diff --git a/common/append_merkle/src/merkle_tree.rs b/common/append_merkle/src/merkle_tree.rs
index d14cd91..678657c 100644
--- a/common/append_merkle/src/merkle_tree.rs
+++ b/common/append_merkle/src/merkle_tree.rs
@@ -67,11 +67,7 @@ impl From<OptionalHash> for Option<H256> {
 
 impl AsRef<[u8]> for OptionalHash {
     fn as_ref(&self) -> &[u8] {
-        static ZERO_BYTES: [u8; 32] = [0u8; 32];
-        match &self.0 {
-            Some(hash) => hash.as_ref(),
-            None => &ZERO_BYTES, // Return reference to static zeros for null hash
-        }
+        self.0.as_ref().unwrap().as_ref()
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/node/storage/src/log_store/tx_store.rs b/node/storage/src/log_store/tx_store.rs
index 5db4cab..dbfc919 100644
--- a/node/storage/src/log_store/tx_store.rs
+++ b/node/storage/src/log_store/tx_store.rs
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+
 use crate::error::Error;
 use crate::log_store::log_manager::{
     data_to_merkle_leaves, sub_merkle_tree, COL_BLOCK_PROGRESS, COL_MISC, COL_TX, COL_TX_COMPLETED,
@@ -6,7 +7,7 @@ use crate::log_store::log_manager::{
 use crate::log_store::metrics;
 use crate::{try_option, LogManager, ZgsKeyValueDB};
 use anyhow::{anyhow, Result};
-use append_merkle::{AppendMerkleTree, OptionalHash, Sha3Algorithm};
+use append_merkle::{MerkleTreeRead, AppendMerkleTree, OptionalHash, Sha3Algorithm};
 use ethereum_types::H256;
 use merkle_light::merkle::log2_pow2;
 use shared_types::{DataRoot, Transaction};