diff --git a/java/242-Valid-Anagram.java b/java/242-Valid-Anagram.java
index 83aa38541..a5edb5b04 100644
--- a/java/242-Valid-Anagram.java
+++ b/java/242-Valid-Anagram.java
@@ -1,19 +1,20 @@
 class Solution {
     public boolean isAnagram(String s, String t) {
-        if (s.length() != t.length()) return false;
         
-        int[] countS = new int[26];
-        int[] countT = new int[26];
+        if(s.length() != t.length()) return false;
+        if(s.equals(t)) return true;
         
-        for (int i = 0 ; i < s.length() ; i++) {
-            countS[s.charAt(i) - 'a']++;
-            countT[t.charAt(i) - 'a']++;
-        }
+        Map<Character, Integer> sMap = new HashMap<>();
+        Map<Character, Integer> tMap = new HashMap<>();
         
-        for (int i = 0 ; i < 26 ; i++) {
-            if (countS[i] - countT[i] != 0) return false;
+        for(int i = 0; i < s.length(); i++) {
+            sMap.merge(s.charAt(i), 1, Integer::sum);
+            tMap.merge(t.charAt(i), 1, Integer::sum);
         }
         
+        for(Character c : sMap.keySet()) {
+            if(!sMap.get(c).equals(tMap.get(c))) return false;
+        }
         return true;
     }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}