diff --git a/blockchain/accept.go b/blockchain/accept.go
index cdd7b110c..16e66153b 100644
--- a/blockchain/accept.go
+++ b/blockchain/accept.go
@@ -83,8 +83,7 @@ func (b *BlockChain) maybeAcceptBlock(block *btcutil.Block, flags BehaviorFlags)
 	}
 
 	// Ensure chain matches up to predetermined checkpoints.
-	// It's safe to ignore the error on Sha since it's already cached.
-	blockHash, _ := block.Sha()
+	blockHash := block.Sha()
 	if !b.verifyCheckpoint(blockHeight, blockHash) {
 		str := fmt.Sprintf("block at height %d does not match "+
 			"checkpoint hash", blockHeight)
diff --git a/blockchain/chain.go b/blockchain/chain.go
index 6d1111c42..bfc93472e 100644
--- a/blockchain/chain.go
+++ b/blockchain/chain.go
@@ -239,9 +239,8 @@ func (b *BlockChain) removeOrphanBlock(orphan *orphanBlock) {
 	b.orphanLock.Lock()
 	defer b.orphanLock.Unlock()
 
-	// Remove the orphan block from the orphan pool.  It's safe to ignore
-	// the error on Sha since it's cached.
-	orphanHash, _ := orphan.block.Sha()
+	// Remove the orphan block from the orphan pool.
+	orphanHash := orphan.block.Sha()
 	delete(b.orphans, *orphanHash)
 
 	// Remove the reference from the previous orphan index too.  An indexing
@@ -251,7 +250,7 @@ func (b *BlockChain) removeOrphanBlock(orphan *orphanBlock) {
 	prevHash := &orphan.block.MsgBlock().Header.PrevBlock
 	orphans := b.prevOrphans[*prevHash]
 	for i := 0; i < len(orphans); i++ {
-		hash, _ := orphans[i].block.Sha()
+		hash := orphans[i].block.Sha()
 		if hash.IsEqual(orphanHash) {
 			copy(orphans[i:], orphans[i+1:])
 			orphans[len(orphans)-1] = nil
@@ -296,10 +295,6 @@ func (b *BlockChain) addOrphanBlock(block *btcutil.Block) {
 		b.oldestOrphan = nil
 	}
 
-	// Get the block sha.  It is safe to ignore the error here since any
-	// errors would've been caught prior to calling this function.
-	blockSha, _ := block.Sha()
-
 	// Protect concurrent access.  This is intentionally done here instead
 	// of near the top since removeOrphanBlock does its own locking and
 	// the range iterator is not invalidated by removing map entries.
@@ -313,7 +308,7 @@ func (b *BlockChain) addOrphanBlock(block *btcutil.Block) {
 		block:      block,
 		expiration: expiration,
 	}
-	b.orphans[*blockSha] = oBlock
+	b.orphans[*block.Sha()] = oBlock
 
 	// Add to previous hash lookup index for faster dependency lookups.
 	prevHash := &block.MsgBlock().Header.PrevBlock
@@ -951,8 +946,8 @@ func (b *BlockChain) connectBestChain(node *blockNode, block *btcutil.Block, fla
 		return nil
 	}
 	if fastAdd {
-		bsha, _ := block.Sha()
-		log.Warnf("fastAdd set in the side chain case? %v\n", bsha)
+		log.Warnf("fastAdd set in the side chain case? %v\n",
+			block.Sha())
 	}
 
 	// We're extending (or creating) a side chain which may or may not
diff --git a/blockchain/checkpoints.go b/blockchain/checkpoints.go
index 2794dc75f..fbea66db5 100644
--- a/blockchain/checkpoints.go
+++ b/blockchain/checkpoints.go
@@ -221,13 +221,8 @@ func (b *BlockChain) IsCheckpointCandidate(block *btcutil.Block) (bool, error) {
 		return false, fmt.Errorf("checkpoints are disabled")
 	}
 
-	blockHash, err := block.Sha()
-	if err != nil {
-		return false, err
-	}
-
 	// A checkpoint must be in the main chain.
-	exists, err := b.db.ExistsSha(blockHash)
+	exists, err := b.db.ExistsSha(block.Sha())
 	if err != nil {
 		return false, err
 	}
diff --git a/blockchain/process.go b/blockchain/process.go
index 5b9448429..54fcdbd2e 100644
--- a/blockchain/process.go
+++ b/blockchain/process.go
@@ -85,9 +85,7 @@ func (b *BlockChain) processOrphans(hash *wire.ShaHash, flags BehaviorFlags) err
 			}
 
