diff --git a/src/cpp/ripple/SHAMap.h b/src/cpp/ripple/SHAMap.h
index a03eb76bd..fb5fbc155 100644
--- a/src/cpp/ripple/SHAMap.h
+++ b/src/cpp/ripple/SHAMap.h
@@ -204,9 +204,9 @@ public:
 	bool isAccountState() const	{ return mType == tnACCOUNT_STATE; }
 
 	// inner node functions
-	bool isInnerNode() const { return !mItem; }
+	bool isInnerNode() const	{ return !mItem; }
 	bool setChildHash(int m, const uint256& hash);
-	bool isEmptyBranch(int m) const { return !mHashes[m]; }
+	bool isEmptyBranch(int m) const { return mHashes[m].isZero(); }
 	bool isEmpty() const;
 	int getBranchCount() const;
 	void makeInner();
diff --git a/src/cpp/ripple/uint256.h b/src/cpp/ripple/uint256.h
index 2937be12a..872fce531 100644
--- a/src/cpp/ripple/uint256.h
+++ b/src/cpp/ripple/uint256.h
@@ -298,22 +298,22 @@ public:
 
 	unsigned char* begin()
 	{
-		return (unsigned char*) &pn[0];
+		return reinterpret_cast<unsigned char*>(pn);
 	}
 
 	unsigned char* end()
 	{
-		return (unsigned char*) &pn[WIDTH];
+		return reinterpret_cast<unsigned char*>(pn + WIDTH);
 	}
 
 	const unsigned char* begin() const
 	{
-		return (const unsigned char*) &pn[0];
+		return reinterpret_cast<const unsigned char*>(pn);
 	}
 
 	const unsigned char* end() const
 	{
-		return (unsigned char*) &pn[WIDTH];
+		return reinterpret_cast<const unsigned char*>(pn + WIDTH);
 	}
 
 	unsigned int size() const