diff --git a/src/LedgerConsensus.cpp b/src/LedgerConsensus.cpp
index 76f6ff2786..93e9770197 100644
--- a/src/LedgerConsensus.cpp
+++ b/src/LedgerConsensus.cpp
@@ -226,7 +226,7 @@ void LedgerConsensus::takeInitialPosition(Ledger::pointer initialLedger)
 
 	if (mProposing)
 		mOurPosition = boost::make_shared<LedgerProposal>
-			(theConfig.VALIDATION_SEED, initialLedger->getParentHash(), txSet);
+			(mValSeed, initialLedger->getParentHash(), txSet);
 	else
 		mOurPosition = boost::make_shared<LedgerProposal>(initialLedger->getParentHash(), txSet);
 	mapComplete(txSet, initialSet, false);
diff --git a/src/SerializedValidation.cpp b/src/SerializedValidation.cpp
index 7647be4833..7026806395 100644
--- a/src/SerializedValidation.cpp
+++ b/src/SerializedValidation.cpp
@@ -22,7 +22,9 @@ SerializedValidation::SerializedValidation(const uint256& ledgerHash, const Newc
 	: STObject(sValidationFormat), mSignature("Signature"), mTrusted(false)
 {
 	setValueFieldH256(sfLedgerHash, ledgerHash);
-	setValueFieldVL(sfSigningKey, NewcoinAddress::createNodePublic(naSeed).getNodePublic());
+	NewcoinAddress na(NewcoinAddress::createNodePublic(naSeed));
+	if (na.isValid())
+		setValueFieldVL(sfSigningKey, na.getNodePublic());
 	if (!isFull) setFlag(sFullFlag);
 
 	NewcoinAddress::createNodePrivate(naSeed).signNodePrivate(getSigningHash(), mSignature.peekValue());