 			// Remove the orphan from the orphan pool.
-			// It's safe to ignore the error on Sha since the hash
-			// is already cached.
-			orphanHash, _ := orphan.block.Sha()
+			orphanHash := orphan.block.Sha()
 			b.removeOrphanBlock(orphan)
 			i--
 
@@ -118,10 +116,7 @@ func (b *BlockChain) ProcessBlock(block *btcutil.Block, timeSource MedianTimeSou
 	fastAdd := flags&BFFastAdd == BFFastAdd
 	dryRun := flags&BFDryRun == BFDryRun
 
-	blockHash, err := block.Sha()
-	if err != nil {
-		return false, err
-	}
+	blockHash := block.Sha()
 	log.Tracef("Processing block %v", blockHash)
 
 	// The block must not already exist in the main chain or side chains.
diff --git a/blockchain/validate.go b/blockchain/validate.go
index aa4f07963..3572d4aef 100644
--- a/blockchain/validate.go
+++ b/blockchain/validate.go
@@ -328,11 +328,7 @@ func checkProofOfWork(block *btcutil.Block, powLimit *big.Int, flags BehaviorFla
 	// to avoid proof of work checks is set.
 	if flags&BFNoPoWCheck != BFNoPoWCheck {
 		// The block hash must be less than the claimed target.
-		blockHash, err := block.Sha()
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
-		hashNum := ShaHashToBig(blockHash)
+		hashNum := ShaHashToBig(block.Sha())
 		if hashNum.Cmp(target) > 0 {
 			str := fmt.Sprintf("block hash of %064x is higher than "+
 				"expected max of %064x", hashNum, target)
@@ -1002,8 +998,8 @@ func (b *BlockChain) checkConnectBlock(node *blockNode, block *btcutil.Block) er
 // This function is NOT safe for concurrent access.
 func (b *BlockChain) CheckConnectBlock(block *btcutil.Block) error {
 	prevNode := b.bestChain
-	blockSha, _ := block.Sha()
-	newNode := newBlockNode(&block.MsgBlock().Header, blockSha, block.Height())
+	newNode := newBlockNode(&block.MsgBlock().Header, block.Sha(),
+		block.Height())
 	if prevNode != nil {
 		newNode.parent = prevNode
 		newNode.workSum.Add(prevNode.workSum, newNode.workSum)
diff --git a/blockmanager.go b/blockmanager.go
index 1f5250b7f..b8952145c 100644
--- a/blockmanager.go
+++ b/blockmanager.go
@@ -531,7 +531,7 @@ func (b *blockManager) current() bool {
 // handleBlockMsg handles block messages from all peers.
 func (b *blockManager) handleBlockMsg(bmsg *blockMsg) {
 	// If we didn't ask for this block then the peer is misbehaving.
-	blockSha, _ := bmsg.block.Sha()
+	blockSha := bmsg.block.Sha()
 	if _, ok := bmsg.peer.requestedBlocks[*blockSha]; !ok {
 		// The regression test intentionally sends some blocks twice
 		// to test duplicate block insertion fails.  Don't disconnect
@@ -1193,12 +1193,8 @@ func (b *blockManager) handleNotifyMsg(notification *blockchain.Notification) {
 			break
 		}
 
-		// It's ok to ignore the error here since the notification is
-		// coming from the chain code which has already cached the hash.
-		hash, _ := block.Sha()
-
 		// Generate the inventory vector and relay it.
-		iv := wire.NewInvVect(wire.InvTypeBlock, hash)
+		iv := wire.NewInvVect(wire.InvTypeBlock, block.Sha())
 		b.server.RelayInventory(iv, nil)
 
 	// A block has been connected to the main block chain.
diff --git a/chainindexer.go b/chainindexer.go
index 72ae7da22..ada6d0288 100644
--- a/chainindexer.go
+++ b/chainindexer.go
@@ -368,7 +368,7 @@ out:
 	for {
 		select {
 		case nextWrite := <-minHeightWrite:
-			sha, _ := nextWrite.blk.Sha() // Can never fail.
+			sha := nextWrite.blk.Sha()
 			height := nextWrite.blk.Height()
 			err := a.server.db.UpdateAddrIndexForBlock(sha, height,
 				nextWrite.addrIndex)
diff --git a/cmd/addblock/import.go b/cmd/addblock/import.go
index 7512f2473..83fad3013 100644
--- a/cmd/addblock/import.go
+++ b/cmd/addblock/import.go
@@ -99,16 +99,12 @@ func (bi *blockImporter) processBlock(serializedBlock []byte) (bool, error) {
 		return false, err
 	}
 
