diff --git a/accounts/abi/bind/backends/simulated.go b/accounts/abi/bind/backends/simulated.go
index 0621e81c2b..26849d2ff0 100644
--- a/accounts/abi/bind/backends/simulated.go
+++ b/accounts/abi/bind/backends/simulated.go
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ type SimulatedBackend struct {
 // NewSimulatedBackend creates a new binding backend using a simulated blockchain
 // for testing purposes.
 func NewSimulatedBackend(alloc core.GenesisAlloc) *SimulatedBackend {
-	database, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	database := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 	genesis := core.Genesis{Config: params.AllProtocolChanges, Alloc: alloc}
 	genesis.MustCommit(database)
 	blockchain, _ := core.NewBlockChain(database, genesis.Config, ethash.NewFaker(), vm.Config{})
diff --git a/cmd/evm/runner.go b/cmd/evm/runner.go
index 96de0c76ac..375dab3153 100644
--- a/cmd/evm/runner.go
+++ b/cmd/evm/runner.go
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ func runCmd(ctx *cli.Context) error {
 		_, statedb = gen.ToBlock()
 		chainConfig = gen.Config
 	} else {
-		db, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+		db := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 		statedb, _ = state.New(common.Hash{}, state.NewDatabase(db))
 	}
 	if ctx.GlobalString(SenderFlag.Name) != "" {
diff --git a/consensus/clique/snapshot_test.go b/consensus/clique/snapshot_test.go
index a1717d799f..148f866b76 100644
--- a/consensus/clique/snapshot_test.go
+++ b/consensus/clique/snapshot_test.go
@@ -351,7 +351,7 @@ func TestVoting(t *testing.T) {
 			copy(genesis.ExtraData[extraVanity+j*common.AddressLength:], signer[:])
 		}
 		// Create a pristine blockchain with the genesis injected
-		db, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+		db := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 		genesis.Commit(db)
 
 		// Assemble a chain of headers from the cast votes
diff --git a/core/bench_test.go b/core/bench_test.go
index ab25c27d39..c0e7ab853f 100644
--- a/core/bench_test.go
+++ b/core/bench_test.go
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ func benchInsertChain(b *testing.B, disk bool, gen func(int, *BlockGen)) {
 	// Create the database in memory or in a temporary directory.
 	var db ethdb.Database
 	if !disk {
-		db, _ = ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+		db = ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 	} else {
 		dir, err := ioutil.TempDir("", "eth-core-bench")
 		if err != nil {
diff --git a/core/block_validator_test.go b/core/block_validator_test.go
index 6d54c2b932..e6e62806f0 100644
--- a/core/block_validator_test.go
+++ b/core/block_validator_test.go
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ import (
 func TestHeaderVerification(t *testing.T) {
 	// Create a simple chain to verify
 	var (
-		testdb, _ = ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+		testdb    = ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 		gspec     = &Genesis{Config: params.TestChainConfig}
 		genesis   = gspec.MustCommit(testdb)
 		blocks, _ = GenerateChain(params.TestChainConfig, genesis, testdb, 8, nil)
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ func TestHeaderConcurrentVerification32(t *testing.T) { testHeaderConcurrentVeri
 func testHeaderConcurrentVerification(t *testing.T, threads int) {
 	// Create a simple chain to verify
 	var (
-		testdb, _ = ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+		testdb    = ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 		gspec     = &Genesis{Config: params.TestChainConfig}
 		genesis   = gspec.MustCommit(testdb)
 		blocks, _ = GenerateChain(params.TestChainConfig, genesis, testdb, 8, nil)
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ func TestHeaderConcurrentAbortion32(t *testing.T) { testHeaderConcurrentAbortion
 func testHeaderConcurrentAbortion(t *testing.T, threads int) {
 	// Create a simple chain to verify
 	var (
-		testdb, _ = ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+		testdb    = ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 		gspec     = &Genesis{Config: params.TestChainConfig}
 		genesis   = gspec.MustCommit(testdb)
 		blocks, _ = GenerateChain(params.TestChainConfig, genesis, testdb, 1024, nil)
diff --git a/core/blockchain_test.go b/core/blockchain_test.go
index cb1df8d4b0..765cd30d87 100644
--- a/core/blockchain_test.go
+++ b/core/blockchain_test.go
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ import (
 
 // newTestBlockChain creates a blockchain without validation.
 func newTestBlockChain(fake bool) *BlockChain {
-	db, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	db := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 	gspec := &Genesis{
 		Config:     params.TestChainConfig,
 		Difficulty: big.NewInt(1),
@@ -577,11 +577,11 @@ func testInsertNonceError(t *testing.T, full bool) {
 func TestFastVsFullChains(t *testing.T) {
 	// Configure and generate a sample block chain
 	var (
-		gendb, _ = ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
-		key, _   = crypto.HexToECDSA("b71c71a67e1177ad4e901695e1b4b9ee17ae16c6668d313eac2f96dbcda3f291")
-		address  = crypto.PubkeyToAddress(key.PublicKey)
-		funds    = big.NewInt(1000000000)
-		gspec    = &Genesis{
+		gendb   = ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+		key, _  = crypto.HexToECDSA("b71c71a67e1177ad4e901695e1b4b9ee17ae16c6668d313eac2f96dbcda3f291")
+		address = crypto.PubkeyToAddress(key.PublicKey)
+		funds   = big.NewInt(1000000000)
+		gspec   = &Genesis{
 			Config: params.TestChainConfig,
 			Alloc:  GenesisAlloc{address: {Balance: funds}},
 		}
@@ -607,7 +607,7 @@ func TestFastVsFullChains(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	})
 	// Import the chain as an archive node for the comparison baseline
-	archiveDb, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	archiveDb := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 	gspec.MustCommit(archiveDb)
 	archive, _ := NewBlockChain(archiveDb, gspec.Config, ethash.NewFaker(), vm.Config{})
 	defer archive.Stop()
@@ -616,7 +616,7 @@ func TestFastVsFullChains(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("failed to process block %d: %v", n, err)
 	}
 	// Fast import the chain as a non-archive node to test
-	fastDb, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	fastDb := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 	gspec.MustCommit(fastDb)
 	fast, _ := NewBlockChain(fastDb, gspec.Config, ethash.NewFaker(), vm.Config{})
 	defer fast.Stop()
@@ -665,12 +665,12 @@ func TestFastVsFullChains(t *testing.T) {
 func TestLightVsFastVsFullChainHeads(t *testing.T) {
 	// Configure and generate a sample block chain
 	var (
-		gendb, _ = ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
-		key, _   = crypto.HexToECDSA("b71c71a67e1177ad4e901695e1b4b9ee17ae16c6668d313eac2f96dbcda3f291")
-		address  = crypto.PubkeyToAddress(key.PublicKey)
-		funds    = big.NewInt(1000000000)
-		gspec    = &Genesis{Config: params.TestChainConfig, Alloc: GenesisAlloc{address: {Balance: funds}}}
-		genesis  = gspec.MustCommit(gendb)
+		gendb   = ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+		key, _  = crypto.HexToECDSA("b71c71a67e1177ad4e901695e1b4b9ee17ae16c6668d313eac2f96dbcda3f291")
+		address = crypto.PubkeyToAddress(key.PublicKey)
+		funds   = big.NewInt(1000000000)
+		gspec   = &Genesis{Config: params.TestChainConfig, Alloc: GenesisAlloc{address: {Balance: funds}}}
+		genesis = gspec.MustCommit(gendb)
 	)
 	height := uint64(1024)
 	blocks, receipts := GenerateChain(gspec.Config, genesis, gendb, int(height), nil)
@@ -693,7 +693,7 @@ func TestLightVsFastVsFullChainHeads(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	}
 	// Import the chain as an archive node and ensure all pointers are updated
-	archiveDb, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	archiveDb := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 	gspec.MustCommit(archiveDb)
 
 	archive, _ := NewBlockChain(archiveDb, gspec.Config, ethash.NewFaker(), vm.Config{})
@@ -707,7 +707,7 @@ func TestLightVsFastVsFullChainHeads(t *testing.T) {
 	assert(t, "archive", archive, height/2, height/2, height/2)
 
 	// Import the chain as a non-archive node and ensure all pointers are updated
-	fastDb, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	fastDb := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 	gspec.MustCommit(fastDb)
 	fast, _ := NewBlockChain(fastDb, gspec.Config, ethash.NewFaker(), vm.Config{})
 	defer fast.Stop()
@@ -727,7 +727,7 @@ func TestLightVsFastVsFullChainHeads(t *testing.T) {
 	assert(t, "fast", fast, height/2, height/2, 0)
 
