diff --git a/lib/utils/bech32.js b/lib/utils/bech32.js
index 7b8cbaee..4f536009 100644
--- a/lib/utils/bech32.js
+++ b/lib/utils/bech32.js
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ var native = require('./native').binding;
  * @module utils/bech32
  */
 
+var POOL65 = new Buffer(65);
 var CHARSET = 'qpzry9x8gf2tvdw0s3jn54khce6mua7l';
 var TABLE = [
   -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1,
@@ -205,7 +206,7 @@ function deserialize(str) {
  * Convert serialized data to bits,
  * suitable to be serialized as bech32.
  * @param {Buffer} data
- * @param {Number} size
+ * @param {Buffer} output
  * @param {Number} frombits
  * @param {Number} tobits
  * @param {Number} pad
@@ -213,11 +214,10 @@ function deserialize(str) {
  * @returns {Buffer}
  */
 
-function convert(data, size, frombits, tobits, pad, off) {
+function convert(data, output, frombits, tobits, pad, off) {
   var acc = 0;
   var bits = 0;
   var maxv = (1 << tobits) - 1;
-  var output = new Buffer(size);
   var j = 0;
   var i, value;
 
@@ -259,7 +259,8 @@ function convert(data, size, frombits, tobits, pad, off) {
  */
 
 function encode(hrp, version, hash) {
-  var data = convert(hash, 65, 8, 5, version, 0);
+  var output = POOL65;
+  var data = convert(hash, output, 8, 5, version, 0);
   return serialize(hrp, data);
 }
 
@@ -276,13 +277,14 @@ function decode(str) {
   var result = deserialize(str);
   var hrp = result.hrp;
   var data = result.data;
-  var version, hash;
+  var version, hash, output;
 
   if (data.length < 1)
     throw new Error('Invalid bech32 data length.');
 
   version = data[0];
-  hash = convert(data, 84, 5, 8, -1, 1);
+  output = data;
+  hash = convert(data, output, 5, 8, -1, 1);
 
   return new AddrResult(hrp, version, hash);
 }
diff --git a/test/bech32-test.js b/test/bech32-test.js
index 70b12927..3e8fb49b 100644
--- a/test/bech32-test.js
+++ b/test/bech32-test.js
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ describe('Bech32', function() {
     if (dec.hrp !== hrp || dec.data.length < 1 || dec.data[0] > 16)
       throw new Error('Invalid bech32 prefix or data length.');
 
-    data = bech32.convert(dec.data, 84, 5, 8, -1, 1);
+    data = bech32.convert(dec.data, new Buffer(84), 5, 8, -1, 1);
 
     if (data.length < 2 || data.length > 40)
       throw new Error('Invalid witness program size.');
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ describe('Bech32', function() {
   }
 
   function toAddress(hrp, version, program) {
-    var data = bech32.convert(program, 65, 8, 5, version, 0);
+    var data = bech32.convert(program, new Buffer(65), 8, 5, version, 0);
     var ret = bech32.serialize(hrp, data);
 
     fromAddress(hrp, ret);