diff --git a/dkim/__init__.py b/dkim/__init__.py
index 0762ce7..3533444 100644
--- a/dkim/__init__.py
+++ b/dkim/__init__.py
@@ -25,10 +25,7 @@ import logging
 import re
 import time
 
-from dkim.canonicalization import (
-    Relaxed,
-    Simple,
-    )
+from dkim.canonicalization import algorithms
 from dkim.crypto import (
     DigestTooLargeError,
     parse_pem_private_key,
@@ -234,7 +231,7 @@ def fold(header):
 
 
 def sign(message, selector, domain, privkey, identity=None,
-         canonicalize=(Simple, Simple), include_headers=None, length=False,
+         canonicalize=(b'simple', b'simple'), include_headers=None, length=False,
          logger=None):
     """Sign an RFC822 message and return the DKIM-Signature header line.
 
@@ -261,7 +258,7 @@ def sign(message, selector, domain, privkey, identity=None,
     if identity is not None and not identity.endswith(domain):
         raise ParameterError("identity must end with domain")
 
-    headers = canonicalize[0].canonicalize_headers(headers)
+    headers = algorithms[canonicalize[0]].canonicalize_headers(headers)
 
     if include_headers is None:
         include_headers = [x[0].lower() for x in headers]
@@ -269,7 +266,7 @@ def sign(message, selector, domain, privkey, identity=None,
         include_headers = [x.lower() for x in include_headers]
     sign_headers = [x for x in headers if x[0].lower() in include_headers]
 
-    body = canonicalize[1].canonicalize_body(body)
+    body = algorithms[canonicalize[1]].canonicalize_body(body)
 
     h = hashlib.sha256()
     h.update(body)
@@ -278,7 +275,9 @@ def sign(message, selector, domain, privkey, identity=None,
     sigfields = [x for x in [
         (b'v', b"1"),
         (b'a', b"rsa-sha256"),
-        (b'c', b"/".join((canonicalize[0].name, canonicalize[1].name))),
+        (b'c', b"/".join(
+            (algorithms[canonicalize[0]].name,
+             algorithms[canonicalize[1]].name))),
         (b'd', domain),
         (b'i', identity or b"@"+domain),
         length and (b'l', len(body)),
@@ -291,7 +290,7 @@ def sign(message, selector, domain, privkey, identity=None,
     ] if x]
 
     sig_value = fold(b"; ".join(b"=".join(x) for x in sigfields))
-    dkim_header = canonicalize[0].canonicalize_headers([
+    dkim_header = algorithms[canonicalize[0]].canonicalize_headers([
         [b'DKIM-Signature', b' ' + sig_value]])[0]
     # the dkim sig is hashed with no trailing crlf, even if the
     # canonicalization algorithm would add one.
@@ -356,23 +355,14 @@ def verify(message, logger=None, dnsfunc=dnstxt):
     else:
         can_body = b"simple"
 
-    if can_headers == b"simple":
-        canonicalize_headers = Simple
-    elif can_headers == b"relaxed":
-        canonicalize_headers = Relaxed
-    else:
-        logger.error("unknown header canonicalization (%s)" % can_headers)
-        return False
-
-    headers = canonicalize_headers.canonicalize_headers(headers)
-
-    if can_body == b"simple":
-        body = Simple.canonicalize_body(body)
-    elif can_body == b"relaxed":
-        body = Relaxed.canonicalize_body(body)
-    else:
-        logger.error("unknown body canonicalization (%s)" % can_body)
+    try:
+        header_algorithm = algorithms[can_headers]
+        body_algorithm = algorithms[can_body]
+    except KeyError as e:
+        logger.error("unknown canonicalization algorithm: %s" % e.message)
         return False
+    headers = header_algorithm.canonicalize_headers(headers)
+    body = body_algorithm.canonicalize_body(body)
 
     if sig[b'a'] == b"rsa-sha1":
         hasher = hashlib.sha1
@@ -418,7 +408,7 @@ def verify(message, logger=None, dnsfunc=dnstxt):
     include_headers = re.split(br"\s*:\s*", sig[b'h'])
     h = hasher()
     hash_headers(
-        h, canonicalize_headers, headers, include_headers, sigheaders, sig)
+        h, header_algorithm, headers, include_headers, sigheaders, sig)
     signature = base64.b64decode(re.sub(br"\s+", b"", sig[b'b']))
     try:
         return RSASSA_PKCS1_v1_5_verify(
diff --git a/dkim/canonicalization.py b/dkim/canonicalization.py
index 2cff4c2..ef192c0 100644
--- a/dkim/canonicalization.py
+++ b/dkim/canonicalization.py
@@ -64,3 +64,6 @@ class Relaxed:
         # Ignore all empty lines at the end of the message body.
         removed_trailing_lines = re.sub(b"(\r\n)*$", b"\r\n", compressed_wsp)
         return removed_trailing_lines
+
+
+algorithms = dict((c.name, c) for c in (Simple, Relaxed))