-	blockSha, err := block.Sha()
-	if err != nil {
-		return false, err
-	}
-
 	// update progress statistics
 	bi.lastBlockTime = block.MsgBlock().Header.Timestamp
 	bi.receivedLogTx += int64(len(block.MsgBlock().Transactions))
 
 	// Skip blocks that already exist.
+	blockSha := block.Sha()
 	exists, err := bi.db.ExistsSha(blockSha)
 	if err != nil {
 		return false, err
diff --git a/cmd/findcheckpoint/findcheckpoint.go b/cmd/findcheckpoint/findcheckpoint.go
index 57d59a746..97a4e3366 100644
--- a/cmd/findcheckpoint/findcheckpoint.go
+++ b/cmd/findcheckpoint/findcheckpoint.go
@@ -95,13 +95,9 @@ func findCandidates(db database.Db, latestHash *wire.ShaHash) ([]*chaincfg.Check
 		// All checks passed, so this node seems like a reasonable
 		// checkpoint candidate.
 		if isCandidate {
-			candidateHash, err := block.Sha()
-			if err != nil {
-				return nil, err
-			}
 			checkpoint := chaincfg.Checkpoint{
 				Height: block.Height(),
-				Hash:   candidateHash,
+				Hash:   block.Sha(),
 			}
 			candidates = append(candidates, &checkpoint)
 		}
diff --git a/cpuminer.go b/cpuminer.go
index 614c59c68..45ce7cfa2 100644
--- a/cpuminer.go
+++ b/cpuminer.go
@@ -148,10 +148,9 @@ func (m *CPUMiner) submitBlock(block *btcutil.Block) bool {
 	}
 
 	// The block was accepted.
-	blockSha, _ := block.Sha()
 	coinbaseTx := block.MsgBlock().Transactions[0].TxOut[0]
 	minrLog.Infof("Block submitted via CPU miner accepted (hash %s, "+
-		"amount %v)", blockSha, btcutil.Amount(coinbaseTx.Value))
+		"amount %v)", block.Sha(), btcutil.Amount(coinbaseTx.Value))
 	return true
 }
 
diff --git a/database/ldb/leveldb.go b/database/ldb/leveldb.go
index 9a10f349a..05ee7cb3f 100644
--- a/database/ldb/leveldb.go
+++ b/database/ldb/leveldb.go
@@ -372,11 +372,7 @@ func (db *LevelDb) InsertBlock(block *btcutil.Block) (height int64, rerr error)
 		}
 	}()
 
-	blocksha, err := block.Sha()
-	if err != nil {
-		log.Warnf("Failed to compute block sha %v", blocksha)
-		return 0, err
-	}
+	blocksha := block.Sha()
 	mblock := block.MsgBlock()
 	rawMsg, err := block.Bytes()
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/database/memdb/memdb.go b/database/memdb/memdb.go
index 9c7ffc7bf..9c2073ece 100644
--- a/database/memdb/memdb.go
+++ b/database/memdb/memdb.go
@@ -537,11 +537,6 @@ func (db *MemDb) InsertBlock(block *btcutil.Block) (int64, error) {
 		return 0, ErrDbClosed
 	}
 
-	blockHash, err := block.Sha()
-	if err != nil {
-		return 0, err
-	}
-
 	// Reject the insert if the previously reference block does not exist
 	// except in the case there are no blocks inserted yet where the first
 	// inserted block is assumed to be a genesis block.
@@ -640,7 +635,7 @@ func (db *MemDb) InsertBlock(block *btcutil.Block) (int64, error) {
 	}
 
 	db.blocks = append(db.blocks, msgBlock)
-	db.blocksBySha[*blockHash] = newHeight
+	db.blocksBySha[*block.Sha()] = newHeight
 
 	// Insert information about eacj transaction and spend all of the
 	// outputs referenced by the inputs to the transactions.
diff --git a/peer.go b/peer.go
index 0f5ccb1ab..0f9e94597 100644
--- a/peer.go
+++ b/peer.go
@@ -822,12 +822,7 @@ func (p *peer) handleBlockMsg(msg *wire.MsgBlock, buf []byte) {
 	block := btcutil.NewBlockFromBlockAndBytes(msg, buf)
 
