diff --git a/swarm/storage/resource_ens.go b/swarm/storage/resource_ens.go
index 0a4500309d..f8f34919a2 100644
--- a/swarm/storage/resource_ens.go
+++ b/swarm/storage/resource_ens.go
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ func NewENSValidator(contractaddress common.Address, backend bind.ContractBacken
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
+	validator.hashlength = len(ens.EnsNode(dbDirName).Bytes())
 	return validator, nil
 }
 
diff --git a/swarm/storage/resource_test.go b/swarm/storage/resource_test.go
index d130709428..205edfe3b6 100644
--- a/swarm/storage/resource_test.go
+++ b/swarm/storage/resource_test.go
@@ -333,6 +333,15 @@ func setupTest(contractbackend bind.ContractBackend, validator ResourceValidator
 		}
 	}
 
+	if validator == nil {
+		// create a new signer, which creates the private key
+		signer, err = newTestSigner()
+		if err != nil {
+			return
+		}
+		validator = NewGenericValidator(testHashFunc, signer.signContent)
+	}
+
 	// temp datadir
 	datadir, err = ioutil.TempDir("", "rh")
 	if err != nil {