diff --git a/build/post-compile.js b/build/post-compile.js
index c93a0773f..544318ea4 100644
--- a/build/post-compile.js
+++ b/build/post-compile.js
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
   /*--------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
 
   /**
-   * Post-process a given minified JavaScript `source`, preparing it for
+   * Post-process a given minified Lo-Dash `source`, preparing it for
    * deployment.
    *
    * @param {String} source The source to process.
diff --git a/build/pre-compile.js b/build/pre-compile.js
index df050921a..bbc57dcf4 100644
--- a/build/pre-compile.js
+++ b/build/pre-compile.js
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@
   /**
    * Pre-process a given Lo-Dash source, preparing it for minification.
    *
-   * @param {String} source The Lo-Dash source to process.
+   * @param {String} source The source to process.
    * @returns {String} Returns the processed source.
    */
   function preprocess(source) {
@@ -218,6 +218,9 @@
     // remove brackets from `_.escape()` in `_.template`
     source = source.replace(/__e *= *_\['escape']/, '__e=_.escape');
 
+    // remove brackets from `collection.indexOf` in `_.contains`
+    source = source.replace("collection['indexOf'](target)", 'collection.indexOf(target)');
+
     // remove brackets from `result[length].value` in `_.sortBy`
     source = source.replace("result[length]['value']", 'result[length].value');
 
diff --git a/lodash.js b/lodash.js
index 9035cc0f1..7c179e282 100644
--- a/lodash.js
+++ b/lodash.js
@@ -514,10 +514,12 @@
     data.firstArg = firstArg;
     data.hasDontEnumBug = hasDontEnumBug;
     data.isKeysFast = isKeysFast;
-    data.noCharByIndex = noCharByIndex;
     data.shadowed = shadowed;
     data.useHas = data.useHas !== false;
 
+    if (!('noCharByIndex' in data)) {
+      data.noCharByIndex = noCharByIndex;
+    }
     if (!data.exit) {
       data.exit = 'if (!' + firstArg + ') return result';
     }
@@ -711,11 +713,21 @@
    *
    * _.contains([1, 2, 3], 3);
    * // => true
+   *
+   * _.contains({ 'name': 'moe', 'age': 40 }, 'moe');
+   * // => true
+   *
+   * _.contains('curly', 'ur');
+   * // => true
    */
   var contains = createIterator({
     'args': 'collection, target',
     'init': 'false',
-    'inLoop': 'if (iteratee[index] === target) return true'
+    'noCharByIndex': false,
+    'beforeLoop': {
+      'array': 'if (toString.call(iteratee) == stringClass) return collection.indexOf(target) > -1'
+    },
+    'inLoop': 'if (iteratee[index] === target) return true',
   });
 
   /**
@@ -2636,6 +2648,9 @@
    *
    * _.isEmpty({});
    * // => true
+   *
+   * _.isEmpty('');
+   * // => true
    */
   var isEmpty = createIterator({
     'args': 'value',
diff --git a/test/test.js b/test/test.js
index 1dd6c3e80..e2f900929 100644
--- a/test/test.js
+++ b/test/test.js
@@ -132,6 +132,23 @@
 
   /*--------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
 
+  QUnit.module('lodash.contains');
+
+  (function() {
+    _.each([
+      { 'kind': 'literal', 'value': 'abc' },
+      { 'kind': 'object', 'value': Object('abc') }
+    ],
+    function(data) {
+      test('should work with a string ' + data.kind + ' for `collection`', function() {
+        equal(_.contains(data.value, 'bc'), true);
+        equal(_.contains(data.value, 'd'), false);
+      });
+    });
+  }());
+
+  /*--------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
+
   QUnit.module('lodash.debounce');
 
   (function() {