diff --git a/include/etl/map.h b/include/etl/map.h
index 785e566f..e5529ce3 100644
--- a/include/etl/map.h
+++ b/include/etl/map.h
@@ -474,26 +474,18 @@ namespace etl
     typedef const value_type*              const_pointer;
     typedef size_t                         size_type;
 
-    //*************************************************************************
-    /// How to compare two key elements.
-    //*************************************************************************
-    struct key_comp
+    class value_compare
     {
-      bool operator ()(const key_type& key1, const key_type& key2) const
-      {
-        return compare(key1, key2);
-      }
-    };
+    public:
 
-    //*************************************************************************
-    /// How to compare two value elements.
-    //*************************************************************************
-    struct value_comp
-    {
-      bool operator ()(const value_type& value1, const value_type& value2) const
+      bool operator()(const value_type& lhs, const value_type& rhs) const
       {
-        return compare(value1.first, value2.first);
+        return (kcompare(lhs.first, rhs.first));
       }
+
+    private:
+
+      key_compare kcompare;
     };
 
   protected:
@@ -524,15 +516,15 @@ namespace etl
     //*************************************************************************
     bool node_comp(const Data_Node& node1, const Data_Node& node2) const
     {
-      return compare(node1.value.first, node2.value.first);
+      return kcompare(node1.value.first, node2.value.first);
     }
     bool node_comp(const Data_Node& node, key_parameter_t key) const
     {
-      return compare(node.value.first, key);
+      return kcompare(node.value.first, key);
     }
     bool node_comp(key_parameter_t key, const Data_Node& node) const
     {
-      return compare(key, node.value.first);
+      return kcompare(key, node.value.first);
     }
 
   private:
@@ -540,7 +532,8 @@ namespace etl
     /// The pool of data nodes used in the map.
     ipool* p_node_pool;
 
-    key_compare compare;
+    key_compare   kcompare;
+    value_compare vcompare;
 
     //*************************************************************************
     /// Downcast a Node* to a Data_Node*
@@ -1236,6 +1229,22 @@ namespace etl
       return *this;
     }
 
+    //*************************************************************************
+    /// How to compare two key elements.
+    //*************************************************************************
+    key_compare key_comp() const
+    {
+      return kcompare;
+    };
+
+    //*************************************************************************
+    /// How to compare two value elements.
+    //*************************************************************************
+    value_compare value_comp() const
+    {
+      return vcompare;
+    };
+
   protected:
 
     //*************************************************************************
diff --git a/include/etl/multimap.h b/include/etl/multimap.h
index 8f151884..a50f0aa3 100644
--- a/include/etl/multimap.h
+++ b/include/etl/multimap.h
@@ -631,26 +631,18 @@ namespace etl
     typedef const value_type*              const_pointer;
     typedef size_t                         size_type;
 
-    //*************************************************************************
-    /// How to compare two key elements.
-    //*************************************************************************
-    struct key_comp
+    class value_compare
     {
-      bool operator ()(const key_type& key1, const key_type& key2) const
-      {
-        return compare(key1, key2);
-      }
-    };
+    public:
 
-    //*************************************************************************
-    /// How to compare two value elements.
-    //*************************************************************************
-    struct value_comp
-    {
-      bool operator ()(const value_type& value1, const value_type& value2) const
+      bool operator()(const value_type& lhs, const value_type& rhs) const
       {
-        return compare(value1.first, value2.first);
+        return (kcompare(lhs.first, rhs.first));
       }
+
+    private:
+
+      key_compare kcompare;
     };
 
   protected:
@@ -676,17 +668,17 @@ namespace etl
     //*************************************************************************
     bool node_comp(const Data_Node& node1, const Data_Node& node2) const
     {
-      return compare(node1.value.first, node2.value.first);
+      return kcompare(node1.value.first, node2.value.first);
     }
 
     bool node_comp(const Data_Node& node, key_parameter_t key) const
     {
-      return compare(node.value.first, key);
+      return kcompare(node.value.first, key);
     }
 
     bool node_comp(key_parameter_t key, const Data_Node& node) const
     {
-      return compare(key, node.value.first);
+      return kcompare(key, node.value.first);
     }
 
   private:
@@ -694,7 +686,8 @@ namespace etl
     /// The pool of data nodes used in the multimap.
     ipool* p_node_pool;
 
-    key_compare compare;
+    key_compare   kcompare;
+    value_compare vcompare;
 
