diff --git a/src/cpp/ripple/SHAMap.h b/src/cpp/ripple/SHAMap.h
index 4adf29b63..30ad9e52d 100644
--- a/src/cpp/ripple/SHAMap.h
+++ b/src/cpp/ripple/SHAMap.h
@@ -37,6 +37,9 @@ private:
 
 	void setHash() const;
 
+protected:
+	SHAMapNode(int depth, const uint256& id, bool) : mNodeID(id), mDepth(depth), mHash(0) { ; }
+
 public:
 
 	static const int rootDepth = 0;
@@ -63,13 +66,14 @@ public:
 
 	bool operator<(const SHAMapNode&) const;
 	bool operator>(const SHAMapNode&) const;
-	bool operator==(const SHAMapNode&) const;
-	bool operator==(const uint256&) const;
-	bool operator!=(const SHAMapNode&) const;
-	bool operator!=(const uint256&) const;
 	bool operator<=(const SHAMapNode&) const;
 	bool operator>=(const SHAMapNode&) const;
 
+	bool operator==(const SHAMapNode& n) const	{ return (mDepth == n.mDepth) && (mNodeID == n.mNodeID); }
+	bool operator==(const uint256& n) const		{ return n == mNodeID; }
+	bool operator!=(const SHAMapNode& n) const	{ return (mDepth != n.mDepth) || (mNodeID != n.mNodeID); }
+	bool operator!=(const uint256& n) const		{ return n != mNodeID; }
+
 	virtual std::string getString() const;
 	void dump() const;
 
diff --git a/src/cpp/ripple/SHAMapNodes.cpp b/src/cpp/ripple/SHAMapNodes.cpp
index f02c2eda0..31dc4441e 100644
--- a/src/cpp/ripple/SHAMapNodes.cpp
+++ b/src/cpp/ripple/SHAMapNodes.cpp
@@ -60,26 +60,6 @@ bool SHAMapNode::operator>=(const SHAMapNode &s) const
 	return mNodeID >= s.mNodeID;
 }
 
-bool SHAMapNode::operator==(const SHAMapNode &s) const
-{
-	return (s.mDepth == mDepth) && (s.mNodeID == mNodeID);
-}
-
-bool SHAMapNode::operator!=(const SHAMapNode &s) const
-{
-	return (s.mDepth != mDepth) || (s.mNodeID != mNodeID);
-}
-
-bool SHAMapNode::operator==(const uint256 &s) const
-{
-	return s == mNodeID;
-}
-
-bool SHAMapNode::operator!=(const uint256 &s) const
-{
-	return s != mNodeID;
-}
-
 bool SMN_j = SHAMapNode::ClassInit();
 
 bool SHAMapNode::ClassInit()
@@ -102,9 +82,10 @@ uint256 SHAMapNode::getNodeID(int depth, const uint256& hash)
 	return hash & smMasks[depth];
 }
 
-SHAMapNode::SHAMapNode(int depth, const uint256 &hash) : mNodeID(getNodeID(depth,hash)), mDepth(depth), mHash(0)
+SHAMapNode::SHAMapNode(int depth, const uint256 &hash) : mNodeID(hash), mDepth(depth), mHash(0)
 { // canonicalize the hash to a node ID for this depth
 	assert((depth >= 0) && (depth < 65));
+	mNodeID &= smMasks[depth];
 }
 
 SHAMapNode::SHAMapNode(const void *ptr, int len) : mHash(0)
@@ -136,10 +117,9 @@ SHAMapNode SHAMapNode::getChildNodeID(int m) const
 	assert((m >= 0) && (m < 16));
 
 	uint256 child(mNodeID);
+	child.begin()[mDepth/2] |= (mDepth & 1) ? m : (m << 4);
 
-	child.begin()[mDepth/2] |= (mDepth & 1) ? m : m << 4;
-
-	return SHAMapNode(mDepth + 1, child);
+	return SHAMapNode(mDepth + 1, child, true);
 }
 
 int SHAMapNode::selectBranch(const uint256& hash) const