diff --git a/eth/protocol.go b/eth/protocol.go
index 214eed875..a0ab177cd 100644
--- a/eth/protocol.go
+++ b/eth/protocol.go
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ type getBlockHashesMsgData struct {
 type statusMsgData struct {
 	ProtocolVersion uint32
 	NetworkId       uint32
-	TD              big.Int
+	TD              *big.Int
 	CurrentBlock    common.Hash
 	GenesisBlock    common.Hash
 }
@@ -344,7 +344,7 @@ func (self *ethProtocol) handleStatus() error {
 		return self.protoError(ErrProtocolVersionMismatch, "%d (!= %d)", status.ProtocolVersion, self.protocolVersion)
 	}
 
-	_, suspended := self.blockPool.AddPeer(&status.TD, status.CurrentBlock, self.id, self.requestBlockHashes, self.requestBlocks, self.protoErrorDisconnect)
+	_, suspended := self.blockPool.AddPeer(status.TD, status.CurrentBlock, self.id, self.requestBlockHashes, self.requestBlocks, self.protoErrorDisconnect)
 	if suspended {
 		return self.protoError(ErrSuspendedPeer, "")
 	}
@@ -375,7 +375,7 @@ func (self *ethProtocol) sendStatus() error {
 	return p2p.Send(self.rw, StatusMsg, &statusMsgData{
 		ProtocolVersion: uint32(self.protocolVersion),
 		NetworkId:       uint32(self.networkId),
-		TD:              *td,
+		TD:              td,
 		CurrentBlock:    currentBlock,
 		GenesisBlock:    genesisBlock,
 	})
diff --git a/eth/protocol_test.go b/eth/protocol_test.go
index 2228fa0ec..d3466326a 100644
--- a/eth/protocol_test.go
+++ b/eth/protocol_test.go
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ func (self *ethProtocolTester) handshake(t *testing.T, mock bool) {
 	err := p2p.ExpectMsg(self, StatusMsg, &statusMsgData{
 		ProtocolVersion: ProtocolVersion,
 		NetworkId:       NetworkId,
-		TD:              *td,
+		TD:              td,
 		CurrentBlock:    currentBlock,
 		GenesisBlock:    genesis,
 	})
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ func (self *ethProtocolTester) handshake(t *testing.T, mock bool) {
 		t.Fatalf("incorrect outgoing status: %v", err)
 	}
 	if mock {
-		go p2p.Send(self, StatusMsg, &statusMsgData{ProtocolVersion, NetworkId, *td, currentBlock, genesis})
+		go p2p.Send(self, StatusMsg, &statusMsgData{ProtocolVersion, NetworkId, td, currentBlock, genesis})
 	}
 }
 
@@ -201,15 +201,15 @@ func TestStatusMsgErrors(t *testing.T) {
 			wantErrorCode: ErrNoStatusMsg,
 		},
 		{
-			code: StatusMsg, data: statusMsgData{10, NetworkId, *td, currentBlock, genesis},
+			code: StatusMsg, data: statusMsgData{10, NetworkId, td, currentBlock, genesis},
 			wantErrorCode: ErrProtocolVersionMismatch,
 		},
 		{
-			code: StatusMsg, data: statusMsgData{ProtocolVersion, 999, *td, currentBlock, genesis},
+			code: StatusMsg, data: statusMsgData{ProtocolVersion, 999, td, currentBlock, genesis},
 			wantErrorCode: ErrNetworkIdMismatch,
 		},
 		{
-			code: StatusMsg, data: statusMsgData{ProtocolVersion, NetworkId, *td, currentBlock, common.Hash{3}},
+			code: StatusMsg, data: statusMsgData{ProtocolVersion, NetworkId, td, currentBlock, common.Hash{3}},
 			wantErrorCode: ErrGenesisBlockMismatch,
 		},
 	}