diff --git a/gramps/gen/db/dictionary.py b/gramps/gen/db/dictionary.py
index 76b2015c3..463d53dcc 100644
--- a/gramps/gen/db/dictionary.py
+++ b/gramps/gen/db/dictionary.py
@@ -991,3 +991,33 @@ class DictionaryDb(DbWriteBase, DbReadBase):
         Get the transaction class associated with this database backend.
         """
         return DictionaryTxn
+
+    def get_from_name_and_handle(self, table_name, handle):
+        """
+        Returns a gen.lib object (or None) given table_name and
+        handle.
+
+        Examples:
+
+        >>> self.get_from_name_and_handle("Person", "a7ad62365bc652387008")
+        >>> self.get_from_name_and_handle("Media", "c3434653675bcd736f23")
+        """
+        if table_name in self._tables:
+            return self._tables[table_name]["handle_func"](handle)
+        return None
+
+    def get_from_name_and_gramps_id(self, table_name, gramps_id):
+        """
+        Returns a gen.lib object (or None) given table_name and
+        Gramps ID.
+
+        Examples:
+
+        >>> self.get_from_name_and_gramps_id("Person", "I00002")
+        >>> self.get_from_name_and_gramps_id("Family", "F056")
+        >>> self.get_from_name_and_gramps_id("Media", "M00012")
+        """
+        if table_name in self._tables:
+            return self._tables[table_name]["gramps_id_func"](gramps_id)
+        return None
+
diff --git a/gramps/gen/lib/test/struct_test.py b/gramps/gen/lib/test/struct_test.py
index bfb837f21..49cc6cf86 100644
--- a/gramps/gen/lib/test/struct_test.py
+++ b/gramps/gen/lib/test/struct_test.py
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ from  .. import (Person, Family, Event, Source, Place, Citation,
                  Repository, MediaObject, Note, Tag)
 from gramps.gen.merge.diff import import_as_dict, from_struct
 from gramps.cli.user import User
+from gramps.gen.merge.diff import *
 
 class BaseCheck:
     def test_from_struct(self):
@@ -98,7 +99,7 @@ def generate_test(obj):
     serialized = obj.__class__.from_struct(struct)
     def test(self):
         self.assertEqual(obj.serialize(), serialized)
-    name = "test_%s_%s" % (obj.__class__.__name__, obj.handle)
+    name = "test_serialize_%s_%s" % (obj.__class__.__name__, obj.handle)
     setattr(DatabaseCheck, name, test)
     ####
     def test2(self):
@@ -112,5 +113,18 @@ for table in db._tables.keys():
         obj = db._tables[table]["handle_func"](handle)
         generate_test(obj)
 
+class StructTest(unittest.TestCase):
+    def test(self):
+        family = db.get_family_from_gramps_id("F0001")
+        s = Struct(family.to_struct(), db)
+        self.assertEqual(s["gramps_id"], "F0001")
+        s["gramps_id"] = "TEST"
+        self.assertEqual(s["gramps_id"], "TEST")
+        self.assertEqual(s["father_handle.primary_name.first_name"], 
+                         "Allen Carl")
+        s["father_handle.primary_name.first_name"] = "Edward"
+        self.assertEqual(s["father_handle.primary_name.first_name"], 
+                         "Edward")
+
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     unittest.main()
diff --git a/gramps/gen/merge/diff.py b/gramps/gen/merge/diff.py
index 608d7d533..b884f85a7 100644
--- a/gramps/gen/merge/diff.py
+++ b/gramps/gen/merge/diff.py
@@ -372,7 +372,7 @@ class Struct(object):
             part = path[p]
             struct = self.getitem(part, struct)
             if isinstance(struct, Struct):
-                return struct.setitem_from_path(path[p+1:], value)
+                return struct.setitem_from_path(path[p+1:] + [item], value)
             if struct is None:
                 return None
         # struct is set