diff --git a/collects/tests/web-server/servlet/web-test.ss b/collects/tests/web-server/servlet/web-test.ss
index 65f9eac2b2..1dac07efac 100644
--- a/collects/tests/web-server/servlet/web-test.ss
+++ b/collects/tests/web-server/servlet/web-test.ss
@@ -1,7 +1,11 @@
 #lang scheme/base
 (require (planet "test.ss" ("schematics" "schemeunit.plt" 2))
+         (planet "util.ss" ("schematics" "schemeunit.plt" 2))
          net/url
          web-server/servlet/web)
+(require/expose web-server/servlet/web
+                (embed-ids))
+
 (provide web-tests)
 
 (define url0 (string->url "http://test.com/servlets/example.ss"))
diff --git a/collects/web-server/scribblings/servlet.scrbl b/collects/web-server/scribblings/servlet.scrbl
index f51887da51..1991d05ce3 100644
--- a/collects/web-server/scribblings/servlet.scrbl
+++ b/collects/web-server/scribblings/servlet.scrbl
@@ -502,12 +502,6 @@ functions of interest for the servlet developer.}
  returns the instance id, continuation id, and nonce.
 }
                   
-@defproc[(embed-ids [ids (list/c number? number? number?)]
-                    [u url?])
-         string?]{
- Creates a @scheme[continuation-url?].
-}
-
 @; ------------------------------------------------------------
 @section[#:tag "helpers.ss"]{Helpers}
 @(require (for-label web-server/servlet/helpers))
diff --git a/collects/web-server/servlet/web.ss b/collects/web-server/servlet/web.ss
index e586235f63..60adeb8e94 100644
--- a/collects/web-server/servlet/web.ss
+++ b/collects/web-server/servlet/web.ss
@@ -1,8 +1,5 @@
-#lang scheme/base
-(require net/url
-         mzlib/list
-         mzlib/plt-match
-         scheme/contract)
+#lang scheme
+(require net/url)
 (require "../managers/manager.ss"
          "../private/util.ss"
          "../private/servlet.ss"
@@ -14,58 +11,30 @@
 
 (provide servlet-prompt)
 
-;; ************************************************************
-;; HELPERS
-(provide/contract
- [continuation-url? (url? . -> . (or/c false/c (list/c number? number? number?)))]
- [embed-ids ((list/c number? number? number?) url? . -> . string?)])
-
 ;; ********************************************************************************
 ;; Parameter Embedding
+(require web-server/private/url-param)
 
 ;; embed-ids: (list number number number) url -> string
-(define embed-ids
-  (match-lambda*
-    [(list (list inst-id k-id salt) in-url)
-     (insert-param
-      in-url
-      (format "~a*~a*~a" inst-id k-id salt))]))
+(define (embed-ids v u)
+  (url->string
+   (insert-param 
+    u "k" (write/string v))))
 
 ;; continuation-url?: url -> (or/c (list number number number) #f)
 ;; determine if this url encodes a continuation and extract the instance id and
 ;; continuation id.
 (define (continuation-url? a-url)
-  (define (match-url-params x) (regexp-match #rx"([^\\*]*)\\*([^\\*]*)\\*([^\\*]*)" x))
-  (let ([k-params (filter match-url-params
-                          (apply append (map path/param-param (url-path a-url))))])
-    (if (empty? k-params)
-        #f
-        (match (match-url-params (first k-params))
-          [(list s instance k-id salt)
-           (let ([instance/n (string->number instance)]
-                 [k-id/n (string->number k-id)]
-                 [salt/n (string->number salt)])
-             (if (and (number? instance/n)
-                      (number? k-id/n)
-                      (number? salt/n))
-                 (list instance/n
-                       k-id/n
-                       salt/n)
-                 #f))]))))
+  (cond 
+    [(extract-param a-url "k")
+     => read/string]
+    [else
+     #f]))
 
-;; insert-param: url string -> string
-;; add a path/param to the path in a url
-;; (assumes that there is only one path/param)
-(define (insert-param in-url new-param-str)
-  (url->string
-   (url-replace-path
-    (lambda (old-path)        
-      (if (empty? old-path)
-          (list (make-path/param "" (list new-param-str)))
-          (list* (make-path/param (path/param-path (first old-path))
-                                  (list new-param-str))
-                 (rest old-path))))
-    in-url)))   
+(provide/contract
+ [continuation-url? (url? . -> . (or/c false/c (list/c number? number? number?)))])
+
+;; ********************************************************************************
 
 (provide/contract
  [current-url-transform (parameter/c url-transform/c)]