diff --git a/src/SHAMap.cpp b/src/SHAMap.cpp
index 04fee377f8..f234581afd 100644
--- a/src/SHAMap.cpp
+++ b/src/SHAMap.cpp
@@ -124,8 +124,9 @@ SHAMapTreeNode* SHAMap::walkToPointer(const uint256& id)
 	while (!inNode->isLeaf())
 	{
 		int branch = inNode->selectBranch(id);
-		if (inNode->isEmptyBranch(branch)) return NULL;
-		inNode = getNodePointer(inNode->getChildNodeID(branch), inNode->getChildHash(branch));
+		const uint256& nextHash = inNode->getChildHash(branch);
+		if (!nextHash) return NULL;
+		inNode = getNodePointer(inNode->getChildNodeID(branch), nextHash);
 		if (!inNode) throw SHAMapException(MissingNode);
 	}
 	return (inNode->getTag() == id) ? inNode : NULL;
diff --git a/src/SHAMap.h b/src/SHAMap.h
index 992f346470..031ea1609b 100644
--- a/src/SHAMap.h
+++ b/src/SHAMap.h
@@ -179,10 +179,14 @@ public:
 	// inner node functions
 	bool isInnerNode() const { return !mItem; }
 	bool setChildHash(int m, const uint256& hash);
-	const uint256& getChildHash(int m) const;
 	bool isEmptyBranch(int m) const { return !mHashes[m]; }
 	int getBranchCount() const;
 	void makeInner();
+	const uint256& getChildHash(int m) const
+	{
+		assert((m >= 0) && (m < 16) && (mType == tnINNER));
+		return mHashes[m];
+	}
 
 	// item node function
 	bool hasItem() const { return !!mItem; }
diff --git a/src/SHAMapNodes.cpp b/src/SHAMapNodes.cpp
index e791e28e83..17d6206045 100644
--- a/src/SHAMapNodes.cpp
+++ b/src/SHAMapNodes.cpp
@@ -370,9 +370,4 @@ bool SHAMapTreeNode::setChildHash(int m, const uint256 &hash)
 	return updateHash();
 }
 
-const uint256& SHAMapTreeNode::getChildHash(int m) const
-{
-	assert((m >= 0) && (m < 16) && (mType == tnINNER));
-	return mHashes[m];
-}
 // vim:ts=4