diff --git a/src/cpp/ripple/ripple_SHAMap.cpp b/src/cpp/ripple/ripple_SHAMap.cpp
index 6d4e33abd..06b93cd1c 100644
--- a/src/cpp/ripple/ripple_SHAMap.cpp
+++ b/src/cpp/ripple/ripple_SHAMap.cpp
@@ -884,9 +884,10 @@ bool SHAMap::fetchRoot (uint256 const& hash, SHAMapSyncFilter* filter)
             WriteLog (lsTRACE, SHAMap) << "Fetch root SHAMap node " << hash;
     }
 
-    root = fetchNodeExternalNT (SHAMapNode (), hash);
-
-    if (!root)
+    Ledger::pointer newRoot = fetchNodeExternalNT(SHAMapNode(), hash);
+    if (newRoot)
+    	root = newRoot;
+	else
     {
         Blob nodeData;