 	// Import the chain as a light node and ensure all pointers are updated
-	lightDb, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	lightDb := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 	gspec.MustCommit(lightDb)
 
 	light, _ := NewBlockChain(lightDb, gspec.Config, ethash.NewFaker(), vm.Config{})
@@ -750,7 +750,7 @@ func TestChainTxReorgs(t *testing.T) {
 		addr1   = crypto.PubkeyToAddress(key1.PublicKey)
 		addr2   = crypto.PubkeyToAddress(key2.PublicKey)
 		addr3   = crypto.PubkeyToAddress(key3.PublicKey)
-		db, _   = ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+		db      = ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 		gspec   = &Genesis{
 			Config:   params.TestChainConfig,
 			GasLimit: 3141592,
@@ -862,7 +862,7 @@ func TestLogReorgs(t *testing.T) {
 	var (
 		key1, _ = crypto.HexToECDSA("b71c71a67e1177ad4e901695e1b4b9ee17ae16c6668d313eac2f96dbcda3f291")
 		addr1   = crypto.PubkeyToAddress(key1.PublicKey)
-		db, _   = ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+		db      = ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 		// this code generates a log
 		code    = common.Hex2Bytes("60606040525b7f24ec1d3ff24c2f6ff210738839dbc339cd45a5294d85c79361016243157aae7b60405180905060405180910390a15b600a8060416000396000f360606040526008565b00")
 		gspec   = &Genesis{Config: params.TestChainConfig, Alloc: GenesisAlloc{addr1: {Balance: big.NewInt(10000000000000)}}}
@@ -906,7 +906,7 @@ func TestLogReorgs(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestReorgSideEvent(t *testing.T) {
 	var (
-		db, _   = ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+		db      = ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 		key1, _ = crypto.HexToECDSA("b71c71a67e1177ad4e901695e1b4b9ee17ae16c6668d313eac2f96dbcda3f291")
 		addr1   = crypto.PubkeyToAddress(key1.PublicKey)
 		gspec   = &Genesis{
@@ -1031,7 +1031,7 @@ func TestCanonicalBlockRetrieval(t *testing.T) {
 func TestEIP155Transition(t *testing.T) {
 	// Configure and generate a sample block chain
 	var (
-		db, _      = ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+		db         = ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 		key, _     = crypto.HexToECDSA("b71c71a67e1177ad4e901695e1b4b9ee17ae16c6668d313eac2f96dbcda3f291")
 		address    = crypto.PubkeyToAddress(key.PublicKey)
 		funds      = big.NewInt(1000000000)
@@ -1135,7 +1135,7 @@ func TestEIP155Transition(t *testing.T) {
 func TestEIP161AccountRemoval(t *testing.T) {
 	// Configure and generate a sample block chain
 	var (
-		db, _   = ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+		db      = ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 		key, _  = crypto.HexToECDSA("b71c71a67e1177ad4e901695e1b4b9ee17ae16c6668d313eac2f96dbcda3f291")
 		address = crypto.PubkeyToAddress(key.PublicKey)
 		funds   = big.NewInt(1000000000)
diff --git a/core/chain_indexer_test.go b/core/chain_indexer_test.go
index b761e8a5b2..be40307bc3 100644
--- a/core/chain_indexer_test.go
+++ b/core/chain_indexer_test.go
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ func TestChainIndexerWithChildren(t *testing.T) {
 // multiple backends. The section size and required confirmation count parameters
 // are randomized.
 func testChainIndexer(t *testing.T, count int) {
-	db, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	db := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 	defer db.Close()
 
 	// Create a chain of indexers and ensure they all report empty
diff --git a/core/chain_makers.go b/core/chain_makers.go
index dd3e2fb192..81b4d2f117 100644
--- a/core/chain_makers.go
+++ b/core/chain_makers.go
@@ -232,7 +232,7 @@ func makeHeader(config *params.ChainConfig, parent *types.Block, state *state.St
 func newCanonical(n int, full bool) (ethdb.Database, *BlockChain, error) {
 	// Initialize a fresh chain with only a genesis block
 	gspec := new(Genesis)
-	db, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	db := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 	genesis := gspec.MustCommit(db)
 
 	blockchain, _ := NewBlockChain(db, params.AllProtocolChanges, ethash.NewFaker(), vm.Config{})
diff --git a/core/chain_makers_test.go b/core/chain_makers_test.go
index 2260c62fbd..455155abd1 100644
--- a/core/chain_makers_test.go
+++ b/core/chain_makers_test.go
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ func ExampleGenerateChain() {
 		addr1   = crypto.PubkeyToAddress(key1.PublicKey)
 		addr2   = crypto.PubkeyToAddress(key2.PublicKey)
 		addr3   = crypto.PubkeyToAddress(key3.PublicKey)
-		db, _   = ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+		db      = ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 	)
 
 	// Ensure that key1 has some funds in the genesis block.
diff --git a/core/dao_test.go b/core/dao_test.go
index b9898ff7c8..a3f3dd865f 100644
--- a/core/dao_test.go
+++ b/core/dao_test.go
@@ -32,13 +32,13 @@ func TestDAOForkRangeExtradata(t *testing.T) {
 	forkBlock := big.NewInt(32)
 
 	// Generate a common prefix for both pro-forkers and non-forkers
-	db, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	db := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 	gspec := new(Genesis)
 	genesis := gspec.MustCommit(db)
 	prefix, _ := GenerateChain(params.TestChainConfig, genesis, db, int(forkBlock.Int64()-1), func(i int, gen *BlockGen) {})
 
 	// Create the concurrent, conflicting two nodes
-	proDb, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	proDb := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 	gspec.MustCommit(proDb)
 
 	proConf := *params.TestChainConfig
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ func TestDAOForkRangeExtradata(t *testing.T) {
 	proBc, _ := NewBlockChain(proDb, &proConf, ethash.NewFaker(), vm.Config{})
 	defer proBc.Stop()
 
-	conDb, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	conDb := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 	gspec.MustCommit(conDb)
 
 	conConf := *params.TestChainConfig
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ func TestDAOForkRangeExtradata(t *testing.T) {
 	// Try to expand both pro-fork and non-fork chains iteratively with other camp's blocks
 	for i := int64(0); i < params.DAOForkExtraRange.Int64(); i++ {
 		// Create a pro-fork block, and try to feed into the no-fork chain
-		db, _ = ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+		db = ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 		gspec.MustCommit(db)
 		bc, _ := NewBlockChain(db, &conConf, ethash.NewFaker(), vm.Config{})
 		defer bc.Stop()
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ func TestDAOForkRangeExtradata(t *testing.T) {
 			t.Fatalf("contra-fork chain didn't accepted no-fork block: %v", err)
 		}
 		// Create a no-fork block, and try to feed into the pro-fork chain
-		db, _ = ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+		db = ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 		gspec.MustCommit(db)
 		bc, _ = NewBlockChain(db, &proConf, ethash.NewFaker(), vm.Config{})
 		defer bc.Stop()
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ func TestDAOForkRangeExtradata(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	}
 	// Verify that contra-forkers accept pro-fork extra-datas after forking finishes
-	db, _ = ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	db = ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 	gspec.MustCommit(db)
 	bc, _ := NewBlockChain(db, &conConf, ethash.NewFaker(), vm.Config{})
 	defer bc.Stop()
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ func TestDAOForkRangeExtradata(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("contra-fork chain didn't accept pro-fork block post-fork: %v", err)
 	}
 	// Verify that pro-forkers accept contra-fork extra-datas after forking finishes
-	db, _ = ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	db = ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 	gspec.MustCommit(db)
 	bc, _ = NewBlockChain(db, &proConf, ethash.NewFaker(), vm.Config{})
 	defer bc.Stop()
diff --git a/core/database_util_test.go b/core/database_util_test.go
index 36f43cf50a..9a69a7f748 100644
--- a/core/database_util_test.go
+++ b/core/database_util_test.go
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ import (
 
 // Tests block header storage and retrieval operations.
 func TestHeaderStorage(t *testing.T) {
-	db, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	db := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 
 	// Create a test header to move around the database and make sure it's really new
 	header := &types.Header{Number: big.NewInt(42), Extra: []byte("test header")}
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ func TestHeaderStorage(t *testing.T) {
 
 // Tests block body storage and retrieval operations.
 func TestBodyStorage(t *testing.T) {
-	db, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	db := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 
 	// Create a test body to move around the database and make sure it's really new
 	body := &types.Body{Uncles: []*types.Header{{Extra: []byte("test header")}}}
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ func TestBodyStorage(t *testing.T) {
 
 // Tests block storage and retrieval operations.
 func TestBlockStorage(t *testing.T) {
-	db, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	db := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 
 	// Create a test block to move around the database and make sure it's really new
 	block := types.NewBlockWithHeader(&types.Header{
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ func TestBlockStorage(t *testing.T) {
 
 // Tests that partial block contents don't get reassembled into full blocks.
 func TestPartialBlockStorage(t *testing.T) {
-	db, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	db := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 	block := types.NewBlockWithHeader(&types.Header{
 		Extra:       []byte("test block"),
 		UncleHash:   types.EmptyUncleHash,
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ func TestPartialBlockStorage(t *testing.T) {
 
 // Tests block total difficulty storage and retrieval operations.
 func TestTdStorage(t *testing.T) {
-	db, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	db := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 
 	// Create a test TD to move around the database and make sure it's really new
 	hash, td := common.Hash{}, big.NewInt(314)
@@ -223,7 +223,7 @@ func TestTdStorage(t *testing.T) {
 
 // Tests that canonical numbers can be mapped to hashes and retrieved.
 func TestCanonicalMappingStorage(t *testing.T) {
-	db, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	db := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 
 	// Create a test canonical number and assinged hash to move around
 	hash, number := common.Hash{0: 0xff}, uint64(314)
@@ -248,7 +248,7 @@ func TestCanonicalMappingStorage(t *testing.T) {
 
 // Tests that head headers and head blocks can be assigned, individually.
 func TestHeadStorage(t *testing.T) {
-	db, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	db := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 
 	blockHead := types.NewBlockWithHeader(&types.Header{Extra: []byte("test block header")})
 	blockFull := types.NewBlockWithHeader(&types.Header{Extra: []byte("test block full")})
@@ -288,7 +288,7 @@ func TestHeadStorage(t *testing.T) {
 
 // Tests that positional lookup metadata can be stored and retrieved.
 func TestLookupStorage(t *testing.T) {
-	db, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	db := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 
 	tx1 := types.NewTransaction(1, common.BytesToAddress([]byte{0x11}), big.NewInt(111), big.NewInt(1111), big.NewInt(11111), []byte{0x11, 0x11, 0x11})
 	tx2 := types.NewTransaction(2, common.BytesToAddress([]byte{0x22}), big.NewInt(222), big.NewInt(2222), big.NewInt(22222), []byte{0x22, 0x22, 0x22})
@@ -333,7 +333,7 @@ func TestLookupStorage(t *testing.T) {
 
