diff --git a/PlotSquared/src/com/intellectualcrafters/plot/AbstractFlag.java b/PlotSquared/src/com/intellectualcrafters/plot/AbstractFlag.java
index 747322e33..096e85e84 100644
--- a/PlotSquared/src/com/intellectualcrafters/plot/AbstractFlag.java
+++ b/PlotSquared/src/com/intellectualcrafters/plot/AbstractFlag.java
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 package com.intellectualcrafters.plot;
 
+import org.apache.commons.lang.StringUtils;
+
 /**
  * Created by Citymonstret on 2014-09-23.
  */
@@ -8,7 +10,11 @@ public class AbstractFlag {
     private final String key;
 
     public AbstractFlag(String key) {
-        this.key = key;
+        if (!StringUtils.isAlpha(key))
+            throw new IllegalArgumentException("Flag must be alphabetic characters");
+        if (key.length()>16)
+            throw new IllegalArgumentException("Key must be <= 16 characters");
+        this.key = key.toLowerCase();
     }
 
     public String getKey() {
diff --git a/PlotSquared/src/com/intellectualcrafters/plot/Flag.java b/PlotSquared/src/com/intellectualcrafters/plot/Flag.java
index 53d32bdc1..ade3b0b0d 100644
--- a/PlotSquared/src/com/intellectualcrafters/plot/Flag.java
+++ b/PlotSquared/src/com/intellectualcrafters/plot/Flag.java
@@ -7,10 +7,8 @@ public class Flag {
     private AbstractFlag key;
     private String value;
     public Flag(AbstractFlag key, String value) {
-        if (!StringUtils.isAlphanumeric(ChatColor.stripColor(value).replace(" ", "")))
+        if (!StringUtils.isAlphanumericSpace(ChatColor.stripColor(value)))
             throw new IllegalArgumentException("Flag must be alphanumerical");
-        /*if (key.length()>16)
-            throw new IllegalArgumentException("Key must be <= 16 characters");*/
         if (value.length()>48)
             throw new IllegalArgumentException("Value must be <= 48 characters");
         this.key = key;
@@ -39,7 +37,7 @@ public class Flag {
         if (getClass() != obj.getClass())
             return false;
         Flag other = (Flag) obj;
-        return (this.key==other.key && this.value == other.value);
+        return (this.key.getKey().equals(other.key.getKey()) && this.value.equals(other.value));
     }
     @Override
     public int hashCode() {
diff --git a/PlotSquared/src/com/intellectualcrafters/plot/commands/Set.java b/PlotSquared/src/com/intellectualcrafters/plot/commands/Set.java
index 682c707ea..f1f937832 100644
--- a/PlotSquared/src/com/intellectualcrafters/plot/commands/Set.java
+++ b/PlotSquared/src/com/intellectualcrafters/plot/commands/Set.java
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ public class Set extends SubCommand{
             }
             try {
                 String value = StringUtils.join(Arrays.copyOfRange(args, 2, args.length)," ");
-                Flag flag = new Flag(args[1], value);
+                Flag flag = new Flag(new AbstractFlag(args[1]), value);
                 PlotFlagAddEvent event = new PlotFlagAddEvent(flag,plot);
                 Bukkit.getServer().getPluginManager().callEvent(event);
                 if(event.isCancelled()) {