     //*************************************************************************
     /// Downcast a Node* to a Data_Node*
@@ -1330,6 +1323,22 @@ namespace etl
       return *this;
     }
 
+    //*************************************************************************
+    /// How to compare two key elements.
+    //*************************************************************************
+    key_compare key_comp() const
+    {
+      return kcompare;
+    };
+
+    //*************************************************************************
+    /// How to compare two value elements.
+    //*************************************************************************
+    value_compare value_comp() const
+    {
+      return vcompare;
+    };
+
   protected:
 
     //*************************************************************************
diff --git a/include/etl/multiset.h b/include/etl/multiset.h
index 8f78dc7f..cf79c76e 100644
--- a/include/etl/multiset.h
+++ b/include/etl/multiset.h
@@ -629,28 +629,6 @@ namespace etl
     typedef value_type*                    const_pointer;
     typedef size_t                         size_type;
 
-    //*************************************************************************
-    /// How to compare two key elements.
-    //*************************************************************************
-    struct key_comp
-    {
-      bool operator ()(key_type& key1, key_type& key2) const
-      {
-        return compare(key1, key2);
-      }
-    };
-
-    //*************************************************************************
-    /// How to compare two value elements.
-    //*************************************************************************
-    struct value_comp
-    {
-      bool operator ()(value_type& value1, value_type& value2) const
-      {
-        return compare(value1, value2);
-      }
-    };
-
   protected:
 
     //*************************************************************************
@@ -1311,6 +1289,22 @@ namespace etl
       return *this;
     }
 
+    //*************************************************************************
+    /// How to compare two key elements.
+    //*************************************************************************
+    key_compare key_comp() const
+    {
+      return compare;
+    };
+
+    //*************************************************************************
+    /// How to compare two value elements.
+    //*************************************************************************
+    value_compare value_comp() const
+    {
+      return compare;
+    };
+
   protected:
 
     //*************************************************************************
diff --git a/include/etl/set.h b/include/etl/set.h
index 9736b005..26a172ce 100644
--- a/include/etl/set.h
+++ b/include/etl/set.h
@@ -467,28 +467,6 @@ namespace etl
     typedef value_type* const_pointer;
     typedef size_t      size_type;
 
-    //*************************************************************************
-    /// How to compare two key elements.
-    //*************************************************************************
-    struct key_comp
-    {
-      bool operator ()(key_type& key1, key_type& key2) const
-      {
-        return compare(key1, key2);
-      }
-    };
-
-    //*************************************************************************
-    /// How to compare two value elements.
-    //*************************************************************************
-    struct value_comp
-    {
-      bool operator ()(value_type& value1, value_type& value2) const
-      {
-        return compare(value1, value2);
-      }
-    };
-
   protected:
 
     //*************************************************************************
@@ -1159,6 +1137,22 @@ namespace etl
       return const_iterator(*this, find_upper_node(root_node, key));
     }
 
+    //*************************************************************************
+    /// How to compare two key elements.
+    //*************************************************************************
+    key_compare key_comp() const
+    {
+      return compare;
+    };
+
+    //*************************************************************************
+    /// How to compare two value elements.
+    //*************************************************************************
+    value_compare value_comp() const
+    {
+      return compare;
+    };
+
   protected:
 
     //*************************************************************************
diff --git a/test/test_map.cpp b/test/test_map.cpp
index c1cdedec..686089e1 100644
--- a/test/test_map.cpp
+++ b/test/test_map.cpp
@@ -1055,5 +1055,42 @@ namespace
 #endif
     }
 
+    //*************************************************************************
+    TEST_FIXTURE(SetupFixture, test_key_compare)
+    {
+      const Data data(initial_data.begin(), initial_data.end());
+
+      Data::key_compare compare = data.key_comp();
+
+      Data::key_type a("A");
+      Data::key_type b("B");
+
+#ifdef TEST_GREATER_THAN
+      CHECK(!compare(a, b));
+      CHECK(compare(b, a));
+#else
+      CHECK(compare(a, b));
+      CHECK(!compare(b, a));
+#endif
+    }
+
+    //*************************************************************************
+    TEST_FIXTURE(SetupFixture, test_value_compare)
+    {
+      const Data data(initial_data.begin(), initial_data.end());
+
+      Data::value_compare compare = data.value_comp();
+
+      Data::value_type a(std::string("A"), 0);
+      Data::value_type b(std::string("B"), 1);
+
+#ifdef TEST_GREATER_THAN
+      CHECK(!compare(a, b));
+      CHECK(compare(b, a));
+#else
+      CHECK(compare(a, b));
+      CHECK(!compare(b, a));
+#endif
+    }
   };
 }
diff --git a/test/test_multimap.cpp b/test/test_multimap.cpp
index 018ff277..c221a34d 100644
--- a/test/test_multimap.cpp
+++ b/test/test_multimap.cpp
@@ -1010,5 +1010,42 @@ namespace
 #endif
     }
 