 // Tests that receipts associated with a single block can be stored and retrieved.
 func TestBlockReceiptStorage(t *testing.T) {
-	db, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	db := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 
 	receipt1 := &types.Receipt{
 		Status:            types.ReceiptStatusFailed,
diff --git a/core/genesis.go b/core/genesis.go
index fd6ed61159..e9a1ec36bb 100644
--- a/core/genesis.go
+++ b/core/genesis.go
@@ -222,7 +222,7 @@ func (g *Genesis) configOrDefault(ghash common.Hash) *params.ChainConfig {
 
 // ToBlock creates the block and state of a genesis specification.
 func (g *Genesis) ToBlock() (*types.Block, *state.StateDB) {
-	db, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	db := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 	statedb, _ := state.New(common.Hash{}, state.NewDatabase(db))
 	for addr, account := range g.Alloc {
 		statedb.AddBalance(addr, account.Balance)
diff --git a/core/genesis_test.go b/core/genesis_test.go
index 482f861904..fd8764ca41 100644
--- a/core/genesis_test.go
+++ b/core/genesis_test.go
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ func TestSetupGenesis(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	for _, test := range tests {
-		db, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+		db := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 		config, hash, err := test.fn(db)
 		// Check the return values.
 		if !reflect.DeepEqual(err, test.wantErr) {
diff --git a/core/helper_test.go b/core/helper_test.go
index 698a2924cb..edb8cc0c52 100644
--- a/core/helper_test.go
+++ b/core/helper_test.go
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ package core
 
 import (
 	"container/list"
-	"fmt"
 
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core/types"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/ethdb"
@@ -77,15 +76,9 @@ func (tm *TestManager) Db() ethdb.Database {
 }
 
 func NewTestManager() *TestManager {
-	db, err := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
-	if err != nil {
-		fmt.Println("Could not create mem-db, failing")
-		return nil
-	}
-
 	testManager := &TestManager{}
 	testManager.eventMux = new(event.TypeMux)
-	testManager.db = db
+	testManager.db = ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 	// testManager.txPool = NewTxPool(testManager)
 	// testManager.blockChain = NewBlockChain(testManager)
 	// testManager.stateManager = NewStateManager(testManager)
diff --git a/core/state/managed_state_test.go b/core/state/managed_state_test.go
index 1cfdd3a890..ebe796bc01 100644
--- a/core/state/managed_state_test.go
+++ b/core/state/managed_state_test.go
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ import (
 var addr = common.BytesToAddress([]byte("test"))
 
 func create() (*ManagedState, *account) {
-	db, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	db := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 	statedb, _ := New(common.Hash{}, NewDatabase(db))
 	ms := ManageState(statedb)
 	ms.StateDB.SetNonce(addr, 100)
diff --git a/core/state/state_test.go b/core/state/state_test.go
index bbae3685bb..c363b34fc3 100644
--- a/core/state/state_test.go
+++ b/core/state/state_test.go
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ func (s *StateSuite) TestDump(c *checker.C) {
 }
 
 func (s *StateSuite) SetUpTest(c *checker.C) {
-	s.db, _ = ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	s.db = ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 	s.state, _ = New(common.Hash{}, NewDatabase(s.db))
 }
 
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ func (s *StateSuite) TestSnapshotEmpty(c *checker.C) {
 // use testing instead of checker because checker does not support
 // printing/logging in tests (-check.vv does not work)
 func TestSnapshot2(t *testing.T) {
-	db, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	db := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 	state, _ := New(common.Hash{}, NewDatabase(db))
 
 	stateobjaddr0 := toAddr([]byte("so0"))
diff --git a/core/state/statedb_test.go b/core/state/statedb_test.go
index b2bd18e65e..1bd4d587e4 100644
--- a/core/state/statedb_test.go
+++ b/core/state/statedb_test.go
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ import (
 // actually committing the state.
 func TestUpdateLeaks(t *testing.T) {
 	// Create an empty state database
-	db, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	db := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 	state, _ := New(common.Hash{}, NewDatabase(db))
 
 	// Update it with some accounts
@@ -66,8 +66,8 @@ func TestUpdateLeaks(t *testing.T) {
 // only the one right before the commit.
 func TestIntermediateLeaks(t *testing.T) {
 	// Create two state databases, one transitioning to the final state, the other final from the beginning
-	transDb, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
-	finalDb, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	transDb := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	finalDb := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 	transState, _ := New(common.Hash{}, NewDatabase(transDb))
 	finalState, _ := New(common.Hash{}, NewDatabase(finalDb))
 
@@ -283,7 +283,7 @@ func (test *snapshotTest) String() string {
 func (test *snapshotTest) run() bool {
 	// Run all actions and create snapshots.
 	var (
-		db, _        = ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+		db           = ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 		state, _     = New(common.Hash{}, NewDatabase(db))
 		snapshotRevs = make([]int, len(test.snapshots))
 		sindex       = 0
diff --git a/core/state/sync_test.go b/core/state/sync_test.go
index 06c572ea62..3be8384a08 100644
--- a/core/state/sync_test.go
+++ b/core/state/sync_test.go
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ type testAccount struct {
 // makeTestState create a sample test state to test node-wise reconstruction.
 func makeTestState() (Database, *ethdb.MemDatabase, common.Hash, []*testAccount) {
 	// Create an empty state
-	mem, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	mem := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 	db := NewDatabase(mem)
 	state, _ := New(common.Hash{}, db)
 
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ func checkStateConsistency(db ethdb.Database, root common.Hash) error {
 // Tests that an empty state is not scheduled for syncing.
 func TestEmptyStateSync(t *testing.T) {
 	empty := common.HexToHash("56e81f171bcc55a6ff8345e692c0f86e5b48e01b996cadc001622fb5e363b421")
-	db, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	db := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 	if req := NewStateSync(empty, db).Missing(1); len(req) != 0 {
 		t.Errorf("content requested for empty state: %v", req)
 	}
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ func testIterativeStateSync(t *testing.T, batch int) {
 	_, srcMem, srcRoot, srcAccounts := makeTestState()
 
 	// Create a destination state and sync with the scheduler
-	dstDb, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	dstDb := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 	sched := NewStateSync(srcRoot, dstDb)
 
 	queue := append([]common.Hash{}, sched.Missing(batch)...)
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ func TestIterativeDelayedStateSync(t *testing.T) {
 	_, srcMem, srcRoot, srcAccounts := makeTestState()
 
 	// Create a destination state and sync with the scheduler
-	dstDb, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	dstDb := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 	sched := NewStateSync(srcRoot, dstDb)
 
 	queue := append([]common.Hash{}, sched.Missing(0)...)
@@ -210,7 +210,7 @@ func testIterativeRandomStateSync(t *testing.T, batch int) {
 	_, srcMem, srcRoot, srcAccounts := makeTestState()
 
 	// Create a destination state and sync with the scheduler
-	dstDb, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	dstDb := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 	sched := NewStateSync(srcRoot, dstDb)
 
 	queue := make(map[common.Hash]struct{})
@@ -250,7 +250,7 @@ func TestIterativeRandomDelayedStateSync(t *testing.T) {
 	_, srcMem, srcRoot, srcAccounts := makeTestState()
 
 	// Create a destination state and sync with the scheduler
-	dstDb, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	dstDb := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 	sched := NewStateSync(srcRoot, dstDb)
 
 	queue := make(map[common.Hash]struct{})
@@ -297,7 +297,7 @@ func TestIncompleteStateSync(t *testing.T) {
 	checkTrieConsistency(srcMem, srcRoot)
 
 	// Create a destination state and sync with the scheduler
-	dstDb, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	dstDb := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 	sched := NewStateSync(srcRoot, dstDb)
 
 	added := []common.Hash{}
diff --git a/core/tx_pool_test.go b/core/tx_pool_test.go
index 17d7368774..4674cefe9a 100644
--- a/core/tx_pool_test.go
+++ b/core/tx_pool_test.go
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ func pricedTransaction(nonce uint64, gaslimit, gasprice *big.Int, key *ecdsa.Pri
 }
 
 func setupTxPool() (*TxPool, *ecdsa.PrivateKey) {
-	db, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	db := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 	statedb, _ := state.New(common.Hash{}, state.NewDatabase(db))
 	blockchain := &testBlockChain{statedb, big.NewInt(1000000), new(event.Feed)}
 
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ func (c *testChain) State() (*state.StateDB, error) {
 	// a state change between those fetches.
 	stdb := c.statedb
 	if *c.trigger {
-		db, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+		db := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 		c.statedb, _ = state.New(common.Hash{}, state.NewDatabase(db))
 		// simulate that the new head block included tx0 and tx1
 		c.statedb.SetNonce(c.address, 2)
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ func (c *testChain) State() (*state.StateDB, error) {
 // block head event that initiated the resetState().
 func TestStateChangeDuringPoolReset(t *testing.T) {
 	var (
-		db, _      = ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+		db         = ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 		key, _     = crypto.GenerateKey()
 		address    = crypto.PubkeyToAddress(key.PublicKey)
 		statedb, _ = state.New(common.Hash{}, state.NewDatabase(db))
@@ -305,7 +305,7 @@ func TestTransactionChainFork(t *testing.T) {
 
 	addr := crypto.PubkeyToAddress(key.PublicKey)
 	resetState := func() {
-		db, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+		db := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 		statedb, _ := state.New(common.Hash{}, state.NewDatabase(db))
 		statedb.AddBalance(addr, big.NewInt(100000000000000))
 
