diff --git a/esutil/numpy_util.py b/esutil/numpy_util.py
index e5e3cbf..56c8ec1 100644
--- a/esutil/numpy_util.py
+++ b/esutil/numpy_util.py
@@ -1507,7 +1507,7 @@ def rem_dup(arr, flag, values=False):
         return s
 
 
-def match(arr1input, arr2input, presorted=False):
+def match(arr1input, arr2input, presorted=False, isunique=False):
     """
     Match two arrays, returning the indicies of matches for each array, or
     empty arrays if no matches are found.  This means arr1[ind1] == arr2[ind2]
@@ -1529,6 +1529,8 @@ def match(arr1input, arr2input, presorted=False):
         The second array.
     presorted: bool, optional
         If set to True, the first array is assumed to be sorted.
+    isunique: bool, optional
+        Input array is guaranteed to be unique (skip test).
 
     Returns
     -------
@@ -1544,21 +1546,15 @@ def match(arr1input, arr2input, presorted=False):
     arr1 = np.atleast_1d(arr1input)
     arr2 = np.atleast_1d(arr2input)
 
-    el = arr1[0]
-
-    if isinstance(el, str) or isinstance(el, bytes):
-        is_string = True
-    else:
-        is_string = False
-
     if (arr1.size == 0) or (arr2.size == 0):
         mess = "Error: arr1 and arr2 must each be non-zero length"
         raise ValueError(mess)
 
-    # make sure that arr1 has unique values...
-    test = np.unique(arr1)
-    if test.size != arr1.size:
-        raise ValueError("Error: the arr1input must be unique")
+    if not isunique:
+        # make sure that arr1 has unique values...
+        test = np.unique(arr1)
+        if test.size != arr1.size:
+            raise ValueError("Error: the arr1input must be unique")
 
     # sort arr1 if not presorted
     if not presorted:
@@ -1566,13 +1562,9 @@ def match(arr1input, arr2input, presorted=False):
     else:
         st1 = None
 
-    # search the sorted array
-    sub1 = np.searchsorted(arr1, arr2, sorter=st1)
-
-    # check for out-of-bounds at the high end if necessary
-    if is_string or arr2.max() > arr1.max():
-        (bad,) = np.where(sub1 == arr1.size)
-        sub1[bad] = arr1.size - 1
+    # search the sorted array;
+    # clip to bounds.
+    sub1 = np.clip(np.searchsorted(arr1, arr2, sorter=st1), 0, arr1.size - 1)
 
     if not presorted:
         (sub2,) = np.where(arr1[st1[sub1]] == arr2)