+    //*************************************************************************
+    TEST_FIXTURE(SetupFixture, test_key_compare)
+    {
+      const Data data(initial_data.begin(), initial_data.end());
+
+      Data::key_compare compare = data.key_comp();
+
+      Data::key_type a("A");
+      Data::key_type b("B");
+
+#ifdef TEST_GREATER_THAN
+      CHECK(!compare(a, b));
+      CHECK(compare(b, a));
+#else
+      CHECK(compare(a, b));
+      CHECK(!compare(b, a));
+#endif
+    }
+
+    //*************************************************************************
+    TEST_FIXTURE(SetupFixture, test_value_compare)
+    {
+      const Data data(initial_data.begin(), initial_data.end());
+
+      Data::value_compare compare = data.value_comp();
+
+      Data::value_type a(std::string("A"), 0);
+      Data::value_type b(std::string("B"), 1);
+
+#ifdef TEST_GREATER_THAN
+      CHECK(!compare(a, b));
+      CHECK(compare(b, a));
+#else
+      CHECK(compare(a, b));
+      CHECK(!compare(b, a));
+#endif
+    }
   };
 }
diff --git a/test/test_multiset.cpp b/test/test_multiset.cpp
index 14982819..28397153 100644
--- a/test/test_multiset.cpp
+++ b/test/test_multiset.cpp
@@ -968,5 +968,42 @@ namespace
 #endif
     }
 
+    //*************************************************************************
+    TEST_FIXTURE(SetupFixture, test_key_compare)
+    {
+      const Data data(initial_data.begin(), initial_data.end());
+
+      Data::key_compare compare = data.key_comp();
+
+      Data::key_type a(1);
+      Data::key_type b(2);
+
+#ifdef TEST_GREATER_THAN
+      CHECK(!compare(a, b));
+      CHECK(compare(b, a));
+#else
+      CHECK(compare(a, b));
+      CHECK(!compare(b, a));
+#endif
+    }
+
+    //*************************************************************************
+    TEST_FIXTURE(SetupFixture, test_value_compare)
+    {
+      const Data data(initial_data.begin(), initial_data.end());
+
+      Data::value_compare compare = data.value_comp();
+
+      Data::value_type a(1);
+      Data::value_type b(2);
+
+#ifdef TEST_GREATER_THAN
+      CHECK(!compare(a, b));
+      CHECK(compare(b, a));
+#else
+      CHECK(compare(a, b));
+      CHECK(!compare(b, a));
+#endif
+    }
   };
 }
diff --git a/test/test_set.cpp b/test/test_set.cpp
index 57bfc7ea..7892c8b5 100644
--- a/test/test_set.cpp
+++ b/test/test_set.cpp
@@ -945,5 +945,42 @@ namespace
 #endif
     }
 
+    //*************************************************************************
+    TEST_FIXTURE(SetupFixture, test_key_compare)
+    {
+      const Data data(initial_data.begin(), initial_data.end());
+
+      Data::key_compare compare = data.key_comp();
+
+      Data::key_type a(1);
+      Data::key_type b(2);
+
+#ifdef TEST_GREATER_THAN
+      CHECK(!compare(a, b));
+      CHECK(compare(b, a));
+#else
+      CHECK(compare(a, b));
+      CHECK(!compare(b, a));
+#endif
+    }
+
+    //*************************************************************************
+    TEST_FIXTURE(SetupFixture, test_value_compare)
+    {
+      const Data data(initial_data.begin(), initial_data.end());
+
+      Data::value_compare compare = data.value_comp();
+
+      Data::value_type a(1);
+      Data::value_type b(2);
+
+#ifdef TEST_GREATER_THAN
+      CHECK(!compare(a, b));
+      CHECK(compare(b, a));
+#else
+      CHECK(compare(a, b));
+      CHECK(!compare(b, a));
+#endif
+    }
   };
 }