@@ -333,7 +333,7 @@ func TestTransactionDoubleNonce(t *testing.T) {
 
 	addr := crypto.PubkeyToAddress(key.PublicKey)
 	resetState := func() {
-		db, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+		db := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 		statedb, _ := state.New(common.Hash{}, state.NewDatabase(db))
 		statedb.AddBalance(addr, big.NewInt(100000000000000))
 
@@ -633,7 +633,7 @@ func TestTransactionQueueGlobalLimitingNoLocals(t *testing.T) {
 
 func testTransactionQueueGlobalLimiting(t *testing.T, nolocals bool) {
 	// Create the pool to test the limit enforcement with
-	db, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	db := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 	statedb, _ := state.New(common.Hash{}, state.NewDatabase(db))
 	blockchain := &testBlockChain{statedb, big.NewInt(1000000), new(event.Feed)}
 
@@ -722,7 +722,7 @@ func testTransactionQueueTimeLimiting(t *testing.T, nolocals bool) {
 	evictionInterval = time.Second
 
 	// Create the pool to test the non-expiration enforcement
-	db, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	db := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 	statedb, _ := state.New(common.Hash{}, state.NewDatabase(db))
 	blockchain := &testBlockChain{statedb, big.NewInt(1000000), new(event.Feed)}
 
@@ -860,7 +860,7 @@ func testTransactionLimitingEquivalency(t *testing.T, origin uint64) {
 // attacks.
 func TestTransactionPendingGlobalLimiting(t *testing.T) {
 	// Create the pool to test the limit enforcement with
-	db, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	db := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 	statedb, _ := state.New(common.Hash{}, state.NewDatabase(db))
 	blockchain := &testBlockChain{statedb, big.NewInt(1000000), new(event.Feed)}
 
@@ -905,7 +905,7 @@ func TestTransactionPendingGlobalLimiting(t *testing.T) {
 // Tests that if transactions start being capped, transactions are also removed from 'all'
 func TestTransactionCapClearsFromAll(t *testing.T) {
 	// Create the pool to test the limit enforcement with
-	db, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	db := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 	statedb, _ := state.New(common.Hash{}, state.NewDatabase(db))
 	blockchain := &testBlockChain{statedb, big.NewInt(1000000), new(event.Feed)}
 
@@ -938,7 +938,7 @@ func TestTransactionCapClearsFromAll(t *testing.T) {
 // the transactions are still kept.
 func TestTransactionPendingMinimumAllowance(t *testing.T) {
 	// Create the pool to test the limit enforcement with
-	db, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	db := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 	statedb, _ := state.New(common.Hash{}, state.NewDatabase(db))
 	blockchain := &testBlockChain{statedb, big.NewInt(1000000), new(event.Feed)}
 
@@ -985,7 +985,7 @@ func TestTransactionPendingMinimumAllowance(t *testing.T) {
 // Note, local transactions are never allowed to be dropped.
 func TestTransactionPoolRepricing(t *testing.T) {
 	// Create the pool to test the pricing enforcement with
-	db, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	db := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 	statedb, _ := state.New(common.Hash{}, state.NewDatabase(db))
 	blockchain := &testBlockChain{statedb, big.NewInt(1000000), new(event.Feed)}
 
@@ -1065,7 +1065,7 @@ func TestTransactionPoolRepricing(t *testing.T) {
 // remove local transactions.
 func TestTransactionPoolRepricingKeepsLocals(t *testing.T) {
 	// Create the pool to test the pricing enforcement with
-	db, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	db := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 	statedb, _ := state.New(common.Hash{}, state.NewDatabase(db))
 	blockchain := &testBlockChain{statedb, big.NewInt(1000000), new(event.Feed)}
 
@@ -1126,7 +1126,7 @@ func TestTransactionPoolRepricingKeepsLocals(t *testing.T) {
 // Note, local transactions are never allowed to be dropped.
 func TestTransactionPoolUnderpricing(t *testing.T) {
 	// Create the pool to test the pricing enforcement with
-	db, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	db := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 	statedb, _ := state.New(common.Hash{}, state.NewDatabase(db))
 	blockchain := &testBlockChain{statedb, big.NewInt(1000000), new(event.Feed)}
 
@@ -1212,7 +1212,7 @@ func TestTransactionPoolUnderpricing(t *testing.T) {
 // price bump required.
 func TestTransactionReplacement(t *testing.T) {
 	// Create the pool to test the pricing enforcement with
-	db, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	db := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 	statedb, _ := state.New(common.Hash{}, state.NewDatabase(db))
 	blockchain := &testBlockChain{statedb, big.NewInt(1000000), new(event.Feed)}
 
@@ -1290,7 +1290,7 @@ func testTransactionJournaling(t *testing.T, nolocals bool) {
 	os.Remove(journal)
 
 	// Create the original pool to inject transaction into the journal
-	db, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	db := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 	statedb, _ := state.New(common.Hash{}, state.NewDatabase(db))
 	blockchain := &testBlockChain{statedb, big.NewInt(1000000), new(event.Feed)}
 
diff --git a/core/vm/runtime/runtime.go b/core/vm/runtime/runtime.go
index edbf541766..9bf2f2e0bb 100644
--- a/core/vm/runtime/runtime.go
+++ b/core/vm/runtime/runtime.go
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ func Execute(code, input []byte, cfg *Config) ([]byte, *state.StateDB, error) {
 	setDefaults(cfg)
 
 	if cfg.State == nil {
-		db, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+		db := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 		cfg.State, _ = state.New(common.Hash{}, state.NewDatabase(db))
 	}
 	var (
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ func Create(input []byte, cfg *Config) ([]byte, common.Address, uint64, error) {
 	setDefaults(cfg)
 
 	if cfg.State == nil {
-		db, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+		db := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 		cfg.State, _ = state.New(common.Hash{}, state.NewDatabase(db))
 	}
 	var (
diff --git a/core/vm/runtime/runtime_test.go b/core/vm/runtime/runtime_test.go
index 2c4dc50265..c061dc2ec5 100644
--- a/core/vm/runtime/runtime_test.go
+++ b/core/vm/runtime/runtime_test.go
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ func TestExecute(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestCall(t *testing.T) {
-	db, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	db := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 	state, _ := state.New(common.Hash{}, state.NewDatabase(db))
 	address := common.HexToAddress("0x0a")
 	state.SetCode(address, []byte{
diff --git a/eth/downloader/downloader_test.go b/eth/downloader/downloader_test.go
index 58f6e9a624..a656e1a1eb 100644
--- a/eth/downloader/downloader_test.go
+++ b/eth/downloader/downloader_test.go
@@ -75,12 +75,13 @@ type downloadTester struct {
 
 // newTester creates a new downloader test mocker.
 func newTester() *downloadTester {
-	testdb, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	testdb := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 	genesis := core.GenesisBlockForTesting(testdb, testAddress, big.NewInt(1000000000))
 
 	tester := &downloadTester{
 		genesis:           genesis,
 		peerDb:            testdb,
+		stateDb:           ethdb.NewMemDatabase(),
 		ownHashes:         []common.Hash{genesis.Hash()},
 		ownHeaders:        map[common.Hash]*types.Header{genesis.Hash(): genesis.Header()},
 		ownBlocks:         map[common.Hash]*types.Block{genesis.Hash(): genesis},
@@ -93,7 +94,6 @@ func newTester() *downloadTester {
 		peerChainTds:      make(map[string]map[common.Hash]*big.Int),
 		peerMissingStates: make(map[string]map[common.Hash]bool),
 	}
-	tester.stateDb, _ = ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 	tester.stateDb.Put(genesis.Root().Bytes(), []byte{0x00})
 
 	tester.downloader = New(FullSync, tester.stateDb, new(event.TypeMux), tester, nil, tester.dropPeer)
diff --git a/eth/downloader/statesync.go b/eth/downloader/statesync.go
index a0b05c9be6..e0f7ed0cd7 100644
--- a/eth/downloader/statesync.go
+++ b/eth/downloader/statesync.go
@@ -18,14 +18,12 @@ package downloader
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
-	"hash"
 	"sync"
 	"sync/atomic"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core/state"
-	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/crypto/sha3"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/ethdb"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/log"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/trie"
@@ -211,9 +209,8 @@ func (d *Downloader) runStateSync(s *stateSync) *stateSync {
 type stateSync struct {
 	d *Downloader // Downloader instance to access and manage current peerset
 
-	sched  *trie.TrieSync             // State trie sync scheduler defining the tasks
-	keccak hash.Hash                  // Keccak256 hasher to verify deliveries with
-	tasks  map[common.Hash]*stateTask // Set of tasks currently queued for retrieval
+	sched *trie.TrieSync             // State trie sync scheduler defining the tasks
+	tasks map[common.Hash]*stateTask // Set of tasks currently queued for retrieval
 
 	numUncommitted   int
 	bytesUncommitted int
@@ -237,7 +234,6 @@ func newStateSync(d *Downloader, root common.Hash) *stateSync {
 	return &stateSync{
 		d:       d,
 		sched:   state.NewStateSync(root, d.stateDB),
-		keccak:  sha3.NewKeccak256(),
 		tasks:   make(map[common.Hash]*stateTask),
 		deliver: make(chan *stateReq),
 		cancel:  make(chan struct{}),
@@ -401,7 +397,7 @@ func (s *stateSync) process(req *stateReq) (bool, error) {
 	progress, stale := false, len(req.response) > 0
 
 	for _, blob := range req.response {
-		prog, hash, err := s.processNodeData(blob)
+		prog, hash, err := s.sched.Process(&trie.SyncResult{Data: blob})
 		switch err {
 		case nil:
 			s.numUncommitted++
@@ -446,18 +442,6 @@ func (s *stateSync) process(req *stateReq) (bool, error) {
 	return stale, nil
 }
 
