diff --git a/lib/mongo/collection.rb b/lib/mongo/collection.rb
index 259a486..5dd542c 100644
--- a/lib/mongo/collection.rb
+++ b/lib/mongo/collection.rb
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ module Mongo
       @cache_time = @db.cache_time
       @cache = Hash.new(0)
       unless pk_factory
-        @safe       = options.has_key?(:safe) ? options[:safe] : @db.safe
+        @safe = options.fetch(:safe, @db.safe)
       end
       @pk_factory = pk_factory || options[:pk] || BSON::ObjectId
       @hint = nil
@@ -274,7 +274,7 @@ module Mongo
     def insert(doc_or_docs, options={})
       doc_or_docs = [doc_or_docs] unless doc_or_docs.is_a?(Array)
       doc_or_docs.collect! { |doc| @pk_factory.create_pk(doc) }
-      safe = options.has_key?(:safe) ? options[:safe] : @safe
+      safe = options.fetch(:safe, @safe)
       result = insert_documents(doc_or_docs, @name, true, safe)
       result.size > 1 ? result : result.first
     end
@@ -310,7 +310,7 @@ module Mongo
     # @core remove remove-instance_method
     def remove(selector={}, opts={})
       # Initial byte is 0.
-      safe = opts.has_key?(:safe) ? opts[:safe] : @safe
+      safe = opts.fetch(:safe, @safe)
       message = BSON::ByteBuffer.new("\0\0\0\0")
       BSON::BSON_RUBY.serialize_cstr(message, "#{@db.name}.#{@name}")
       message.put_int(0)
diff --git a/lib/mongo/cursor.rb b/lib/mongo/cursor.rb
index 786cec9..620dab8 100644
--- a/lib/mongo/cursor.rb
+++ b/lib/mongo/cursor.rb
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ module Mongo
       @order      = options[:order]
       @hint       = options[:hint]
       @snapshot   = options[:snapshot]
-      @timeout    = options.has_key?(:timeout) ? options[:timeout] : true
+      @timeout    = options.fetch(:timeout, true)
       @explain    = options[:explain]
       @socket     = options[:socket]
       @tailable   = options[:tailable] || false
diff --git a/lib/mongo/db.rb b/lib/mongo/db.rb
index 341b5e2..4e8bc4b 100644
--- a/lib/mongo/db.rb
+++ b/lib/mongo/db.rb
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ module Mongo
       @connection = connection
       @strict     = options[:strict]
       @pk_factory = options[:pk]
-      @safe       = options.has_key?(:safe) ? options[:safe] : @connection.safe
+      @safe       = options.fetch(:safe, @connection.safe)
       @cache_time = options[:cache_time] || 300 #5 minutes.
     end
 
@@ -276,7 +276,7 @@ module Mongo
       if strict? && !collection_names.include?(name)
         raise Mongo::MongoDBError, "Collection #{name} doesn't exist. Currently in strict mode."
       else
-        options[:safe] = options.has_key?(:safe) ? options[:safe] : @safe
+        options[:safe] = options.fetch(:safe, @safe)
         options.merge!(:pk => @pk_factory) unless options[:pk]
         Collection.new(self, name, options)
       end