diff --git a/Lib/hmac.py b/Lib/hmac.py
index ed5afc7..88c3fd5 100644
--- a/Lib/hmac.py
+++ b/Lib/hmac.py
@@ -78,6 +78,15 @@
         other.outer = self.outer.copy()
         return other
 
+    def _current(self):
+        """Return a hash object for the current state.
+
+        To be used only internally with digest() and hexdigest().
+        """
+        h = self.outer.copy()
+        h.update(self.inner.digest())
+        return h
+
     def digest(self):
         """Return the hash value of this hashing object.
 
@@ -85,15 +94,14 @@
         not altered in any way by this function; you can continue
         updating the object after calling this function.
         """
-        h = self.outer.copy()
-        h.update(self.inner.digest())
+        h = self._current()
         return h.digest()
 
     def hexdigest(self):
         """Like digest(), but returns a string of hexadecimal digits instead.
         """
-        return "".join([hex(ord(x))[2:].zfill(2)
-                        for x in tuple(self.digest())])
+        h = self._current()
+        return h.hexdigest()
 
 def new(key, msg = None, digestmod = None):
     """Create a new hashing object and return it.
diff --git a/Misc/ACKS b/Misc/ACKS
index d5d7675..b198114 100644
--- a/Misc/ACKS
+++ b/Misc/ACKS
@@ -285,6 +285,7 @@
 Albert Hofkamp
 Jonathan Hogg
 Gerrit Holl
+Shane Holloway
 Rune Holm
 Philip Homburg
 Naofumi Honda
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS b/Misc/NEWS
index 92f81eb..363320b 100644
--- a/Misc/NEWS
+++ b/Misc/NEWS
@@ -103,6 +103,8 @@
 Library
 -------
 
+- Patch #1182394 from Shane Holloway: speed up HMAC.hexdigest.
+
 - Patch #1262036: Prevent TarFiles from being added to themselves under
   certain conditions.