-// processNodeData tries to inject a trie node data blob delivered from a remote
-// peer into the state trie, returning whether anything useful was written or any
-// error occurred.
-func (s *stateSync) processNodeData(blob []byte) (bool, common.Hash, error) {
-	res := trie.SyncResult{Data: blob}
-	s.keccak.Reset()
-	s.keccak.Write(blob)
-	s.keccak.Sum(res.Hash[:0])
-	committed, _, err := s.sched.Process([]trie.SyncResult{res})
-	return committed, res.Hash, err
-}
-
 // updateStats bumps the various state sync progress counters and displays a log
 // message for the user to see.
 func (s *stateSync) updateStats(written, duplicate, unexpected int, duration time.Duration) {
diff --git a/eth/handler_test.go b/eth/handler_test.go
index 6752cd2a84..88028a0514 100644
--- a/eth/handler_test.go
+++ b/eth/handler_test.go
@@ -368,7 +368,7 @@ func testGetNodeData(t *testing.T, protocol int) {
 			t.Errorf("data hash mismatch: have %x, want %x", hash, want)
 		}
 	}
-	statedb, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	statedb := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 	for i := 0; i < len(data); i++ {
 		statedb.Put(hashes[i].Bytes(), data[i])
 	}
diff --git a/ethdb/database_test.go b/ethdb/database_test.go
index 5e4a3ca34a..2deb50988c 100644
--- a/ethdb/database_test.go
+++ b/ethdb/database_test.go
@@ -53,8 +53,7 @@ func TestLDB_PutGet(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestMemoryDB_PutGet(t *testing.T) {
-	db, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
-	testPutGet(db, t)
+	testPutGet(ethdb.NewMemDatabase(), t)
 }
 
 func testPutGet(db ethdb.Database, t *testing.T) {
@@ -131,8 +130,7 @@ func TestLDB_ParallelPutGet(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestMemoryDB_ParallelPutGet(t *testing.T) {
-	db, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
-	testParallelPutGet(db, t)
+	testParallelPutGet(ethdb.NewMemDatabase(), t)
 }
 
 func testParallelPutGet(db ethdb.Database, t *testing.T) {
diff --git a/ethdb/memory_database.go b/ethdb/memory_database.go
index 699bd0c9fd..8c52b89855 100644
--- a/ethdb/memory_database.go
+++ b/ethdb/memory_database.go
@@ -23,18 +23,15 @@ import (
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common"
 )
 
-/*
- * This is a test memory database. Do not use for any production it does not get persisted
- */
 type MemDatabase struct {
 	db   map[string][]byte
 	lock sync.RWMutex
 }
 
-func NewMemDatabase() (*MemDatabase, error) {
+func NewMemDatabase() *MemDatabase {
 	return &MemDatabase{
 		db: make(map[string][]byte),
-	}, nil
+	}
 }
 
 func (db *MemDatabase) Put(key []byte, value []byte) error {
diff --git a/les/handler_test.go b/les/handler_test.go
index 93e2763026..680373f860 100644
--- a/les/handler_test.go
+++ b/les/handler_test.go
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ func expectResponse(r p2p.MsgReader, msgcode, reqID, bv uint64, data interface{}
 func TestGetBlockHeadersLes1(t *testing.T) { testGetBlockHeaders(t, 1) }
 
 func testGetBlockHeaders(t *testing.T, protocol int) {
-	db, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	db := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 	pm := newTestProtocolManagerMust(t, false, downloader.MaxHashFetch+15, nil, nil, nil, db)
 	bc := pm.blockchain.(*core.BlockChain)
 	peer, _ := newTestPeer(t, "peer", protocol, pm, true)
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ func testGetBlockHeaders(t *testing.T, protocol int) {
 func TestGetBlockBodiesLes1(t *testing.T) { testGetBlockBodies(t, 1) }
 
 func testGetBlockBodies(t *testing.T, protocol int) {
-	db, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	db := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 	pm := newTestProtocolManagerMust(t, false, downloader.MaxBlockFetch+15, nil, nil, nil, db)
 	bc := pm.blockchain.(*core.BlockChain)
 	peer, _ := newTestPeer(t, "peer", protocol, pm, true)
@@ -248,7 +248,7 @@ func TestGetCodeLes1(t *testing.T) { testGetCode(t, 1) }
 
 func testGetCode(t *testing.T, protocol int) {
 	// Assemble the test environment
-	db, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	db := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 	pm := newTestProtocolManagerMust(t, false, 4, testChainGen, nil, nil, db)
 	bc := pm.blockchain.(*core.BlockChain)
 	peer, _ := newTestPeer(t, "peer", protocol, pm, true)
@@ -281,7 +281,7 @@ func TestGetReceiptLes1(t *testing.T) { testGetReceipt(t, 1) }
 
 func testGetReceipt(t *testing.T, protocol int) {
 	// Assemble the test environment
-	db, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	db := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 	pm := newTestProtocolManagerMust(t, false, 4, testChainGen, nil, nil, db)
 	bc := pm.blockchain.(*core.BlockChain)
 	peer, _ := newTestPeer(t, "peer", protocol, pm, true)
@@ -308,7 +308,7 @@ func TestGetProofsLes1(t *testing.T) { testGetProofs(t, 1) }
 
 func testGetProofs(t *testing.T, protocol int) {
 	// Assemble the test environment
-	db, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	db := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 	pm := newTestProtocolManagerMust(t, false, 4, testChainGen, nil, nil, db)
 	bc := pm.blockchain.(*core.BlockChain)
 	peer, _ := newTestPeer(t, "peer", protocol, pm, true)
diff --git a/les/odr_test.go b/les/odr_test.go
index f56c4036d4..62270f46cd 100644
--- a/les/odr_test.go
+++ b/les/odr_test.go
@@ -152,8 +152,8 @@ func testOdr(t *testing.T, protocol int, expFail uint64, fn odrTestFn) {
 	peers := newPeerSet()
 	dist := newRequestDistributor(peers, make(chan struct{}))
 	rm := newRetrieveManager(peers, dist, nil)
-	db, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
-	ldb, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	db := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	ldb := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 	odr := NewLesOdr(ldb, rm)
 	pm := newTestProtocolManagerMust(t, false, 4, testChainGen, nil, nil, db)
 	lpm := newTestProtocolManagerMust(t, true, 0, nil, peers, odr, ldb)
diff --git a/les/request_test.go b/les/request_test.go
index 6b594462dc..8c660ccb7b 100644
--- a/les/request_test.go
+++ b/les/request_test.go
@@ -71,8 +71,8 @@ func testAccess(t *testing.T, protocol int, fn accessTestFn) {
 	peers := newPeerSet()
 	dist := newRequestDistributor(peers, make(chan struct{}))
 	rm := newRetrieveManager(peers, dist, nil)
-	db, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
-	ldb, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	db := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	ldb := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 	odr := NewLesOdr(ldb, rm)
 
 	pm := newTestProtocolManagerMust(t, false, 4, testChainGen, nil, nil, db)
diff --git a/light/lightchain_test.go b/light/lightchain_test.go
index 40a4d396a8..8f9769efc8 100644
--- a/light/lightchain_test.go
+++ b/light/lightchain_test.go
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ func makeHeaderChain(parent *types.Header, n int, db ethdb.Database, seed int) [
 // chain. Depending on the full flag, if creates either a full block chain or a
 // header only chain.
 func newCanonical(n int) (ethdb.Database, *LightChain, error) {
-	db, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	db := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 	gspec := core.Genesis{Config: params.TestChainConfig}
 	genesis := gspec.MustCommit(db)
 	blockchain, _ := NewLightChain(&dummyOdr{db: db}, gspec.Config, ethash.NewFaker())
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ func newCanonical(n int) (ethdb.Database, *LightChain, error) {
 
 // newTestLightChain creates a LightChain that doesn't validate anything.
 func newTestLightChain() *LightChain {
-	db, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	db := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 	gspec := &core.Genesis{
 		Difficulty: big.NewInt(1),
 		Config:     params.TestChainConfig,
diff --git a/node/node.go b/node/node.go
index 6f189d8fe5..b957cc8267 100644
--- a/node/node.go
+++ b/node/node.go
@@ -637,7 +637,7 @@ func (n *Node) EventMux() *event.TypeMux {
 // ephemeral, a memory database is returned.
 func (n *Node) OpenDatabase(name string, cache, handles int) (ethdb.Database, error) {
 	if n.config.DataDir == "" {
-		return ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+		return ethdb.NewMemDatabase(), nil
 	}
 	return ethdb.NewLDBDatabase(n.config.resolvePath(name), cache, handles)
 }
diff --git a/node/service.go b/node/service.go
index 55062a5004..afc43e8486 100644
--- a/node/service.go
+++ b/node/service.go
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ type ServiceContext struct {
 // node is an ephemeral one, a memory database is returned.
 func (ctx *ServiceContext) OpenDatabase(name string, cache int, handles int) (ethdb.Database, error) {
 	if ctx.config.DataDir == "" {
-		return ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+		return ethdb.NewMemDatabase(), nil
 	}
 	db, err := ethdb.NewLDBDatabase(ctx.config.resolvePath(name), cache, handles)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/tests/block_test_util.go b/tests/block_test_util.go
index a789e6d887..6fdb2d84fd 100644
--- a/tests/block_test_util.go
+++ b/tests/block_test_util.go
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ func (t *BlockTest) Run() error {
 	}
 
