--- a/carton.py	Fri Jul 08 08:39:16 2011 -0700
+++ b/carton.py	Fri Jul 08 09:38:15 2011 -0700
@@ -45,8 +45,8 @@
 ENV='''%(ENV)s'''
 
 # packed files
-VIRTUAL_ENV='''%(VIRTUAL_ENV)s'''.decode('base64')
-PACKAGE_SOURCES='''%(PACKAGE_SOURCES)s'''.decode('base64')
+VIRTUAL_ENV='''%(VIRTUAL_ENV)s'''.decode('base64').decode('zlib')
+PACKAGE_SOURCES='''%(PACKAGE_SOURCES)s'''.decode('base64').decode('zlib')
 
 # unpack virtualenv
 tempdir = tempfile.mkdtemp()
@@ -169,9 +169,9 @@
     outfile = options.outfile
     if outfile is None:
         outfile = environment + '.py'
-    variables = {'VIRTUAL_ENV': VIRTUAL_ENV.encode('base64'),
+    variables = {'VIRTUAL_ENV': VIRTUAL_ENV.encode('zlib').encode('base64'),
                  'ENV': environment,
-                 'PACKAGE_SOURCES': source_buffer.getvalue().encode('base64')}
+                 'PACKAGE_SOURCES': source_buffer.getvalue().encode('zlib').encode('base64')}
     f = file(outfile, 'w')
     f.write(template % variables)
     f.close()