130,30 +123,41 @@ extern int untar(FILE *src_tar_file, int untar_function, char *base_path)
 				 * supposed to be a directory, and fall through
 				 */
 				if (raw_tar_header.name[strlen(raw_tar_header.name)-1] != '/') {
-					if (untar_function & untar_extract) {
-						int out_count=0;
-						FILE *dst_file;
-	
-						dst_file = wfopen(dir, "w");
-						if (copy_file_chunk(src_tar_file, dst_file, size) == FALSE) {
-							error_msg_and_die("Couldnt extract file");
-						}
-						uncompressed_count += out_count;
-						fclose(dst_file);
-						break;
+					switch (untar_function) {
+						case (extract_verbose_extract):
+							printf("%s\n", raw_tar_header.name);
+						case (extract_extract): {
+								FILE *dst_file = wfopen(dir, "w");
+								copy_file_chunk(src_tar_file, dst_file, size);
+								fclose(dst_file);
+							}
+							break;
+						default: {
+								int remaining = size;
+								while (remaining-- > 0) {
+									fgetc(src_tar_file);
+								}
+							}
 					}
+					uncompressed_count += size;
+					break;
 				}
 			case '5':
-				if (untar_function & untar_extract) {
-					if (create_path(dir, mode) != TRUE) {
-						free(dir);
-						perror_msg("%s: Cannot mkdir", raw_tar_header.name); 
-						return(EXIT_FAILURE);
-					}
+				switch (untar_function) {
+					case (extract_verbose_extract):
+						printf("%s\n", raw_tar_header.name);
+					case  (extract_extract):
+						if (create_path(dir, mode) != TRUE) {
+							free(dir);
+							perror_msg("%s: Cannot mkdir", raw_tar_header.name); 
+							return(EXIT_FAILURE);
+						}
+						break;
+					default:
 				}
 				break;
 			case '1':
-				if (untar_function & untar_extract) {
+				if (untar_function & extract_extract) {
 					if (link(raw_tar_header.linkname, raw_tar_header.name) < 0) {
 						free(dir);
 						perror_msg("%s: Cannot create hard link to '%s'", raw_tar_header.name, raw_tar_header.linkname); 
@@ -162,7 +166,7 @@ extern int untar(FILE *src_tar_file, int untar_function, char *base_path)
 				}
 				break;
 			case '2':
-				if (untar_function & untar_extract) {
+				if (untar_function & extract_extract) {
 					if (symlink(raw_tar_header.linkname, raw_tar_header.name) < 0) {
 						free(dir);
 						perror_msg("%s: Cannot create symlink to '%s'", raw_tar_header.name, raw_tar_header.linkname); 
@@ -183,18 +187,5 @@ extern int untar(FILE *src_tar_file, int untar_function, char *base_path)
 		}
 		free(dir);
 	}
-	/* skip to start of next header */
-	while(uncompressed_count < next_header_offset) {
-		char ch[2];
-		if (fread(ch, 1, 1, src_tar_file) != 1) {
-			error_msg("read error\n");
-			getchar();
-		} else {
-			uncompressed_count++;
-		}
-	}
-		/* 
-		 * TODO: Check that gunzip child hasnt finished
-		 */
 	return(EXIT_SUCCESS);
 }