 	// import pre accounts & construct test genesis block & state root
-	db, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	db := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 	gblock, err := t.genesis(config).Commit(db)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
diff --git a/tests/state_test_util.go b/tests/state_test_util.go
index 64bf09cb42..c2ac9a79ff 100644
--- a/tests/state_test_util.go
+++ b/tests/state_test_util.go
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ func (t *StateTest) Run(subtest StateSubtest, vmconfig vm.Config) (*state.StateD
 		return nil, UnsupportedForkError{subtest.Fork}
 	}
 	block, _ := t.genesis(config).ToBlock()
-	db, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	db := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 	statedb := makePreState(db, t.json.Pre)
 
 	post := t.json.Post[subtest.Fork][subtest.Index]
diff --git a/tests/vm_test_util.go b/tests/vm_test_util.go
index 0aa37955ce..928405aaf2 100644
--- a/tests/vm_test_util.go
+++ b/tests/vm_test_util.go
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ type vmExecMarshaling struct {
 }
 
 func (t *VMTest) Run(vmconfig vm.Config) error {
-	db, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	db := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 	statedb := makePreState(db, t.json.Pre)
 	ret, gasRemaining, err := t.exec(statedb, vmconfig)
 
diff --git a/trie/iterator_test.go b/trie/iterator_test.go
index 4808d8b0c6..3ec4230952 100644
--- a/trie/iterator_test.go
+++ b/trie/iterator_test.go
@@ -279,7 +279,7 @@ func TestIteratorNoDups(t *testing.T) {
 
 // This test checks that nodeIterator.Next can be retried after inserting missing trie nodes.
 func TestIteratorContinueAfterError(t *testing.T) {
-	db, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	db := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 	tr, _ := New(common.Hash{}, db)
 	for _, val := range testdata1 {
 		tr.Update([]byte(val.k), []byte(val.v))
@@ -330,7 +330,7 @@ func TestIteratorContinueAfterError(t *testing.T) {
 // should retry seeking before returning true for the first time.
 func TestIteratorContinueAfterSeekError(t *testing.T) {
 	// Commit test trie to db, then remove the node containing "bars".
-	db, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	db := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 	ctr, _ := New(common.Hash{}, db)
 	for _, val := range testdata1 {
 		ctr.Update([]byte(val.k), []byte(val.v))
diff --git a/trie/secure_trie_test.go b/trie/secure_trie_test.go
index d74102e2a2..62b7d4c55e 100644
--- a/trie/secure_trie_test.go
+++ b/trie/secure_trie_test.go
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ import (
 )
 
 func newEmptySecure() *SecureTrie {
-	db, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	db := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 	trie, _ := NewSecure(common.Hash{}, db, 0)
 	return trie
 }
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ func newEmptySecure() *SecureTrie {
 // makeTestSecureTrie creates a large enough secure trie for testing.
 func makeTestSecureTrie() (ethdb.Database, *SecureTrie, map[string][]byte) {
 	// Create an empty trie
-	db, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	db := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 	trie, _ := NewSecure(common.Hash{}, db, 0)
 
 	// Fill it with some arbitrary data
diff --git a/trie/sync.go b/trie/sync.go
index 1130b062db..c9fd650681 100644
--- a/trie/sync.go
+++ b/trie/sync.go
@@ -17,10 +17,14 @@
 package trie
 
 import (
+	"bytes"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
+	"hash"
 
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common"
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/crypto/sha3"
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/ethdb"
 	"gopkg.in/karalabe/cookiejar.v2/collections/prque"
 )
 
@@ -50,10 +54,10 @@ type request struct {
 // be a batch of trie leaves (with associated merkle proofs) if returning batched
 // results.
 type SyncResult struct {
-	Hash   common.Hash // Hash of the originally unknown trie node
-	Data   []byte      // Data content of the retrieved node, in node-sync mode
-	Leaves [][]byte    // Trie leaves rooted under the specified hash, in leaf-sync mode
-	Proofs [][]byte    // Proofs to validate the leaves, in leaf-sync mode, if leaves are partial
+	Data   []byte   // Data content of the retrieved node, in node-sync mode
+	Keys   [][]byte // Trie keys rooted under the specified hash, in leaf-sync mode
+	Values [][]byte // Trie values rooted under the specified hash, in leaf-sync mode
+	Proof  [][]byte // Proofs to validate the leaves, in leaf-sync mode, if leaves are partial
 }
 
 // syncMemBatch is an in-memory buffer of successfully downloaded but not yet
@@ -84,6 +88,7 @@ type TrieSync struct {
 	membatch *syncMemBatch            // Memory buffer to avoid frequest database writes
 	requests map[common.Hash]*request // Pending requests pertaining to a key hash
 	queue    *prque.Prque             // Priority queue with the pending requests
+	keccak   hash.Hash                // Keccak256 hasher to verify deliveries with
 }
 
 // NewTrieSync creates a new trie data download scheduler.
@@ -93,6 +98,7 @@ func NewTrieSync(root common.Hash, database DatabaseReader, callback TrieSyncLea
 		membatch: newSyncMemBatch(),
 		requests: make(map[common.Hash]*request),
 		queue:    prque.New(),
+		keccak:   sha3.NewKeccak256(),
 	}
 	ts.AddSubTrie(root, 0, common.Hash{}, callback)
 	return ts
@@ -167,7 +173,10 @@ func (s *TrieSync) AddRawEntry(hash common.Hash, depth int, parent common.Hash)
 func (s *TrieSync) Missing(max int) []common.Hash {
 	requests := []common.Hash{}
 	for !s.queue.Empty() && (max == 0 || len(requests) < max) {
-		requests = append(requests, s.queue.PopItem().(common.Hash))
+		hash := s.queue.PopItem().(common.Hash)
+		if s.requests[hash] != nil {
+			requests = append(requests, hash)
+		}
 	}
 	return requests
 }
@@ -175,48 +184,187 @@ func (s *TrieSync) Missing(max int) []common.Hash {
 // Process injects a batch of retrieved trie nodes data, returning if something
 // was committed to the database and also the index of an entry if processing of
 // it failed.
-func (s *TrieSync) Process(results []SyncResult) (bool, int, error) {
-	committed := false
+func (s *TrieSync) Process(result *SyncResult) (bool, common.Hash, error) {
+	// If it's a plain or full sub-trie delivery, inject and return
+	if len(result.Keys) == 0 && len(result.Proof) == 0 {
+		return s.processNode(result.Data)
+	}
+	if len(result.Proof) == 0 {
+		return s.processLeaves(result.Keys, result.Values)
+	}
+	// For partial depliveries, expand the keys and iteratively fulfil the sub-trie
+	for i, key := range result.Keys {
+		result.Keys[i] = keybytesToHex(key)
+	}
+	return s.processPartialLeaves(result.Keys, result.Values, result.Proof)
+}
 
-	for i, item := range results {
-		// If the item was not requested, bail out
-		request := s.requests[item.Hash]
-		if request == nil {
-			return committed, i, ErrNotRequested
-		}
-		if request.data != nil {
-			return committed, i, ErrAlreadyProcessed
-		}
-		// If the item is a raw entry request, commit directly
-		if request.raw {
-			request.data = item.Data
-			s.commit(request)
-			committed = true
-			continue
-		}
-		// Decode the node data content and update the request
-		node, err := decodeNode(item.Hash[:], item.Data, 0)
-		if err != nil {
-			return committed, i, err
-		}
-		request.data = item.Data
+// processNode verifies and processes a trie node, returning if anything was
+// committed and the hash of the node injected.
+func (s *TrieSync) processNode(blob []byte) (bool, common.Hash, error) {
+	// Derive the hash of the result based on its content
+	var hash common.Hash
 
