Index: /trunk/ccl/lib/db-io.lisp
===================================================================
--- /trunk/ccl/lib/db-io.lisp	(revision 5854)
+++ /trunk/ccl/lib/db-io.lisp	(revision 5855)
@@ -1435,9 +1435,11 @@
 
 (defun unescape-foreign-name (key)
-  (let* ((string (string key))
+  (let* ((string (if (typep key 'symbol)
+                   (string-downcase key)
+                   (string key)))
 	 (nbrackets (count #\< string)))
     (declare (fixnum nbrackets))
     (if (zerop nbrackets)
-      (string-downcase string)
+      string
       (let* ((len (length string))
 	     (out (make-string (- len (* 2 nbrackets))))