diff --git a/network/default.go b/network/default.go
index 36bcd628..ab8905c7 100644
--- a/network/default.go
+++ b/network/default.go
@@ -276,10 +276,7 @@ func (n *network) processNetChan(client transport.Client, listener tunnel.Listen
 				}
 				n.Unlock()
 				// get all the node peers down to MaxDepth encoded in protobuf
-				msg, err := n.node.getProtoTopology(MaxDepth)
-				if err != nil {
-					log.Debugf("Network unable to retrieve node topology: %s", err)
-				}
+				msg := n.node.getProtoTopology(MaxDepth)
 				// advertise yourself to the network
 				if err := n.sendMsg("peer", msg, NetworkChannel); err != nil {
 					log.Debugf("Network failed to advertise peers: %v", err)
@@ -396,12 +393,7 @@ func (n *network) announce(client transport.Client) {
 		case <-n.closed:
 			return
 		case <-announce.C:
-			msg, err := n.node.getProtoTopology(MaxDepth)
-			if err != nil {
-				log.Debugf("Network unable to retrieve node topology: %s", err)
-				continue
-			}
-			n.node.RUnlock()
+			msg := n.node.getProtoTopology(MaxDepth)
 			// advertise yourself to the network
 			if err := n.sendMsg("peer", msg, NetworkChannel); err != nil {
 				log.Debugf("Network failed to advertise peers: %v", err)
diff --git a/network/node.go b/network/node.go
index c4c49f1c..dad609e5 100644
--- a/network/node.go
+++ b/network/node.go
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ func (n *node) Peers() []Node {
 }
 
 // getProtoTopology returns node topology down to the given depth encoded in protobuf
-func (n *node) getProtoTopology(depth uint) (*pb.Peer, error) {
+func (n *node) getProtoTopology(depth uint) *pb.Peer {
 	n.RLock()
 	defer n.RUnlock()
 
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ func (n *node) getProtoTopology(depth uint) (*pb.Peer, error) {
 
 	// return if have either reached the depth or have no more peers
 	if depth == 0 || len(n.peers) == 0 {
-		return pbPeers, nil
+		return pbPeers
 	}
 
 	// decrement the depth
@@ -155,10 +155,7 @@ func (n *node) getProtoTopology(depth uint) (*pb.Peer, error) {
 	for _, peer := range n.peers {
 		// get peers of the node peers
 		// NOTE: this is [not] a recursive call
-		pbPeerPeer, err := peer.getProtoTopology(depth)
-		if err != nil {
-			return nil, err
-		}
+		pbPeerPeer := peer.getProtoTopology(depth)
 		// add current peer to explored peers
 		peers = append(peers, pbPeerPeer)
 	}
@@ -166,7 +163,7 @@ func (n *node) getProtoTopology(depth uint) (*pb.Peer, error) {
 	// add peers to the parent topology
 	pbPeers.Peers = peers
 
-	return pbPeers, nil
+	return pbPeers
 }
 
 // unpackPeer unpacks pb.Peer into node topology of given depth
diff --git a/network/node_test.go b/network/node_test.go
index 774d78ec..2a49be11 100644
--- a/network/node_test.go
+++ b/network/node_test.go
@@ -266,10 +266,8 @@ func TestGetProtoTopology(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 	topCount := 0
 
-	protoTop, err := single.getProtoTopology(10)
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Errorf("Error getting proto topology: %s", err)
-	}
+	protoTop := single.getProtoTopology(10)
+
 	if len(protoTop.Peers) != topCount {
 		t.Errorf("Expected to find %d nodes, found: %d", topCount, len(protoTop.Peers))
 	}
@@ -284,10 +282,8 @@ func TestGetProtoTopology(t *testing.T) {
 		peerIds[id] = true
 	}
 	// depth 1 should give us immmediate neighbours only
-	protoTop, err = node.getProtoTopology(1)
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Errorf("Error getting proto topology: %s", err)
-	}
+	protoTop = node.getProtoTopology(1)
+
 	if len(protoTop.Peers) != topCount {
 		t.Errorf("Expected to find %d nodes, found: %d", topCount, len(protoTop.Peers))
 	}