Index: translate/storage/base.py
===================================================================
--- translate/storage/base.py	(revision 8018)
+++ translate/storage/base.py	(working copy)
@@ -301,8 +301,8 @@
         """Build a native unit from a foreign unit, preserving as much  
         information as possible."""
 
-        if type(unit) == cls and hasattr(unit, "copy") and callable(unit.copy):
-            return unit.copy()
+        #if type(unit) == cls and hasattr(unit, "copy") and callable(unit.copy):
+        #    return unit.copy()
         newunit = cls(unit.source)
         newunit.target = unit.target
         newunit.markfuzzy(unit.isfuzzy())
@@ -374,7 +374,7 @@
 
         unit = self.UnitClass(source)
         self.addunit(unit)
-        return unit
+        return self.units[-1]
 
     def findunit(self, source):
         """Finds the unit with the given source string.
Index: translate/storage/cpo.py
===================================================================
--- translate/storage/cpo.py	(revision 8018)
+++ translate/storage/cpo.py	(working copy)
@@ -371,9 +371,18 @@
         gpo.po_message_set_comments(self._gpo_message, "")
 
     def copy(self):
-        newpo = self.__class__()
-        newpo._gpo_message = self._gpo_message
-        return newpo
+        unit = self.buildfromunit(self)
+        #XXX: adding missing data
+        if self.isobsolete():
+            unit.makeobsolete()
+        context = gpo.po_message_msgctxt(self._gpo_message)
+        if context:
+            unit.setcontext(context)
+        comments = self._extract_msgidcomments()
+        if comments:
+            print 'HAS COMMENTS', comments
+            unit.setmsgidcomment(comments)
+        return unit
 
     def merge(self, otherpo, overwrite=False, comments=True, authoritative=False):
         """Merges the otherpo (with the same msgid) into this one.
@@ -476,7 +485,8 @@
 
     def __str__(self):
         pf = pofile()
-        pf.addunit(self)
+        unit = self.copy()
+        pf.addunit(unit)
         return str(pf)
 
     def getlocations(self):
@@ -505,6 +515,11 @@
                 line = -1
             gpo.po_message_add_filepos(self._gpo_message, file, line)
 
+    def setcontext(self, context):
+        """Sets the context message"""
+        #FIXME: not complete
+        gpo.po_message_set_msgctxt(self._gpo_message, context)
+
     def getcontext(self):
         msgctxt = gpo.po_message_msgctxt(self._gpo_message)
         msgidcomment = self._extract_msgidcomments()
@@ -528,8 +543,9 @@
             self._gpo_message_iterator = gpo.po_message_iterator(self._gpo_memory_file, None)
 
     def addunit(self, unit):
-        gpo.po_message_insert(self._gpo_message_iterator, unit._gpo_message)
-        self.units.append(unit)
+        unitcopy = unit.copy()
+        gpo.po_message_insert(self._gpo_message_iterator, unitcopy._gpo_message)
+        self.units.append(unitcopy)
 
     def removeduplicates(self, duplicatestyle="merge"):
         """make sure each msgid is unique ; merge comments etc from duplicates into original"""
@@ -664,21 +680,23 @@
             newunit = pounit(gpo_message=newmessage)
             self.units.append(newunit)
             newmessage = gpo.po_next_message(self._gpo_message_iterator)
-        self._free_iterator()
+        #self._free_iterator()
 
     def __del__(self):
+        #print 'DELL CALLED', id(self)
         # We currently disable this while we still get segmentation faults.
         # Note that this is definitely leaking memory because of this.
-        return
+        #return
         self._free_iterator()
         if self._gpo_memory_file is not None:
             gpo.po_file_free(self._gpo_memory_file)
             self._gpo_memory_file = None
 
     def _free_iterator(self):
+        #print 'ITERATOR CALLED', id(self)
         # We currently disable this while we still get segmentation faults.
         # Note that this is definitely leaking memory because of this.
-        return
+        #return
         if self._gpo_message_iterator is not None:
             gpo.po_message_iterator_free(self._gpo_message_iterator)
             self._gpo_message_iterator = None