diff --git a/README.markdown b/README.markdown
index 4292ed9..ad93391 100644
--- a/README.markdown
+++ b/README.markdown
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ example, to show the last 30 unique entries and ActionStreams items:
 
         <mt:OrderDateHeader>
             <div id="one_day">	
-                <p class="date"><mt:Date utc="1" format="%B %e, %Y"></p>
+                <p class="date"><mt:OrderDate utc="1" format="%B %e, %Y"></p>
         </mt:OrderDateHeader>
 
         <mt:OrderDateFooter>
@@ -190,11 +190,18 @@ if it is the last item for a given day. Requires `order_by` variable set inside
 `mt:OrderItem` tag to be a timestamp formatted `%Y%m%d%H%M%S`.
 
 
+## `mt:OrderDate` ##
+
+A function tag that works like an `mt:Date` tag, for use within `mt:OrderDateHeader`
+and `mt:OrderDateFooter` blocks.
+
+
 # Changes #
 
 ## 1.2 10 May 2011 ##
 
 * Added `mt:OrderDateHeader` and `mt:OrderDateFooter` tags.
+* Added `mt:OrderDate` tag.
 * Added `unique` ordering option.
 
 
diff --git a/plugins/Order/config.yaml b/plugins/Order/config.yaml
index 46181f2..f4da46d 100644
--- a/plugins/Order/config.yaml
+++ b/plugins/Order/config.yaml
@@ -14,3 +14,5 @@ tags:
         OrderFooter: $Order::Order::Plugin::tag_order_footer
         OrderDateHeader: $Order::Order::Plugin::tag_order_date_header
         OrderDateFooter: $Order::Order::Plugin::tag_order_date_footer
+    function:
+        OrderDate: $Core::MT::Template::Context::_hdlr_date
diff --git a/plugins/Order/lib/Order/Plugin.pm b/plugins/Order/lib/Order/Plugin.pm
index eba254b..66623c2 100644
--- a/plugins/Order/lib/Order/Plugin.pm
+++ b/plugins/Order/lib/Order/Plugin.pm
@@ -85,15 +85,17 @@ sub tag_order {
         }
     }
     
-    # Remove nonunique items if specified
-    # Unique if unique order_key+first 18 chars of item
-    # TODO: don't trigger this block if no unique flags set
-    {
+    my $test_unique = 0;
+    for my $obj (@objs) {
+        $test_unique = 1 if $obj->[2];
+    }
+    if ($test_unique) {
+        use Digest::MD5 qw(md5_base64);
         my $j = 0;
         my %used;
         for my $obj (@objs) {
             if ($obj->[2]) {
-                my $hash = $obj->[0].substr($obj->[1],0,18);
+                my $hash = md5_base64($obj->[0].$obj->[1]);
                 splice (@objs, $j, 1) if exists $used{$hash};
                 $used{$hash}++;
             }
@@ -113,12 +115,9 @@ sub tag_order {
         }
     }
 
-    # $objs[x][0] is YYYYMMDDhhmmss
-    # $objs[x][1] is OrderItem content
-    # $objs[x][2] is 0||1
-
     if ($ctx->stash('order_date_header') || $ctx->stash('order_date_footer')) {
         # loop over items in @objs adding headers and footers where necessary
+        my $builder = $ctx->stash('builder');
         my ($yesterday, $tomorrow) = ('00000000')x2;
         my $i = 0;
         for my $o (@objs) {
@@ -133,20 +132,18 @@ sub tag_order {
             }
             my $header = $today ne $yesterday;
             $ctx->{current_timestamp} = $o->[0];
-            # $args->{ts} = $o->[0]; # TROUBLESHOOTING DATE CONTEXT
             my ($h_html, $f_html) = ('')x2;
             if ($header && $ctx->stash('order_date_header')) {
-                my $result = $ctx->stash('builder')->build($ctx, $ctx->stash('order_date_header'), {});
-                return $ctx->error( $ctx->stash('builder')->errstr ) unless defined $result;
+                my $result = $builder->build($ctx, $ctx->stash('order_date_header'), {});
+                return $ctx->error( $builder->errstr ) unless defined $result;
                 $h_html = $result;
             }
             if ($footer && $ctx->stash('order_date_footer')) {
-                my $result = $ctx->stash('builder')->build($ctx, $ctx->stash('order_date_footer'), {});
-                return $ctx->error( $ctx->stash('builder')->errstr ) unless defined $result;
+                my $result = $builder->build($ctx, $ctx->stash('order_date_footer'), {});
+                return $ctx->error( $builder->errstr ) unless defined $result;
                 $f_html = $result;
             }
             $objs[$i][1] = $h_html.$o->[1].$f_html;        
-MT::log("(".$h_html.") BODY (".$f_html.")");
             $yesterday = $today;
             $i++;
         }
@@ -212,4 +209,4 @@ sub tag_order_item {
         
 }
 
-1;
\ No newline at end of file
+1;