diff --git a/bigchaindb/lib.py b/bigchaindb/lib.py
index 5bba9732..b0545d83 100644
--- a/bigchaindb/lib.py
+++ b/bigchaindb/lib.py
@@ -251,7 +251,7 @@ class BigchainDB(object):
             return backend.query.delete_unspent_outputs(
                                         self.connection, *unspent_outputs)
 
-    def get_transaction(self, transaction_id, include_status=False, cls=Transaction):
+    def get_transaction(self, transaction_id, include_status=False):
         transaction = backend.query.get_transaction(self.connection, transaction_id)
 
         if transaction:
@@ -267,7 +267,7 @@ class BigchainDB(object):
 
                 transaction.update({'metadata': metadata})
 
-            transaction = cls.from_dict(transaction)
+            transaction = Transaction.from_dict(transaction)
 
         if include_status:
             return transaction, self.TX_VALID if transaction else None
diff --git a/bigchaindb/upsert_validator/validator_election.py b/bigchaindb/upsert_validator/validator_election.py
index 89ae7bed..3bc77b5f 100644
--- a/bigchaindb/upsert_validator/validator_election.py
+++ b/bigchaindb/upsert_validator/validator_election.py
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ class ValidatorElection(Transaction):
         input_conditions = []
 
         duplicates = any(txn for txn in current_transactions if txn.id == self.id)
-        if bigchain.get_transaction(self.id, cls=ValidatorElection) or duplicates:
+        if bigchain.get_transaction(self.id) or duplicates:
             raise DuplicateTransaction('transaction `{}` already exists'
                                        .format(self.id))