diff --git a/lib/crypto/backend-browser.js b/lib/crypto/backend-browser.js
index fa4bc175..f4f69212 100644
--- a/lib/crypto/backend-browser.js
+++ b/lib/crypto/backend-browser.js
@@ -19,10 +19,14 @@ var backend = exports;
  * Hashing
  */
 
-backend.hash = function _hash(alg, data) {
+backend._hash = function _hash(alg, data) {
   var hash = hashjs[alg];
   assert(hash != null, 'Unknown algorithm.');
-  return new Buffer(hash().update(data).digest());
+  return hash().update(data).digest();
+};
+
+backend.hash = function _hash(alg, data) {
+  return new Buffer(backend._hash(alg, data));
 };
 
 backend.ripemd160 = function ripemd160(data) {
@@ -38,11 +42,13 @@ backend.sha256 = function sha256(data) {
 };
 
 backend.hash160 = function hash160(data) {
-  return backend.ripemd160(backend.sha256(data));
+  var hash = backend._hash('sha256', data);
+  return backend.hash('ripemd160', hash);
 };
 
 backend.hash256 = function hash256(data) {
-  return backend.sha256(backend.sha256(data));
+  var hash = backend._hash('sha256', data);
+  return backend.hash('sha256', hash);
 };
 
 backend.hmac = function _hmac(alg, data, key) {