-		// Create and schedule a request for all the children nodes
-		requests, err := s.children(request, node)
-		if err != nil {
-			return committed, i, err
-		}
-		if len(requests) == 0 && request.deps == 0 {
-			s.commit(request)
-			committed = true
-			continue
-		}
-		request.deps += len(requests)
-		for _, child := range requests {
-			s.schedule(child)
+	s.keccak.Reset()
+	s.keccak.Write(blob)
+	s.keccak.Sum(hash[:0])
+
+	// If the item was not requested, bail out
+	request := s.requests[hash]
+	if request == nil {
+		return false, hash, ErrNotRequested
+	}
+	if request.data != nil {
+		return false, hash, nil // TODO(karalabe): Why not ErrAlreadyProcessed
+	}
+	// If the item is a raw entry request, commit directly
+	if request.raw {
+		request.data = blob
+		s.commit(request)
+		return true, hash, nil
+	}
+	// Decode and inject into the trie
+	node, err := decodeNode(hash[:], blob, 0)
+	if err != nil {
+		return false, hash, err
+	}
+	request.data = blob
+
+	// Create and schedule a request for all the children nodes
+	requests, err := s.children(request, node)
+	if err != nil {
+		return false, hash, err
+	}
+	if len(requests) == 0 && request.deps == 0 {
+		s.commit(request)
+		return true, hash, nil
+	}
+	request.deps += len(requests)
+	for _, child := range requests {
+		s.schedule(child)
+	}
+	return false, hash, nil
+}
+
+// processLeaves reconstructs a sub-trie from the given key-value pairs, returning
+// the root of the sub-trie or an error on failure.
+func (s *TrieSync) processLeaves(keys [][]byte, values [][]byte) (bool, common.Hash, error) {
+	// Inject all the leaves into a fresh trie and derive it's root hash
+	db := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	trie, err := New(common.Hash{}, db)
+	if err != nil {
+		return false, common.Hash{}, err
+	}
+	for j := 0; j < len(keys); j++ {
+		trie.Update(keys[j], values[j])
+	}
+	root, err := trie.Commit()
+	if err != nil {
+		return false, common.Hash{}, err
+	}
+	// If the item was not requested, bail out
+	request := s.requests[root]
+	if request == nil {
+		return false, root, ErrNotRequested
+	}
+	if request.data != nil {
+		return false, root, ErrAlreadyProcessed
+	}
+	// Inject all key-values as is and complete the root
+	for _, key := range db.Keys() {
+		value, _ := db.Get(key)
+		if hash := common.BytesToHash(key); hash != root {
+			s.commitEntry(hash, value)
+		} else {
+			request.data = value
 		}
 	}
-	return committed, 0, nil
+	s.commit(request)
+
+	return true, root, nil
+}
+
+// processPartialLeaves reconstructs a sub-trie from the Merkle proof and the
+// available key-value pairs, commiting the available parts and scheduling the
+// missing items for future retrival.
+func (s *TrieSync) processPartialLeaves(keys [][]byte, values [][]byte, proof [][]byte) (bool, common.Hash, error) {
+	// Derive the hash of the topmost proof
+	var root common.Hash
+
+	s.keccak.Reset()
+	s.keccak.Write(proof[0])
+	s.keccak.Sum(root[:0])
+
+	// If the item was not requested, bail out
+	request := s.requests[root]
+	if request == nil {
+		return false, root, ErrNotRequested
+	}
+	if request.data != nil {
+		return false, root, ErrAlreadyProcessed
+	}
+	// Decode the root node and schedule missing children
+	node, err := decodeNode(root[:], proof[0], 0)
+	if err != nil {
+		return false, root, err
+	}
+	request.data = proof[0]
+
+	requests, err := s.children(request, node)
+	if err != nil {
+		return false, root, err
+	}
+	if len(requests) == 0 && request.deps == 0 {
+		s.commit(request)
+		return true, root, nil
+	}
+	request.deps += len(requests)
+	for _, child := range requests {
+		s.schedule(child)
+	}
+	// Fulfill any children satisfied by the key-value pairs
+	switch node := (node).(type) {
+	case *shortNode:
+		// All keys must have the short node's path as a prefix
+		for i, key := range keys {
+			if !bytes.HasPrefix(key, node.Key) {
+				return false, root, fmt.Errorf("key mismatch at proof %x", proof[0])
+			}
+			keys[i] = key[len(node.Key):]
+		}
+		// Recurse into the subtrie of the short node
+		commit, _, err := s.processPartialLeaves(keys, values, proof[1:])
+		return commit, root, err
+
+	case *fullNode:
+		// Split up the keyspace between the full node's children
+		for i := 0; i < 17; i++ {
+			if node.Children[i] != nil {
+				// Split off the keyspace for this child
+				var split int
+				for split < len(keys) && keys[split][0] == byte(i) {
+					keys[split] = keys[split][1:]
+					split++
+				}
+				// Only process this child if it's not fully embedded
+				if _, ok := node.Children[i].(hashNode); !ok {
+					// If we're at the last node, process it as a partial trie
+					if split == len(keys) && len(proof) != 1 {
+						commit, _, err := s.processPartialLeaves(keys[:split], values[:split], proof[1:])
+						return commit, root, err
+					}
+					// Otherwise we have a full sub-trie, parse in its entirety (if not already contained within the full node)
+					commit, _, err := s.processLeaves(keys[:split], values[:split])
+					if err != nil {
+						return commit, root, err
+					}
+				}
+				keys = keys[split:]
+				values = values[split:]
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	return false, root, nil
 }
 
 // Commit flushes the data stored in the internal membatch out to persistent
@@ -320,9 +468,7 @@ func (s *TrieSync) children(req *request, object node) ([]*request, error) {
 // committed themselves.
 func (s *TrieSync) commit(req *request) (err error) {
 	// Write the node content to the membatch
-	s.membatch.batch[req.hash] = req.data
-	s.membatch.order = append(s.membatch.order, req.hash)
-
+	s.commitEntry(req.hash, req.data)
 	delete(s.requests, req.hash)
 
 	// Check all parents for completion
@@ -336,3 +482,10 @@ func (s *TrieSync) commit(req *request) (err error) {
 	}
 	return nil
 }
+
+// commitEntry injects a raw database entry into the memory batch to be flushed
+// out at a later point into the real database.
+func (s *TrieSync) commitEntry(key common.Hash, blob []byte) {
+	s.membatch.batch[key] = blob
+	s.membatch.order = append(s.membatch.order, key)
+}
diff --git a/trie/sync_test.go b/trie/sync_test.go
index 7048c08cae..18146ee3fa 100644
--- a/trie/sync_test.go
+++ b/trie/sync_test.go
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ package trie
 
 import (
 	"bytes"
+	"math/rand"
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common"
@@ -27,7 +28,7 @@ import (
 // makeTestTrie create a sample test trie to test node-wise reconstruction.
 func makeTestTrie() (ethdb.Database, *Trie, map[string][]byte) {
 	// Create an empty trie
-	db, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	db := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 	trie, _ := New(common.Hash{}, db)
 
 	// Fill it with some arbitrary data
@@ -92,7 +93,7 @@ func TestEmptyTrieSync(t *testing.T) {
 	emptyB, _ := New(emptyRoot, nil)
 
 	for i, trie := range []*Trie{emptyA, emptyB} {
-		db, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+		db := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 		if req := NewTrieSync(common.BytesToHash(trie.Root()), db, nil).Missing(1); len(req) != 0 {
 			t.Errorf("test %d: content requested for empty trie: %v", i, req)
 		}
@@ -109,21 +110,27 @@ func testIterativeTrieSync(t *testing.T, batch int) {
 	srcDb, srcTrie, srcData := makeTestTrie()
 
 	// Create a destination trie and sync with the scheduler
-	dstDb, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	dstDb := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 	sched := NewTrieSync(common.BytesToHash(srcTrie.Root()), dstDb, nil)
 
 	queue := append([]common.Hash{}, sched.Missing(batch)...)
 	for len(queue) > 0 {
-		results := make([]SyncResult, len(queue))
+		results := make([]*SyncResult, len(queue))
 		for i, hash := range queue {
-			data, err := srcDb.Get(hash.Bytes())
-			if err != nil {
-				t.Fatalf("failed to retrieve node data for %x: %v", hash, err)
+			if rand.Int()%2 == 0 {
+				data, err := srcDb.Get(hash.Bytes())
+				if err != nil {
+					t.Fatalf("failed to retrieve node data for %x: %v", hash, err)
+				}
+				results[i] = &SyncResult{Data: data}
+			} else {
+				results[i], _ = srcTrie.FetchData(hash, 8192)
 			}
-			results[i] = SyncResult{Hash: hash, Data: data}
 		}
-		if _, index, err := sched.Process(results); err != nil {
-			t.Fatalf("failed to process result #%d: %v", index, err)
+		for index, result := range results {
+			if _, _, err := sched.Process(result); err != nil {
+				t.Fatalf("failed to process result #%d: %v", index, err)
+			}
 		}
 		if index, err := sched.Commit(dstDb); err != nil {
 			t.Fatalf("failed to commit data #%d: %v", index, err)
@@ -141,22 +148,28 @@ func TestIterativeDelayedTrieSync(t *testing.T) {
 	srcDb, srcTrie, srcData := makeTestTrie()
 
 	// Create a destination trie and sync with the scheduler
-	dstDb, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	dstDb := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 	sched := NewTrieSync(common.BytesToHash(srcTrie.Root()), dstDb, nil)
 
 	queue := append([]common.Hash{}, sched.Missing(10000)...)
 	for len(queue) > 0 {
 		// Sync only half of the scheduled nodes
-		results := make([]SyncResult, len(queue)/2+1)
+		results := make([]*SyncResult, len(queue)/2+1)
 		for i, hash := range queue[:len(results)] {
-			data, err := srcDb.Get(hash.Bytes())
-			if err != nil {
-				t.Fatalf("failed to retrieve node data for %x: %v", hash, err)
+			if rand.Int()%2 == 0 {
+				data, err := srcDb.Get(hash.Bytes())
+				if err != nil {
+					t.Fatalf("failed to retrieve node data for %x: %v", hash, err)
+				}
+				results[i] = &SyncResult{Data: data}
+			} else {
+				results[i], _ = srcTrie.FetchData(hash, 8192)
 			}
-			results[i] = SyncResult{Hash: hash, Data: data}
 		}
-		if _, index, err := sched.Process(results); err != nil {
-			t.Fatalf("failed to process result #%d: %v", index, err)
+		for index, result := range results {
+			if _, _, err := sched.Process(result); err != nil {
+				t.Fatalf("failed to process result #%d: %v", index, err)
+			}
 		}
 		if index, err := sched.Commit(dstDb); err != nil {
 			t.Fatalf("failed to commit data #%d: %v", index, err)
@@ -178,7 +191,7 @@ func testIterativeRandomTrieSync(t *testing.T, batch int) {
 	srcDb, srcTrie, srcData := makeTestTrie()
 
 	// Create a destination trie and sync with the scheduler
-	dstDb, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	dstDb := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 	sched := NewTrieSync(common.BytesToHash(srcTrie.Root()), dstDb, nil)
 
 	queue := make(map[common.Hash]struct{})
@@ -187,17 +200,24 @@ func testIterativeRandomTrieSync(t *testing.T, batch int) {
 	}
 	for len(queue) > 0 {
 		// Fetch all the queued nodes in a random order
-		results := make([]SyncResult, 0, len(queue))
+		results := make([]*SyncResult, 0, len(queue))
 		for hash := range queue {
-			data, err := srcDb.Get(hash.Bytes())
-			if err != nil {
-				t.Fatalf("failed to retrieve node data for %x: %v", hash, err)
+			if rand.Int()%2 == 0 {
+				data, err := srcDb.Get(hash.Bytes())
+				if err != nil {
+					t.Fatalf("failed to retrieve node data for %x: %v", hash, err)
+				}
+				results = append(results, &SyncResult{Data: data})
+			} else {
+				request, _ := srcTrie.FetchData(hash, 8192)
+				results = append(results, request)
 			}
-			results = append(results, SyncResult{Hash: hash, Data: data})
 		}
 		// Feed the retrieved results back and queue new tasks
-		if _, index, err := sched.Process(results); err != nil {
-			t.Fatalf("failed to process result #%d: %v", index, err)
+		for index, result := range results {
+			if _, _, err := sched.Process(result); err != nil {
+				t.Fatalf("failed to process result #%d: %v", index, err)
+			}
 		}
 		if index, err := sched.Commit(dstDb); err != nil {
 			t.Fatalf("failed to commit data #%d: %v", index, err)
@@ -218,7 +238,7 @@ func TestIterativeRandomDelayedTrieSync(t *testing.T) {
 	srcDb, srcTrie, srcData := makeTestTrie()
 
