diff --git a/benedict/dicts/base/base_dict.py b/benedict/dicts/base/base_dict.py
index 917010c..5788b70 100644
--- a/benedict/dicts/base/base_dict.py
+++ b/benedict/dicts/base/base_dict.py
@@ -4,118 +4,128 @@
 class BaseDict(dict):
 
     _dict = None
+    _pointer = False
 
     def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
         if len(args) == 1 and isinstance(args[0], dict):
-            self._dict = args[0]
+            self._dict = args[0].dict() if issubclass(
+                type(args[0]), BaseDict) else args[0]
+            self._pointer = True
             super(BaseDict, self).__init__(self._dict)
             return
         self._dict = None
+        self._pointer = False
         super(BaseDict, self).__init__(*args, **kwargs)
 
-    def _is_pointer(self):
-        return self._dict is not self and self._dict is not None
+    def __bool__(self):
+        if self._pointer:
+            return bool(self._dict)
+        return len(self.keys()) > 0
 
     def __contains__(self, key):
-        if self._is_pointer():
+        if self._pointer:
             return key in self._dict
         return super(BaseDict, self).__contains__(key)
 
     def __delitem__(self, key):
-        if self._is_pointer():
+        if self._pointer:
             del self._dict[key]
             return
         super(BaseDict, self).__delitem__(key)
 
     def __eq__(self, other):
-        if self._is_pointer():
+        if self._pointer:
             return self._dict == other
         return super(BaseDict, self).__eq__(other)
 
     def __getitem__(self, key):
-        if self._is_pointer():
+        if self._pointer:
             return self._dict[key]
         return super(BaseDict, self).__getitem__(key)
 
     def __iter__(self):
-        if self._is_pointer():
+        if self._pointer:
             return iter(self._dict)
         return super(BaseDict, self).__iter__()
 
     def __len__(self):
-        if self._is_pointer():
+        if self._pointer:
             return len(self._dict)
         return super(BaseDict, self).__len__()
 
+    def __nonzero__(self):
+        # python 2
+        return self.__bool__()
+
     def __repr__(self):
-        if self._is_pointer():
+        if self._pointer:
             return repr(self._dict)
         return super(BaseDict, self).__repr__()
 
     def __setitem__(self, key, value):
-        if self._is_pointer():
+        if self._pointer:
             self._dict[key] = value
             return
         super(BaseDict, self).__setitem__(key, value)
 
     def __str__(self):
-        if self._is_pointer():
+        if self._pointer:
             return str(self._dict)
         return super(BaseDict, self).__str__()
 
     def __unicode__(self):
-        if self._is_pointer():
+        if self._pointer:
             return unicode(self._dict)
-        return super(BaseDict, self).__unicode__()
+        return '{}'.format(self)
 
     def clear(self):
-        if self._is_pointer():
+        if self._pointer:
             self._dict.clear()
             return
         super(BaseDict, self).clear()
 
     def copy(self):
-        if self._is_pointer():
+        if self._pointer:
             return self._dict.copy()
         return super(BaseDict, self).copy()
 
     def dict(self):
-        if self._is_pointer():
+        if self._pointer:
             return self._dict
         return self
 
     def get(self, key, default=None):
-        if self._is_pointer():
+        if self._pointer:
             return self._dict.get(key, default)
         return super(BaseDict, self).get(key, default)
 
     def items(self):
-        if self._is_pointer():
+        if self._pointer:
             return self._dict.items()
         return super(BaseDict, self).items()
 
     def keys(self):
-        if self._is_pointer():
+        if self._pointer:
             return self._dict.keys()
         return super(BaseDict, self).keys()
 
     def pop(self, key, *args):
-        if self._is_pointer():
+        if self._pointer:
             return self._dict.pop(key, *args)
         return super(BaseDict, self).pop(key, *args)
 
     def setdefault(self, key, default=None):
-        if self._is_pointer():
+        if self._pointer:
             return self._dict.setdefault(key, default)
         return super(BaseDict, self).setdefault(key, default)
 
     def update(self, other):
-        if self._is_pointer():
+        if self._pointer:
             self._dict.update(other)
             return
         super(BaseDict, self).update(other)
 
     def values(self):
-        if self._is_pointer():
+        if self._pointer:
             return self._dict.values()
         return super(BaseDict, self).values()
diff --git a/tests/dicts/base/test_base_dict.py b/tests/dicts/base/test_base_dict.py
index d571384..c16ec99 100644
--- a/tests/dicts/base/test_base_dict.py
+++ b/tests/dicts/base/test_base_dict.py
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ except ImportError:
     from collections import Iterable
 
 import copy
+import sys
 import unittest
 
 
@@ -185,6 +186,17 @@ class base_dict_test_case(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(str(d), str(b))
         self.assertEqual(b, b.dict())
 
+    @unittest.skipIf(sys.version_info[0] > 2, 'No unicode in Python 3')
+    def test__unicode__(self):
+        d = BaseDict()
+        d['name'] = 'pythòn-bènèdìçt'
+        print(unicode(d))
+
+    @unittest.skipIf(sys.version_info[0] > 2, 'No unicode in Python > 2')
+    def test__unicode__with_pointer(self):
+        d = BaseDict({ 'name': 'pythòn-bènèdìçt' })
+        print(unicode(d))
+
     def test_clear(self):
         d = { 'a':1, 'b':2, 'c':3 }
         b = BaseDict()
@@ -337,14 +349,14 @@ class base_dict_test_case(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(b, b.dict())
 
     def test_setdefault(self):
-        d = { 'a':1, 'b':2, 'c':3 }
-        b = BaseDict(d)
+        b = BaseDict()
+        b['a'] = 1
+        b['b'] = 2
+        b['c'] = 3
         v = b.setdefault('c', 4)
         self.assertEqual(v, 3)
         v = b.setdefault('d', 4)
         self.assertEqual(v, 4)
-        self.assertEqual(d, { 'a':1, 'b':2, 'c':3, 'd':4 })
-        self.assertTrue(b == d)
         self.assertEqual(b, b.dict())
 
     def test_setdefault_with_pointer(self):