diff --git a/lib/blocks.js b/lib/blocks.js
index e9f82c6..05a0d91 100644
--- a/lib/blocks.js
+++ b/lib/blocks.js
@@ -153,19 +153,17 @@ BlockController.prototype.transformBlock = function(block, info) {
   });
 
   // MerkleRoot is backwards hex data in the block object, flip before returning
-  var merkleRoot = block.merkleRoot;
+  var merkleRoot = block.getMerkleRoot('hex');
 
-  if (merkleRoot) {
-    var strArray = merkleRoot.match(/.{1,2}/g);
-    var reversedArray = strArray.reverse();
-    var builtStr = "";
-    for (var str of reversedArray){
-      builtStr += str;
-    }
-
-    merkleRoot = builtStr
+  var strArray = merkleRoot.match(/.{1,2}/g);
+  var reversedArray = strArray.reverse();
+  var builtStr = "";
+  for (var str of reversedArray){
+    builtStr += str;
   }
 
+  merkleRoot = builtStr
+
   return {
     hash: block.rhash(),
     size: block.getSize(),