 	// Create a destination trie and sync with the scheduler
-	dstDb, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	dstDb := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 	sched := NewTrieSync(common.BytesToHash(srcTrie.Root()), dstDb, nil)
 
 	queue := make(map[common.Hash]struct{})
@@ -227,28 +247,33 @@ func TestIterativeRandomDelayedTrieSync(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 	for len(queue) > 0 {
 		// Sync only half of the scheduled nodes, even those in random order
-		results := make([]SyncResult, 0, len(queue)/2+1)
+		results := make([]*SyncResult, 0, len(queue)/2+1)
 		for hash := range queue {
-			data, err := srcDb.Get(hash.Bytes())
-			if err != nil {
-				t.Fatalf("failed to retrieve node data for %x: %v", hash, err)
+			if rand.Int()%2 == 0 {
+				data, err := srcDb.Get(hash.Bytes())
+				if err != nil {
+					t.Fatalf("failed to retrieve node data for %x: %v", hash, err)
+				}
+				results = append(results, &SyncResult{Data: data})
+			} else {
+				request, _ := srcTrie.FetchData(hash, 8192)
+				results = append(results, request)
 			}
-			results = append(results, SyncResult{Hash: hash, Data: data})
-
 			if len(results) >= cap(results) {
 				break
 			}
 		}
 		// Feed the retrieved results back and queue new tasks
-		if _, index, err := sched.Process(results); err != nil {
-			t.Fatalf("failed to process result #%d: %v", index, err)
+		for index, result := range results {
+			_, hash, err := sched.Process(result)
+			if err != nil {
+				t.Fatalf("failed to process result #%d: %v", index, err)
+			}
+			delete(queue, hash)
 		}
 		if index, err := sched.Commit(dstDb); err != nil {
 			t.Fatalf("failed to commit data #%d: %v", index, err)
 		}
-		for _, result := range results {
-			delete(queue, result.Hash)
-		}
 		for _, hash := range sched.Missing(10000) {
 			queue[hash] = struct{}{}
 		}
@@ -264,28 +289,34 @@ func TestDuplicateAvoidanceTrieSync(t *testing.T) {
 	srcDb, srcTrie, srcData := makeTestTrie()
 
 	// Create a destination trie and sync with the scheduler
-	dstDb, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	dstDb := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 	sched := NewTrieSync(common.BytesToHash(srcTrie.Root()), dstDb, nil)
 
 	queue := append([]common.Hash{}, sched.Missing(0)...)
 	requested := make(map[common.Hash]struct{})
 
 	for len(queue) > 0 {
-		results := make([]SyncResult, len(queue))
+		results := make([]*SyncResult, len(queue))
 		for i, hash := range queue {
-			data, err := srcDb.Get(hash.Bytes())
-			if err != nil {
-				t.Fatalf("failed to retrieve node data for %x: %v", hash, err)
-			}
 			if _, ok := requested[hash]; ok {
 				t.Errorf("hash %x already requested once", hash)
 			}
 			requested[hash] = struct{}{}
 
-			results[i] = SyncResult{Hash: hash, Data: data}
+			if rand.Int()%2 == 0 {
+				data, err := srcDb.Get(hash.Bytes())
+				if err != nil {
+					t.Fatalf("failed to retrieve node data for %x: %v", hash, err)
+				}
+				results[i] = &SyncResult{Data: data}
+			} else {
+				results[i], _ = srcTrie.FetchData(hash, 8192)
+			}
 		}
-		if _, index, err := sched.Process(results); err != nil {
-			t.Fatalf("failed to process result #%d: %v", index, err)
+		for index, result := range results {
+			if _, _, err := sched.Process(result); err != nil {
+				t.Fatalf("failed to process result #%d: %v", index, err)
+			}
 		}
 		if index, err := sched.Commit(dstDb); err != nil {
 			t.Fatalf("failed to commit data #%d: %v", index, err)
@@ -303,31 +334,36 @@ func TestIncompleteTrieSync(t *testing.T) {
 	srcDb, srcTrie, _ := makeTestTrie()
 
 	// Create a destination trie and sync with the scheduler
-	dstDb, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	dstDb := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 	sched := NewTrieSync(common.BytesToHash(srcTrie.Root()), dstDb, nil)
 
 	added := []common.Hash{}
 	queue := append([]common.Hash{}, sched.Missing(1)...)
 	for len(queue) > 0 {
 		// Fetch a batch of trie nodes
-		results := make([]SyncResult, len(queue))
+		results := make([]*SyncResult, len(queue))
 		for i, hash := range queue {
-			data, err := srcDb.Get(hash.Bytes())
-			if err != nil {
-				t.Fatalf("failed to retrieve node data for %x: %v", hash, err)
+			if rand.Int()%2 == 0 {
+				data, err := srcDb.Get(hash.Bytes())
+				if err != nil {
+					t.Fatalf("failed to retrieve node data for %x: %v", hash, err)
+				}
+				results[i] = &SyncResult{Data: data}
+			} else {
+				results[i], _ = srcTrie.FetchData(hash, 8192)
 			}
-			results[i] = SyncResult{Hash: hash, Data: data}
 		}
 		// Process each of the trie nodes
-		if _, index, err := sched.Process(results); err != nil {
-			t.Fatalf("failed to process result #%d: %v", index, err)
+		for index, result := range results {
+			_, hash, err := sched.Process(result)
+			if err != nil {
+				t.Fatalf("failed to process result #%d: %v", index, err)
+			}
+			added = append(added, hash)
 		}
 		if index, err := sched.Commit(dstDb); err != nil {
 			t.Fatalf("failed to commit data #%d: %v", index, err)
 		}
-		for _, result := range results {
-			added = append(added, result.Hash)
-		}
 		// Check that all known sub-tries in the synced trie are complete
 		for _, root := range added {
 			if err := checkTrieConsistency(dstDb, root); err != nil {
diff --git a/trie/trie.go b/trie/trie.go
index 7f69a3d1de..d19aad272c 100644
--- a/trie/trie.go
+++ b/trie/trie.go
@@ -504,3 +504,40 @@ func (t *Trie) hashRoot(db DatabaseWriter) (node, node, error) {
 	defer returnHasherToPool(h)
 	return h.hash(t.root, db, true)
 }
+
+// FetchData retrieves synchronization data from the trie to send to remote
+// nodes.
+func (t *Trie) FetchData(hash common.Hash, limit common.StorageSize) (res *SyncResult, fail error) {
+	// If this method panics, hash points to a non-iterable trie; return individual node
+	defer func() {
+		if r := recover(); r != nil {
+			blob, err := t.db.Get(hash[:])
+			if err != nil {
+				fail = err
+			} else {
+				res = &SyncResult{Data: blob}
+			}
+		}
+	}()
+	// Try to gather the necessary data as key-value pairs
+	result := new(SyncResult)
+
+	trie, _ := New(hash, t.db)
+	it := NewIterator(trie.NodeIterator(nil))
+
+	size := common.StorageSize(0)
+	for size < limit && it.Next() {
+		result.Keys = append(result.Keys, common.CopyBytes(it.Key))
+		result.Values = append(result.Values, common.CopyBytes(it.Value))
+
+		size += common.StorageSize(len(it.Key) + len(it.Value))
+	}
+	// If we've went past our data allowance, prove the partial data
+	if size >= limit {
+		result.Proof = it.Prove()
+		if !it.Next() {
+			result.Proof = nil // Overflowing item was the last after all
+		}
+	}
+	return result, nil
+}
diff --git a/trie/trie_test.go b/trie/trie_test.go
index 1c90950703..b55f2ae1c1 100644
--- a/trie/trie_test.go
+++ b/trie/trie_test.go
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ func init() {
 
 // Used for testing
 func newEmpty() *Trie {
-	db, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	db := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 	trie, _ := New(common.Hash{}, db)
 	return trie
 }
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ func TestNull(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestMissingRoot(t *testing.T) {
-	db, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	db := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 	trie, err := New(common.HexToHash("0beec7b5ea3f0fdbc95d0dd47f3c5bc275da8a33"), db)
 	if trie != nil {
 		t.Error("New returned non-nil trie for invalid root")
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ func TestMissingRoot(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestMissingNode(t *testing.T) {
-	db, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	db := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 	trie, _ := New(common.Hash{}, db)
 	updateString(trie, "120000", "qwerqwerqwerqwerqwerqwerqwerqwer")
 	updateString(trie, "123456", "asdfasdfasdfasdfasdfasdfasdfasdf")
@@ -404,7 +404,7 @@ func (randTest) Generate(r *rand.Rand, size int) reflect.Value {
 }
 
 func runRandTest(rt randTest) bool {
-	db, _ := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
+	db := ethdb.NewMemDatabase()
 	tr, _ := New(common.Hash{}, db)
 	values := make(map[string]string) // tracks content of the trie