 	// Add the block to the known inventory for the peer.
-	hash, err := block.Sha()
-	if err != nil {
-		peerLog.Errorf("Unable to get block hash: %v", err)
-		return
-	}
-	iv := wire.NewInvVect(wire.InvTypeBlock, hash)
+	iv := wire.NewInvVect(wire.InvTypeBlock, block.Sha())
 	p.AddKnownInventory(iv)
 
 	// Queue the block up to be handled by the block
diff --git a/rpcserver.go b/rpcserver.go
index 7c9bdd34a..2987b5f83 100644
--- a/rpcserver.go
+++ b/rpcserver.go
@@ -2608,8 +2608,7 @@ func handleGetWorkSubmission(s *rpcServer, hexData string) (interface{}, error)
 	}
 
 	// The block was accepted.
-	blockSha, _ := block.Sha()
-	rpcsLog.Infof("Block submitted via getwork accepted: %s", blockSha)
+	rpcsLog.Infof("Block submitted via getwork accepted: %s", block.Sha())
 	return true, nil
 }
 
@@ -2837,7 +2836,7 @@ func handleSearchRawTransactions(s *rpcServer, cmd interface{}, closeChan <-chan
 
 		var blkHash *wire.ShaHash
 		if blk != nil {
-			blkHash, _ = blk.Sha()
+			blkHash = blk.Sha()
 		}
 
 		rawTxn, err := createTxRawResult(s.server.chainParams,
@@ -2970,10 +2969,7 @@ func handleSubmitBlock(s *rpcServer, cmd interface{}, closeChan <-chan struct{})
 		return fmt.Sprintf("rejected: %s", err.Error()), nil
 	}
 
-	blockSha, err := block.Sha()
-	if err == nil {
-		rpcsLog.Infof("Accepted block %s via submitblock", blockSha)
-	}
+	rpcsLog.Infof("Accepted block %s via submitblock", block.Sha())
 	return nil, nil
 }
 
diff --git a/rpcwebsocket.go b/rpcwebsocket.go
index 6aa79b6cc..2e1c4e4ec 100644
--- a/rpcwebsocket.go
+++ b/rpcwebsocket.go
@@ -406,14 +406,9 @@ func (m *wsNotificationManager) UnregisterBlockUpdates(wsc *wsClient) {
 func (*wsNotificationManager) notifyBlockConnected(clients map[chan struct{}]*wsClient,
 	block *btcutil.Block) {
 
-	hash, err := block.Sha()
-	if err != nil {
-		rpcsLog.Error("Bad block; connected block notification dropped")
-		return
-	}
-
 	// Notify interested websocket clients about the connected block.
-	ntfn := btcjson.NewBlockConnectedNtfn(hash.String(), int32(block.Height()))
+	ntfn := btcjson.NewBlockConnectedNtfn(block.Sha().String(),
+		int32(block.Height()))
 	marshalledJSON, err := btcjson.MarshalCmd(nil, ntfn)
 	if err != nil {
 		rpcsLog.Error("Failed to marshal block connected notification: "+
@@ -435,15 +430,8 @@ func (*wsNotificationManager) notifyBlockDisconnected(clients map[chan struct{}]
 		return
 	}
 
-	hash, err := block.Sha()
-	if err != nil {
-		rpcsLog.Error("Bad block; disconnected block notification " +
-			"dropped")
-		return
-	}
-
 	// Notify interested websocket clients about the disconnected block.
-	ntfn := btcjson.NewBlockDisconnectedNtfn(hash.String(),
+	ntfn := btcjson.NewBlockDisconnectedNtfn(block.Sha().String(),
 		int32(block.Height()))
 	marshalledJSON, err := btcjson.MarshalCmd(nil, ntfn)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -600,10 +588,9 @@ func blockDetails(block *btcutil.Block, txIndex int) *btcjson.BlockDetails {
 	if block == nil {
 		return nil
 	}
-	blockSha, _ := block.Sha() // never errors
 	return &btcjson.BlockDetails{
 		Height: int32(block.Height()),
-		Hash:   blockSha.String(),
+		Hash:   block.Sha().String(),
 		Index:  txIndex,
 		Time:   block.MsgBlock().Header.Timestamp.Unix(),
 	}
@@ -1983,12 +1970,7 @@ fetchRange:
 			default:
 				rescanBlock(wsc, &lookups, blk)
 				lastBlock = blk
-				lastBlockHash, err = blk.Sha()
-				if err != nil {
-					context := "Failed to create block hash"
-					return nil, internalRPCError(err.Error(),
-						context)
-				}
+				lastBlockHash = blk.Sha()
 			}
 
 			// Periodically notify the client of the progress