diff --git a/consensus/ethash/api.go b/consensus/ethash/api.go
index 03378bab51..fa60aa1780 100644
--- a/consensus/ethash/api.go
+++ b/consensus/ethash/api.go
@@ -31,27 +31,32 @@ type API struct {
 	ethash *Ethash // Make sure the mode of ethash is normal.
 }
 
-// getWork returns a work package for external miner.
+// GetWork returns a work package for external miner.
 //
 // User can specify a customized extra to replace the extra field
-// in the block header when the given string is not empty.
+// in the block header when the given string pointer is not empty.
 //
 // The work package consists of 3 strings:
 //   result[0] - 32 bytes hex encoded current block header pow-hash
 //   result[1] - 32 bytes hex encoded seed hash used for DAG
 //   result[2] - 32 bytes hex encoded boundary condition ("target"), 2^256/difficulty
-func (api *API) getWork(extra string) ([3]string, error) {
+func (api *API) GetWork(extra *string) ([3]string, error) {
 	if api.ethash.config.PowMode != ModeNormal && api.ethash.config.PowMode != ModeTest {
 		return [3]string{}, errors.New("not supported")
 	}
 
 	var (
-		workCh = make(chan [3]string, 1)
-		errc   = make(chan error, 1)
+		extraData string
+		workCh    = make(chan [3]string, 1)
+		errc      = make(chan error, 1)
 	)
 
+	if extra != nil {
+		extraData = *extra
+	}
+
 	select {
-	case api.ethash.fetchWorkCh <- &sealWork{extra: extra, errc: errc, res: workCh}:
+	case api.ethash.fetchWorkCh <- &sealWork{extra: extraData, errc: errc, res: workCh}:
 	case <-api.ethash.exitCh:
 		return [3]string{}, errEthashStopped
 	}
@@ -64,18 +69,6 @@ func (api *API) getWork(extra string) ([3]string, error) {
 	}
 }
 
-// GetWork returns a default work package for external miner.
-//
-// Note this function is a legacy for backward compatibility.
-func (api *API) GetWork() ([3]string, error) {
-	return api.getWork("")
-}
-
-// GetCustomizedWork returns a customized work package for external miner.
-func (api *API) GetCustomizedWork(extra string) ([3]string, error) {
-	return api.getWork(extra)
-}
-
 // SubmitWork can be used by external miner to submit their POW solution.
 // It returns an indication if the work was accepted.
 // Note either an invalid solution, a stale work a non-existent work will return false.
diff --git a/consensus/ethash/ethash_test.go b/consensus/ethash/ethash_test.go
index 29d0d5853a..fc5aa1a524 100644
--- a/consensus/ethash/ethash_test.go
+++ b/consensus/ethash/ethash_test.go
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ func TestRemoteSealer(t *testing.T) {
 	defer ethash.Close()
 
 	api := &API{ethash}
-	if _, err := api.GetWork(); err != errNoMiningWork {
+	if _, err := api.GetWork(nil); err != errNoMiningWork {
 		t.Error("expect to return an error indicate there is no mining work")
 	}
 	header := &types.Header{Number: big.NewInt(1), Difficulty: big.NewInt(100)}
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ func TestRemoteSealer(t *testing.T) {
 		work [3]string
 		err  error
 	)
-	if work, err = api.GetWork(); err != nil || work[0] != sealhash.Hex() {
+	if work, err = api.GetWork(nil); err != nil || work[0] != sealhash.Hex() {
 		t.Error("expect to return a mining work has same hash")
 	}
 
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ func TestRemoteSealer(t *testing.T) {
 	sealhash = ethash.SealHash(header)
 	ethash.Seal(nil, block, results, nil)
 
-	if work, err = api.GetWork(); err != nil || work[0] != sealhash.Hex() {
+	if work, err = api.GetWork(nil); err != nil || work[0] != sealhash.Hex() {
 		t.Error("expect to return the latest pushed work")
 	}
 }
@@ -144,7 +144,8 @@ func TestCustomizedWork(t *testing.T) {
 	// Get customized mining work.
 	expect := &types.Header{Number: big.NewInt(1), Difficulty: big.NewInt(100), Extra: []byte("extra")}
 	expectSealhash := ethash.SealHash(expect)
-	if work, err := api.GetCustomizedWork("extra"); err != nil || work[0] != expectSealhash.Hex() {
+	extra := "extra"
+	if work, err := api.GetWork(&extra); err != nil || work[0] != expectSealhash.Hex() {
 		t.Errorf("expect to return a customized work, have %s, want %s", work[0], expectSealhash.Hex())
 	}
 
@@ -185,7 +186,7 @@ func TestClosedRemoteSealer(t *testing.T) {
 	ethash.Close()
 
 	api := &API{ethash}
-	if _, err := api.GetWork(); err != errEthashStopped {
+	if _, err := api.GetWork(nil); err != errEthashStopped {
 		t.Error("expect to return an error to indicate ethash is stopped")
 	}